I have a .69 fowler that has a 52" barrel. My question is if these long barrels were/are sometimes made by welding/forging several sections together?
I bought a long bore scope and had a look down this barrel. It has some long smooth areas and there are two distinct areas where the metal is not smooth at all and looks almost pitted. I am wondering if these are where sections were welded together (or what ever method was used). The barrel had no touch hole when I received it, so it was never fired, so I can eliminate the possibility of corrosion from poor maintenance.
There is also a distinct rim on the inside of the barrel, about 3" forward of the touch hole. I have no idea want it is from other than perhaps two barrel sections fit together and that was the overlap? The area behind the rim is slightly smaller in diameter than forward the rim.
This is somehow fascinating to me.
I have attached some photos from the bore scope.
(You may notice two small protrusions in the third photo- the original builder used barrel tenon staples that went through the wall.)
The first photo is near the muzzle and they progress so the last is of the breech plug. (I inserted a wire into the touch hole so you can see where it is in the last two photos.)
I have shot the gun many times and have had no issues with either shot or round ball. It shoots straight!
Thanks for any knowledgeable information!
I bought a long bore scope and had a look down this barrel. It has some long smooth areas and there are two distinct areas where the metal is not smooth at all and looks almost pitted. I am wondering if these are where sections were welded together (or what ever method was used). The barrel had no touch hole when I received it, so it was never fired, so I can eliminate the possibility of corrosion from poor maintenance.
There is also a distinct rim on the inside of the barrel, about 3" forward of the touch hole. I have no idea want it is from other than perhaps two barrel sections fit together and that was the overlap? The area behind the rim is slightly smaller in diameter than forward the rim.
This is somehow fascinating to me.
I have attached some photos from the bore scope.
(You may notice two small protrusions in the third photo- the original builder used barrel tenon staples that went through the wall.)
The first photo is near the muzzle and they progress so the last is of the breech plug. (I inserted a wire into the touch hole so you can see where it is in the last two photos.)
I have shot the gun many times and have had no issues with either shot or round ball. It shoots straight!
Thanks for any knowledgeable information!
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