Barrel Replica

[Freyr]

Hi all! (new to the forum),

I'm trying my hand at making replica flintlocks/wheellocks (just been messing around with the Lauber books), though I'm in a bit of a rut in terms of trying to find something for the barrel.

As I'm not making them fully functional (I still plan to make the lock mechanisms work), I don't need an actual barrel that's made for firing, but just metal that looks fairly authentic.

Just wondering if anyone might have an idea as to what type of metal I could use, that's relatively cheap and easy to get, without the pricetag of a real barrel.

Any help is very much appreciated!

 

[widget350]

You can use just about anything to simulate a barrel (pipe from your local hardware store would do), but please ensure you don't drill a vent, and ideally that you label it as for decorative purposes only. You never know who may come across it when you're not around. If you do something like this, you may even want to weld something into the tube to render it unusable.

If you get the lock working, it would be a shame to make the rest of the gun and not have it functional just because of a fake barrel. I'd hold off on the barrel until you've got the lock made, then save up enough to buy a real one - then you'd have a fully functional gun...but that's just me.

 

[der mike]

are you looking for rifle or pistol barrel stock? as for barrels on my non-firing replicas of derringers , I use hex shaped cold chisels from the swapmeet,annealed in the fireplace, then drilled in the lathe. P.S. don't bore to breech

 

[Zonie]

Welcome to the forum.

If you don't want to use a real barrel I think your choices are fairly limited.

Almost all flintlock barrels were either octagon or round or a combination of the two. Few if any authentic guns had 6 sided hexagon barrels.

Octagon bar stock is seldom made so that pretty much says you will need to use round bar stock.

Thick wall tubing is available however I must stress the need to do as the others have suggested and provide a non removable plug that extends at least 4 inches up the "barrel" inside the tubing at the breech.

The reason for this caution is the gun that you build will outlive you and even "seamless" tubing is unsuitable for use as a fire arm barrel.
A solid piece of metal blocking the firing mechanisms access to the bore will prevent someone from drilling a touch hole and killing themselves.

Another idea for you, especially if your building short barreled pistols is for you to go to a gun show or a pawn shop looking for used muzzleloaders.
Even if the bore is rusted, the barrel off of one of these used guns would provide you with several octagon barrels.

 

[bennypapa]

Zonie beat me to it!

You might want to make a post on the classified ads section of this forum. You could get someones old rusted out barrel and plug it just as Zonie suggests.

Look around for a used barrel. Then, if the bore isn't too bad and you do want to shoot it, you can!

 

[Freyr]

Thanks for the help, all!

Yeah, I don't plan to drill a vent for that very reason. Thanks for the idea to not bore to the breech/add a non-removable plug. I'll include that as further safety precautions.

It would be for a pistol barrel stock, as I'm trying to keep the budget small (being my first go, I'm just trying for a practice run).

Hm...never thought of trying to find used muzzeloaders. I can certainly try and keep my eyes open. Unfortunately they seem to be a rarity up here though...

Thanks again for the ideas and tips, all!

 

[Dave K]

Where is up here? You may actually be surprised what you will find, if you put the word out what you are looking for.

 

[AeroncaTAL]

If you have any old quarry sites around go visit them and see if they have any pieces of drill rod lying around. Some of these old drill rods are octagon in the neighborhood of an inch across. I was at a quarry and saw all these octagon rods being used as fence posts. These might work as simulated gun barrels.

Scott

 

[Rogue River]

I have a barrel or 2 off of a couple of cva's you can have for the cost of postage. PM me. Ron

 

[der mike]

sorry,,, I meant octagonal shaped cold chisels,which are hard to find, but out there..

 

[Dphar]

Hi all! (new to the forum),

I'm trying my hand at making replica flintlocks/wheellocks (just been messing around with the Lauber books), though I'm in a bit of a rut in terms of trying to find something for the barrel.

As I'm not making them fully functional (I still plan to make the lock mechanisms work), I don't need an actual barrel that's made for firing, but just metal that looks fairly authentic.

Just wondering if anyone might have an idea as to what type of metal I could use, that's relatively cheap and easy to get, without the pricetag of a real barrel.

Any help is very much appreciated!

Why put that much time/work into what is essentially a doorstop?
Getting something with the right contour, virtually impossible.

Dan

Dan

 

[Tinker2]

Go visit your local gun smith. Ask what they have for cutoffs and take off barrels laying around.

 

[Freyr]

Hm, I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for the cold chisels. Head down to the hardware store, see what they might have.

We do have a quarry site here, though unfortunately it's all under water now! I could try holding my breath hehe!

Well since it's my first go, I figure that I'll probably end up with a doorstop either way, which is why I'm using this a test run just to get a feel, then move up to something fully functional.