Skychief
69 Cal.
I have a Douglas 32 caliber barrel manufactured "who knows when" and am half scared to use it. Let me explain....
I have been reading a lot of old threads here and elsewhere regarding barrel steels. Also, I am planning to buy a barrel or two at Friendship within the week, so, more research was done. In the end, I hope to KNOW if my Douglas is safe to shoot and what commercial manufacturers (specifically Green Mountain, Rice and Rayle) I can KNOW make their barrels with safe steel.
In my readings, I have realized that I am no metallurgist nor engineer. Terms such as DOM, cold rolled, seamless tubing, low carbon, pressure ratings, static pressure ratings, barrels which can not be proofed, Douglas barrels brittle and failing, 1018, 1025, 12L14, 4140, 8620, 1144, 1137, 4150, and an unbelievable amount of acronyms!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :surrender:
I confess, I don't know what it all means. I just have always loved to shoot muzzleloaders (30 years worth), but, now feel totally confused and concerned regarding what is safe and what is not.
Will somebody please tell me which manufacturers are making "safe" barrels with "safe" steels? Again, is my Douglas barrel safe? How about the Bill Large barreled rifle I have shot for years? Did T/C use "safe" steels in their barrels?
Realize, if you say that Green Mountain uses 1137 for their barrels, it wont mean a thing to me. It would be more helpful to me if one were to say "Green Mountain barrels are perfectly safe if you don't do something like short start a load....and, by the way, the steel in their barrels is 1137".
I contacted Rice and they use 12L14. Again, this certification number means nothing to me. Are they safe?
This stuff is Greek to me and I am sure many others here. Will any of you just say what's what in layman terms possibly? If need be, please feel free to PT me regarding barrel safety if you don't feel comfortable openly posting.
Many thanks for any help in clarifying what has become a real concern for me nearly overnight! :shocked2:
Best regards, Skychief. :bow:
I have been reading a lot of old threads here and elsewhere regarding barrel steels. Also, I am planning to buy a barrel or two at Friendship within the week, so, more research was done. In the end, I hope to KNOW if my Douglas is safe to shoot and what commercial manufacturers (specifically Green Mountain, Rice and Rayle) I can KNOW make their barrels with safe steel.
In my readings, I have realized that I am no metallurgist nor engineer. Terms such as DOM, cold rolled, seamless tubing, low carbon, pressure ratings, static pressure ratings, barrels which can not be proofed, Douglas barrels brittle and failing, 1018, 1025, 12L14, 4140, 8620, 1144, 1137, 4150, and an unbelievable amount of acronyms!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :surrender:
I confess, I don't know what it all means. I just have always loved to shoot muzzleloaders (30 years worth), but, now feel totally confused and concerned regarding what is safe and what is not.
Will somebody please tell me which manufacturers are making "safe" barrels with "safe" steels? Again, is my Douglas barrel safe? How about the Bill Large barreled rifle I have shot for years? Did T/C use "safe" steels in their barrels?
Realize, if you say that Green Mountain uses 1137 for their barrels, it wont mean a thing to me. It would be more helpful to me if one were to say "Green Mountain barrels are perfectly safe if you don't do something like short start a load....and, by the way, the steel in their barrels is 1137".
I contacted Rice and they use 12L14. Again, this certification number means nothing to me. Are they safe?
This stuff is Greek to me and I am sure many others here. Will any of you just say what's what in layman terms possibly? If need be, please feel free to PT me regarding barrel safety if you don't feel comfortable openly posting.
Many thanks for any help in clarifying what has become a real concern for me nearly overnight! :shocked2:
Best regards, Skychief. :bow: