Bess Barrel FUBAR'd ???

[Loyalist Dave]

Here is an image from a Jap Bess currently offered on an auction site.
I'm pretty sure the barrel has been FUBAR'd by somebody with a Dremel tool.
I'm not sure how thick the barrel is as the photos don't show exactly where on the barrel is the "engraving", but I think it's forward of the lock.
No shots of the interior of the barrel either
Oh well...…

LD

 

[Artificer]

Yep, probably done with a small carbide or possibly tool steel, ball "bur" cutter.

FUBAR'd is exactly the way to describe it.

Gus

 

[GunCat]

I saw that old girl on the auction sight. Probably engraved with the same electric engraver tool that put a bunch of S. Security numbers on the side of too many Browning shotguns and Winchester rifles over the years.

 

[dave_person]

Hi Dave,
Miroku barrels are really strong and there should be plenty of barrel wall at that point so that ugly engraving could come off. If done carefully, I think it should look and be OK. The challenge would be not to create a flat spot or depression that is noticeable.

dave

 

[GunCat]

Hi Dave,
Miroku barrels are really strong and there should be plenty of barrel wall at that point so that ugly engraving could come off. If done carefully, I think it should look and be OK. The challenge would be not to create a flat spot or depression that is noticeable.

dave

Agreed. I took the number and the “Dixie Gun Works” off my Bess's barrel without concern. Of course those stamps were back near the breech.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Miroku barrels are really strong and there should be plenty of barrel wall at that point so that ugly engraving could come off. If done carefully,

You could do it Dave, but this Dave would not be trying that.

LD

 

[WKD]

Weld a layer, file it smooth refinish the barrel...or buy a good gun.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Weld a layer, file it smooth refinish the barrel.

THAT'S IT!


LD

 

[Zonie]

In all honesty, I can never advise someone to weld anything on a gun barrel.

The intense heat can cause stresses in the barrel that can result in it warping. It will also cause severe oxidation in the bore unless the bore is protected with an inert gas shield or with some kind of plating with something like copper.
Welding has also been known to weaken the steel around the welded area.

Simply put, there is no way I would even consider welding on one of my gun barrels.

 

[SDSmlf]

Weld a layer, file it smooth refinish the barrel...or buy a good gun.

Not sure what the next level after FUBAR is, but welding will get you to at least the Platinum level of FUBAR.

 

[hawkeye2]

As if all the above isn't enough you have to consider the shrinkage and warpage from the weld. The least you would get as a result is a bowed barrel with a constriction.

 

[WKD]

then fall back on the rest of my statement

...or buy a good gun.

 

[tenngun]

While it is ah er um not the easiest on the eyes, a look at antique guns shows a lot of ugly carving, engraving, and repairs applied after the fact.
We’re mostly gun nuts who want a good looking gun, but back then some god awful pieces were put in to use.
Off hand I could think of a story about a braggart who tried to pretend he captured the gun from a 14th regiment soldier. You know he did no such thing in spite of his engraving. You gave him a chance to measure his length on the ground and took his false prize from him.

 

[jdw276]

In all honesty, I can never advise someone to weld anything on a gun barrel.

The intense heat can cause stresses in the barrel that can result in it warping. It will also cause severe oxidation in the bore unless the bore is protected with an inert gas shield or with some kind of plating with something like copper.
Welding has also been known to weaken the steel around the welded area.

Simply put, there is no way I would even consider welding on one of my gun barrels.

Even the little hobby tig wire welder? That is quick, even brazing would be to hot?

How about filling the letters with JB Weld and smoothing from there?

On a thread here someone said to smooth out engraving by punching the edges back down as an engraver does not cut but creates a trench by pushing the metal upward. Take a hammer and or a punch and knock the sides back down, file, fill with something. At least less noticable?

 

[SDSmlf]

Even the little hobby tig wire welder? That is quick, even brazing would be to hot?

How about filling the letters with JB Weld and smoothing from there?

On a thread here someone said to smooth out engraving by punching the edges back down as an engraver does not cut but creates a trench by pushing the metal upward. Take a hammer and or a punch and knock the sides back down, file, fill with something. At least less noticable?

You are kidding, correct?

‘Little hobby tig wire welder’? Still gets ‘hobby hot’ enough to meld metal. Should be outlawed around guns.

JB weld, an epoxy? Would highlight divots...... until cleaning or heat from shooting caused it to pop out.

The material was cut away with a burr or something similar, nothing to knock down with a ‘hammer and or punch’.

I would just leave as is if I owned the gun. In this case, would not bid on it.

 

[jdw276]

You are kidding, correct?

‘Little hobby tig wire welder’? Still gets ‘hobby hot’ enough to meld metal. Should be outlawed around guns.

JB weld, an epoxy? Would highlight divots...... until cleaning or heat from shooting caused it to pop out.

The material was cut away with a burr or something similar, nothing to knock down with a ‘hammer and or punch’.

I would just leave as is if I owned the gun. In this case, would not bid on it.

It is why we ask....

 

[Zonie]

Even a "little TIG wire welder" must heat the metal hotter than the temperature of molten steel. That's over 2000 degrees F.

With regard to heat, brazing was mentioned. Brazing rarely is hotter than 1300° F and a large area is heated in a uniform manner. That greatly reduces the stresses created in the area of the braze. Would I suggest brazing the markings? No. Braze alloys do not look like steel.
My suggestion is to just forget the markings. They don't hurt anything and if anything, they make the gun a one of a kind.
Being a one of a kind might be useful for identification if someone steals the gun.

 

[jdw276]

My interpetation was the tig wire is softer than barrel steel and would melt at a lower tempature than barrel steel. Thus not harming the barrel as its structure would not degrade at the lower temp. In addition, the welding would be done in the matter of seconds as we are not blacksmithing here in a coal fired forge to have it weld. This would ge in the same vein as lead vs zinc wheel weights. Lower melting point.

Am i going to do it personally? No because i am not worried about the looks in this regards. If i had worried, i would have already done it on some of my imported unmentionables rhar hqve been engraved with importer marks..

The additional issue that would arise if done with the welder would be getting the metal blue black to blend in and not be noticable which is the objective.

Oh well, not doing it anyway just was thinking. Sorry for my thoughts.

 

[Necrodude]

I saw that for sale on Gunbroker also.
I also saw a Pedersoli Brown Bess have a buy it now for $500 on gunbroker. Of course My internet had to be stupid and someone snagged it before I could. I'm still kicking myself for that.
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/827195099

 

[Dibbuk]

How about just ignoring it, and enjoy shooting the Bess?