Brass barrel Ketland repro

[zimmerstutzen]

24 ga Sparks like a champ can't wait to give her a day at the range.

 

[smoothshooter]

Looks nice! Who is the maker? I have an original that looks very much like yours in approx. .62 caliber with a steel or iron barrel.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

It has handling marks from the prior owner using it for pirate reenactments. He said it was made in India. Fit and finish are fair to good. Better than most traditions factory finished products. As I understand it, Indian law reuires that they gun be proofed and labeled with maker and date of manufacture. I haven't removed the barrel to see what is stamped under the floor there.

 

[Millermpls]

I could be wrong, but my understanding is that the Indian-manufacture models are shipped without a vent hole, thus dodging laws/tariffs at home and at the destination regarding firearms manufacture/export and eventual import.

In fact, a retailer in Canada ships unfinished, where you need to drill the vent.

If true, no proofing would be possible. Even so, does not mean you do not have a fine firelock to enjoy.

 

[M. De Land]

Neat, I had forgotten about brass smooth bore barrels.
I remember reading that smooth bore cannon barrels were much preferred over iron.
That always seemed a bit odd.
What type of brass is used in barrel manufacture for your smoothie?

 

[colmoultrie]

Actually, those handling marks give you a possible opportunity.

IF, I say IF, you want to slim the wood down a tad and give it a less high-gloss finish, those marks give you an excuse. The gun looks nice "as-is," especially compared to some other guns from India I've seen, but judicious wood removal can make a good-looking piece even better - if you have the skill (I don't, but I've seen what others can do with these).

 

[D. Buck Stopshere]

The late gun-maker, Carl Hanneken of Southport, NC made over 300 long guns in his career. He worked for Curly Gostompski in Dayton, before setting out on his own.

He made a few rifles with rifled brass barrels. I don't know if this applies to artillery, but he stated that brass is a "dead metal", in that vibrations are minimized when the powder is ignited and pushing the ball out the barrel.

Others may comment on this theory, but even the noted gun-maker, John Braxton, of Snow Camp, NC who made full-size artillery pieces for the National Park Service, said the same thing.

One year at the NC state Shoot back in the '70's, he showed up with a swamped, bronze-barreled, flintlock rifle, .50 caliber that he made from scratch, not parts from TOTW. Hand-made, lock, stock, and hand-rifled barrel.

That weekend, he embarrassed the heck out of the rest of us, shooting' that bronze barrel rifle. Bronze, he said, like brass, is a "dead metal". Minimal vibrations or not "havin' the barrel walk" upon ignition was the success of that gun.

But who among us wants a longrifle with a bronze or brass barrel? That's why you see so few.

 

[cynthialee]

I would think the novelty of such a firearm is enough that I want one now.

 

[azmntman]

ff ?? sorry if not allowed but regarding brass barrels,

My grampa gave me his old farm .22 ss rifle, about 28" long and had a brass insert barrel! It is said they drove nails (literally) with this lil gun on the farm long ago. Either it or myself has lost the accuracy to shoot at nail heads now!!

Not a muzzleloader but if it was as accurate as I am lead to believe then I bet brass barrel .45 caliber BP rifle would be a nice next gun to look for. Do the guys like Bobby Hoyt have the ability to create such a beast?? :idunno:

 

[zimmerstutzen]

I have a 25 to 35 yr old Italian kentucky style pistol with a 44 rifled bore.

About a year ago I saw an ad for new made rifled brass barrels. Don't remember where I saw it.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Just picked up a Fernwood Derringer with brass barrel.

 

[Zonie]

My only brass barreled gun. :grin:



It's a .36 with a hexagon barrel and it does shoot.

I limit the powder load to about 10 grains because even that amount makes the little bugger recoil and knowing there are many very weak types of brass on the market, 10 grains is about all I feel safe with. :hmm:

 

[zimmerstutzen]

That is a Fernwood gun

 

[M. De Land]

I think the main trouble with a brass barrel is keeping the crown in good shape and you would need to clean with wood,delrin or some other protected rod.
If one were real careful with it I see no reason it would not last for a very long time.
I need to learn more about the various brass alloys suitable for barrels as I don't know much about them.

 

[matt denison]

My only brass barreled gun. :grin:



It's a .36 with a hexagon barrel and it does shoot.

I limit the powder load to about 10 grains because even that amount makes the little bugger recoil and knowing there are many very weak types of brass on the market, 10 grains is about all I feel safe with. :hmm:

Looks like a zip gun made in the machine shop of the local prison.

:surrender: