Cast Iron barrel

[Paulussie0]

Hi there,

I have A smoothbore barrel It looks like a museum pice .
The bore it self is recently polisht and looks like new .

Bud it seems to be a cast iron - defenitly not a cast steel.

Would it be safe to fire it ? :shocked2:

 

[Tumblernotch]

I wouldn't. Have it checked by a metallurgist. One way to check is to use a grinder on an inconspicuous place (bottom of barrel near breech) and do a spark test. This is a last resort though. Best thing is to have a metallurgist look at it.
:thumbsup:

 

[robinghewitt]

I would, providing it isn't a garden ornament :thumbsup:

If the bore is shiny, could it be a steel tube inside a fancy cast iron outer? If so, almost certainly built to shoot.

Safest is to load the first shot like Macbeth, "overcharged with double cracks". Stand well back :grin:

 

[streetsniper]

If it's a gun barrel I doubt it's cast iron. Cast iron does not lend itself to gun barrels. It can't be forged like wrought or mild steel. If you want to try it proof it first. IMHO, if it's old it's probably wrought iron. Billy

 

[Zonie]

I agree that you should have a metallurgist test the barrel before you do any proof testing or anything else that entails putting any kind of explosive into it.

Cast steels can be safe to shoot if they are the right kind of steel and properly heat treated but cast iron is a bomb waiting to happen.

Cast Iron is very brittle and has the bad habit of looking great until it is over stressed. Then it shatters.
If it is cast iron and survives a proof charge, that is no guarantee that it will survive the next charge. IMO it is a terrible thing to use on any firearm.

There are different kinds of cast iron but some of them have a tensile strength of only 25,000 PSI as compared with over 65,000 PSI for low carbon wrought steel that most muzzleloaders are made from.

There are some cannons which use a steel tube for a bore and have a cast iron body cast around them.
These rely on the strength of the steel to make them safe and the cast iron is there more for decoration than to actually add much strength.

Have it tested at a metallurgical laboratory to be sure you know what your dealing with.

 

Xray and Magna-Flux comes to mind. If its iron, then its wrought iron, not cast.

CP

 

[robinghewitt]

Xray and Magna-Flux comes to mind. If its iron, then its wrought iron, not cast.

Probably wise. Anyone taking my advice should remember that I am almost clinically insane and will shoot anything that loads black so long as it's fun :youcrazy:

OTOH, getting a barrel forensically examined in this country would cost lots and I wouldn't know where to start looking for someone to do it anyway :hmm:

 

It may not cost as much as one would have thought, Robin. Trying a google search for "industrial x-ray". It used for oil lines, steam pipes, structual steel and the like. Quite common these days.

 

[renovato]

Also many welding places offer Magnufluxing for a decent price. These are in most every city.

 

[robinghewitt]

It may not cost as much as one would have thought, Robin. Trying a google search for "industrial x-ray".

Maybe in the land of the free, but this is the land of the expensive :rotf:

Did the search but pressed the "UK only" button. Tried 3 pages then gave up

 

[David Teague]

Hello Robin,

Try this link UK X-ray Testing

I bet one of the companies listed could either help or guide you to a closer company to deal with.

Cheers,

David

 

[benvenuto]

Robin,
Most large technical colleges would have magnafluxing and x ray gear. A word in the right ear might get you a free test and an interesting exercise for the students. But remember its "cast pipe" not a "destructive device" :wink: