Clearmor OK Gun Museum

[bobthemotorcycle]

Its been years ago the last time I was there but at the Clearmore OK Gun Museum they had a display on how they use to make rifle barrels for old muzzleloaders. I believe they use to run rope down the blank and spin it until it formed scratches in the barrel. Is that correct or is my mine going on me?

Also a local gun smith told me that in the old days the makers of rifled barrels would use a burning wooded dowl and run it thru the bore and the scratches is what would give the lead ball spin. Have you heard this before?

 

[necchi]

Yes.
No.

 

[bobthemotorcycle]

Yes.

Yes that is correct or Yes my mind is going, lol.

Have you been to that museum?

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

No

and

No

 

[razorbritches]

I have been there and if you are in the area it is worth visiting. Admission is free, the staff is very helpful, and they have alot of guns . Supposed to have been the largest privately owned collection in America . It was still open last spring when I was working in the area, and make sure you have a few hours to look around because they have alot of guns.

 

[Zonie]

I have never heard of either method of attempting to rifle a barrel and I cannot see how these could possibly work.

The rifling must be cut into the metal removing a substantial amount of material. Scratches and such would do nothing to remove the amount of material that is required.

This is not to say you didn't read about these methods somewhere. There is a lot of misinformation written by people who don't understand the subject they are writing about.

Rifling was cut with a single hardened steel cutter mounted on a long metal or wood rod.

The rod was usually connected to a rotatable drum made longer than the barrel and with a spiral groove cut into its length. As the drum moved forward or aft a tab which engaged the groove would cause it to rotate.
This whole thing was part of a long wooden bench that would allow the drum/rod/cutter to move further than the barrel is long.

As the drum rotated, it also rotated the attached rod with the cutter causing the cutter to cut a spiral groove inside the barrels bore.

After the cutter removed the material on a stroke, it was adjusted so it would cut deeper on the next stroke.
Eventually the needed rifling depth was reached and the rod and cutter were rotated for the next groove where the whole process was started again.

This whole process often took several days to complete.

 

[AWsaddles]

I've been there several times and it's really an amazing place. I love guns but they have so many that I actually get tired of seeing them after a while and have to take a break to catch my breath. They have hundreds of original ML including a couple real Hawkins, an original Bean southern rifle and numerous others. I rember an awesome Bedford collection. About the rifling process i haven't heard of those methods but don't think they were used or would work. There is a very good video of it in YouTube in which Wallace Gusler at colonial Williamsburg builds a rifle and it shows the process very well. If you have an hour or so it is worth the watch.

 

[duelist1954]

Ditto. I don't see how those methods could possibly work.

But I love that museum.

 

[bobthemotorcycle]

Does Sanders Museum still have his gun collection.

I was at it twice but its been 25 years ago.

 

[bobthemotorcycle]

Zoni refreshed my memory. I have ran a fluting machine before so I know what he is saying but the rifling is made by a brochure.

It is a good museum. On American Rifleman on The Outdoor Channel you will se it often. A lot oh the footage is shot in that museum. I need to go check it out soon. I will post some pictures.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Does Sanders Museum still have his gun collection.

I was at it twice but its been 25 years ago.

The Saunders Museum is still open in Berryville, Arkansas. But the current curator is not knowledgable at all in museum operation (IMHO). The place is dark and dusty. They have replaced a lot of the guns with furniture and other stuff. The information cards with the guns that are left are so old they have yellowed and faded to where they are hard to read.
Huge dissapointment. The place used to be a great attraction for this part of the state.

 

[Rifleman1776]

The G.M Davis museum in Claremore, OK is truly a great gun museum. I wrote an article about it for Muzzle Blasts some years ago. Definitely a worthwhile planned stop for any gun enthusiast coming through this part of the country. The guns are displayed chronologically (historical timeline) which is the way I personally believe they should be. The information with them is detailed and a great reference source.
I am not familiar with the rifling process you describe and don't remember seeing it there. Not your fault, my memory.

 

[razorbritches]

Zonie , in a corner of the museum they have a rifling bench set up looks alot like the one at Williamsberg