Flintlock From Scratch

[Greebe]

Perhaps, but from the testing I have seen, DOM is as strong as steel bar that has been drilled to the same specs. Keep in mind that the old barrels were either forge welded with a seam running the whole length, or done as shotgun barrels that were steel wrapped around a mandrel like a spring and the forge welded.

I would not use DOM on a high power centerfire cartridge but blackpowder loads seem like they would be fine. I could be wrong though.

 

[Keb]

You can not make an argument for DOM that someone can not dispute. I'm not your guy though.
Some people believe there are only a few professional black powder barrel makers that can make a sure fire, honest to goodness, 100% safe barrel and a welded barrel ain't in that category :/

 

[Black Hand]

An entire thread about tubing for barrels. Zonie posts some excellent information. http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/275759/fromsearch/1/hl/DOM|barrel/tp/1/

 

[wmaser]

I'm staying out of this one!!! :v

 

[Greebe]

I think 4130 DOM should be plent strong. Shoot I had a barrel that I made out of copper pipe. Man that thing would shoot 120gr FFFFG charges all day long. I loved that rifle, however the copper was a royal pain to keep nice looking. Then one day my pipe froze under the house and I didn't have the money to go buy a piece of pipe, so I said hey me, just use your rifle barrel. I only had to cut off around 12" for the plumbing repair so I still used that rifle for a while longer, however it never did have good accuracy again. Plus my water always tasted like sulfur which I did not really like all that much. Hehe just kidding. I will scrap the DOM idea. DOM would probably be fine, but why risk it. Thanks, Greebe

 

[Tumblernotch]

120 gr. charges of ffffg? Uh, not likely. This is a typo right?

 

[Zonie]

It was probably one of the courser grained powders but whatever it was, using a material such as copper for a gunbarrel is totally wrong.

Those of you who may think about the possibility of using a copper water pipe as a gun barrel need to rethink the idea.

In my opinion, there is no way copper, even the work hardened types which have some strength are suitable for use with any explosive charge in them.
Simply put, it is much too weak and with work hardening it becomes brittle. :shake:

(Yes, I know that some dynamite caps are made of copper but they are designed to explode.)

 

[pargent]

Just a suggestion you need to watch the u-tube vids on colonial williamsburge or the ones on Hersel House to see what the process is for the manufacture of these guns , then mabe you will see the point all your other repliers are trying to make the amount of machine work that needs to be done , forgeing lots of , better like files ( that's the machine work )and the wood work skills of a very good joiner , look at the vids .Want modern machine made look then you can have it to enjoy for $200 from Cabelas .