Greg Christian barrels

[galamb]

In case my answer was obscure -

NO, I would not use this barrel.

I am not stating that I think it's dangerous in any way BUT,

just about everyone on this forum has shot a 12L14 barrel hundreds if not thousands of times without incident.

The few we hear about are almost always "operator error".

I don't know anyone that is shooting 1018.

Maybe it's "better" than 12L14 but there is no "track data" to support that.

If you will sleep ok at night, saving maybe 50 bucks on a barrel that "nobody" shoots made from a material that "nobody" uses to build barrels with, then that's your choice.

But if you are asking, I wouldn't use it and I wouldn't build with it especially if I was going to pass the rifle along to someone else.

12L14 may be less than ideal or even down right "wrong" in some opinions (even backed with science), but with millions of shots taken, without any failure, the "empirical data" says they are safe to shoot.

If you really want an opinion why not give Ed Rayl or Don Getz (or his son) a call and ask if they would build you a barrel with "cold drawn seamless 1018".

If they say NO, then that's your answer...

 

[LaBonte]

Thanks armakiller

At last report Ed Rayle is now using 8620, he's also used 4140 at least in the past. 8620 is a steel recommended by a metallurgist who understands muzzleloader properties and as far as I know no one else is using it.....

 

[LaBonte]

I don't know anyone that is shooting 1018.

Maybe it's "better" than 12L14 but there is no "track data" to support that.

If you will sleep ok at night, saving maybe 50 bucks on a barrel that "nobody" shoots made from a material that "nobody" uses to build barrels with, then that's your choice....

Actually someone else has used it so there is a very good track record of 1018 being used for low pressure loads - Colt used it for beaucoup years for M1911 barrels and that's a lot of barrels.....

as for truly seamless tubing (yes there is such with no seams) barrels Blackley and sons have used a similar steel tubing for their ML barrels for 30 years and their barrels have passed the tough British proof house standards.

While I have not used Mr. Christan's barrels, I'd have no qualms based on the steel stock being used. How his work quality is another question. I do know that maker Jackie Brown uses them and I've yet to hear of any of his guns go boom. I also know two VERY experienced shooters who use JB's guns and they have no qualms about the barrels and safety.

 

[George]

Eliphalet Remington, famed for his barrels, began using the full length boring process on steel barrels in the 1840's,

It is my understanding that Remington did not actually do full length boring, but rather drilled a hole in a short, about 1 foot, bar of of crucible steel, which was then heated and run through rollers, with a mandrel in the bore, stretching it out to get the length. It was essentially the first DOM, drawn over a mandrel. :grin: And, starting in 1855, Springfield barrels were made by machines which rolled a skelp into a tube (early tubing?) and heat welded it full length. Springfield barrels seem to have done OK.

If my understanding is incorrect, I'd like to know the truth of it.

Spence

 

[talon]

I don't see what the big deal is. For years the muzzleloading community has embraced "if it's cheap it's good" frame of mind.

 

[hawkeye2]

Some confusion seems to exist on this board regarding DOM tubing and seamless tubing. They are not the same!

DOM tubing (from Speedy Metals: http://www.speedymetals.com/information/Material17.html#Mechanical Properties):

"(Drawn Over Mandrel). DOM Steel Tube is produced using uniformly high quality C1020 steel strip and is formed and electric resistance welded into its basic shape. After annealing to produce a uniform grain structure throughout, the tube is then cold drawn over a mandrel to give it these advantages: uniform concentricity around the central axis, better ovality, closer tolerances, denser surface, uniform wall thickness, and higher physical properties. The cold working process works the weld area to produce a sound, dense, and homogeneous structure comparable to that of the base metal. The weld line disappears, causing DOM tube to be virtually* seamless. The surface is superior to that of regular seamless tubing, since the material has been cold drawn from strip steel. The hole is straight and concentric with the outside diameter. DOM Steel Tube may be machined, formed, welded, carburized, and subjected to other fabricating techniques that are ordinarily applied to low carbon steel. The use of DOM Steel Tube gives you a guaranteed micro-inch surface and lower productions costs by reducing or eliminating such operations as boring, honing, and finishing."

*virtually:
1. almost entirely : nearly (my italics)
2. for all practical purposes


Seamless tubing is just that, it has no seam, welded or otherwise. The use of which I am most familiar is in the fabrication of race car parts, chassis and roll structures and 4130 chromium-nickel-molybdenum alloy is almost exclusively used there. Here is a link to the manufacturing process for true seamless tubing:
http://www.thefabricator.com/artic...-seamless-tubing-with-a-floating-mandrel-mill

 

[jrmflintlock]

I have done a little more research and found that he does not use the DOM process. So his tubes are seamless.

Thanks for all your input. Not sure if that will change anyones mind or not.

 

[Stophel]

Millions of Mauser rifles (barrels AND actions) were made of 1018-1020 mild steel, and are still going strong a hundred years later. I have no problem with using it for muzzle loading gun barrels. In fact, I have long wondered why it is not used much more often! If it's really a seamless steel tube, then you should be good to go. A solid piece of steel is a solid piece of steel. No worries. :wink:

In fact, I'll ask: Does he do custom barrel profiles, lengths, and calibers, or just standard patterns?

 

[ohio ramrod]

Back in the 1960's I worked at Paramount Machine and we made aircraft hydraulic cylinders from "seamless tubing". I had the owner special order me a piece 5/8 inch I.D. and 1 inch O.D. and I made a shotgun barrel out of it and it held up very well. :idunno: :hmm:

 

[galamb]

I have done a little more research and found that he does not use the DOM process. So his tubes are seamless.

Thanks for all your input. Not sure if that will change anyones mind or not.

Don't really matter what I think or what "bubba" thinks about it.

The only question you have to answer is how you feel about it.

If you feel reassured from the range of responses then go for it.

After all, you are the one that is going to pull the trigger on this thing making you really the only one with a "vested interest".

 

[J.D.]

jrmflintlock,

Is this barrel tapered? If not, it may well be awkward to shoot well, compared to a properly tapered smooth barrel.

Just thinkin'...typin' out loud, so to speak...type.