How are/were brass barrel bands made?

[Dartwick]

Ive been intrigued by this colonial restock of a captured 1756 carbine. Apparently there are multiple similar examples.

Captured British Light Dragoon Carbine - The American Revolution Institute​

This British light dragoon carbine was among the captured cargo of a transport ship and issued to Continental Army troops during the Revolutionary War.

www.americanrevolutioninstitute.org

How would have the original bands been made? How would you go about making something similar? Do you think they are actually made of brass?

Im curious. Thanks.

 

[Clark Badgett]

Ive been intrigued by this colonial restock of a captured 1756 carbine. Apparently there are multiple similar examples.

Captured British Light Dragoon Carbine - The American Revolution Institute​

This British light dragoon carbine was among the captured cargo of a transport ship and issued to Continental Army troops during the Revolutionary War.

www.americanrevolutioninstitute.org

How would have the original bands been made? How would you go about making something similar? Do you think they are actually made of brass?

Im curious. Thanks.

Theres a fella over in Scandinavia that forms his bands from brass tube of appropriate ID/OD. I’m sure they were probably cast originally. These particular bands On your picture are French. Thanks for posting it, I’ve been looking for ideas for a composite Rev War build.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Cast

 

[Clark Badgett]

Cast

Mike, do you know if the iron bands were cast or formed from sheet?

 

[LRB]

Mike, do you know if the iron bands were cast or formed from sheet?

Iron bands would have been forged.

 

[FlinterNick]

Ive been intrigued by this colonial restock of a captured 1756 carbine. Apparently there are multiple similar examples.

Captured British Light Dragoon Carbine - The American Revolution Institute​

This British light dragoon carbine was among the captured cargo of a transport ship and issued to Continental Army troops during the Revolutionary War.

www.americanrevolutioninstitute.org

How would have the original bands been made? How would you go about making something similar? Do you think they are actually made of brass?

Im curious. Thanks.

Brass bands were casted, steel bands were formed with dies and swages.

 

[FlinterNick]

Ive been intrigued by this colonial restock of a captured 1756 carbine. Apparently there are multiple similar examples.

Captured British Light Dragoon Carbine - The American Revolution Institute​

This British light dragoon carbine was among the captured cargo of a transport ship and issued to Continental Army troops during the Revolutionary War.

www.americanrevolutioninstitute.org

How would have the original bands been made? How would you go about making something similar? Do you think they are actually made of brass?

Im curious. Thanks.

FYI some bands were also made with sheet brass, the top and bottoms were brazed or tinned together, or the brass was folded over and brazed on the seam, this is more of a field job then an actual armory method.

 

[Clark Badgett]

FYI some bands were also made with sheet brass, the top and bottoms were brazed or tinned together, or the brass was folded over and brazed on the seam, this is more of a field job then an actual armory method.

I always pictured the bands as being various sheet metals as being being rolled around a mandrel and being closed up by the appropriate manner and the some kids toiling away for 10 hours a day, 6 days a week making them the final shape. I never even though about brass casting.

 

[FlinterNick]

I always pictured the bands as being various sheet metals as being being rolled around a mandrel and being closed up by the appropriate manner and the some kids toiling away for 10 hours a day, 6 days a week making them the final shape. I never even though about brass casting.

Brass bands were often used on sea service weapons.

The Dutch used brass bands On their muskets after 1770.

The Austrians and Prussians too.

Brass was very expensive in the 18th century, thin steel iron Bands were pretty common on almost all french and american arms.

 

[Dartwick]

So do you think these bands were refitted from a French musket design or specially made and cast for this gun(or relativily small run of guns.)?

 

[Clark Badgett]

So do you think these bands were refitted from a French musket design or specially made and cast for this gun(or relativily small run of guns.)?

The rear band looks exactly like a French M1766 cavalry musketoon band. The front band doesn’t really resemble anything I have imagery of. It might be from a French Naval musket but I can’t find anything on them having brass furnishings other than Bianchi mentioning such in his book.

 

[FlinterNick]

So do you think these bands were refitted from a French musket design or specially made and cast for this gun(or relativily small run of guns.)?

For sure, american guns made before and during the revolutionary were made from spare parts from older French and Dutch Arms.

There’s a pretty famous american musket built with a french 1717 lock and brass bands

 

[Clark Badgett]

For sure, american guns made before and during the revolutionary were made from spare parts from older French and Dutch Arms.

There’s a pretty famous american musket built with a french 1717 lock and brass bands

Don’t forget after the war as well. The 1794 contracts were a made from a lot of left over French parts. I’m convinced the reason for the transition from the M1795 type 1 to the type 2 was running out of French trigger guards.

 

[FlinterNick]

Don’t forget after the war as well. The 1794 contracts were a made from a lot of left over French parts. I’m convinced the reason for the transition from the M1795 type 1 to the type 2 was running out of French trigger guards.

Yea absolutely ! And great point

I was always surprised that we didn’t copy the model 1774 musket, the M1774 was a far superior gun to the 1766.

The lock was much easier to produce and the style was almost identical to the much later 1835 musket.

 

[Clark Badgett]

Yea absolutely ! And great point

I was always surprised that we didn’t copy the model 1774 musket, the M1774 was a far superior gun to the 1766.

The lock was much easier to produce and the style was almost identical to the much later 1835 musket.

I’ve wondered the same thing. The most logical explanation I can come up with is economy. They just had so many ‘66 parts, and knew other serviceable ‘66 muskets would be used up and the parts reused. It took until 1816 until the federal arsenals finally made the brass pan the standard.