My Powder Drum Blew Out. Is My Barrel Done For?

[loud41]

Hey guys!

I just had a powder drum blow out after taking my squirrel gun out to the range today. It's a .36 caliber percussion. I don't know how old it is. I'm not an expert for sure. The barrel is very lightly marked J. YOUNG, and the lock is marked STEITH (maybe? It's very difficult to see it's so worn). It is a very well used and repaired gun, but I have loved shooting it. I only ever took it to the range using light loads of 35 grains. Well today, after firing a ball down range, I went to remove the spent cap when I noticed to my horror that the powder drum was completely gone. It looks like the threads blew out. I'll post some pics below. I'd love to salvage the barrel because it's original to the stock. I'm not particularly fond of the lock. It does not have a half-cock. The set trigger is wonderful though. Anyway I guess I should consider myself lucky I never used larger loads. Is the rifle effectively a wall mount now, or can this be repaired? The hole that's left behind is rather large unfortunately.

 

[russellshaffer]

I think it could be rethreaded and a drum custom made to fit. BUT, there sure isn't much metal there and the breachplug seems to have very few threads securing it. With the visible corrosion around the breach area, I would personally not want to shoot it. More experienced folks will weigh in but I think you have a wall hanger.

 

[bang]

Wow. New one to me. If it is an old original gun it might be best to make a wall hanger of it and get a newer one. I would get an opinion from a gunsmith before doing anything. Might be a larger diameter thread drum could be fitted. Being a 36 the barrel wall should be pretty thick. Might be able to hellicoil it but never heard of doing so on a drum.

 

[SDSmlf]

Appears a little more than just the threads blew out. Might be time to shorten the barrel at the breech end to get rid of the damaged area and install a new drum. There would additional work to get the stock and barrel happy with each other again. Barrel requires additional examination to determine integrity of the steel before making any repair decision.

 

[loud41]

Yeah that's what I'm resigning myself to at this point - wall status. The breach plug looks pretty nasty too. Not in great shape. Oh well thanks for the replies! It's always worth an ask!

 

[kje54]

Hey guys!

I just had a powder drum blow out after taking my squirrel gun out to the range today. It's a .36 caliber percussion. I don't know how old it is. I'm not an expert for sure. The barrel is very lightly marked J. YOUNG, and the lock is marked STEITH (maybe? It's very difficult to see it's so worn). It is a very well used and repaired gun, but I have loved shooting it. I only ever took it to the range using light loads of 35 grains. Well today, after firing a ball down range, I went to remove the spent cap when I noticed to my horror that the powder drum was completely gone. It looks like the threads blew out. I'll post some pics below. I'd love to salvage the barrel because it's original to the stock. I'm not particularly fond of the lock. It does not have a half-cock. The set trigger is wonderful though. Anyway I guess I should consider myself lucky I never used larger loads. Is the rifle effectively a wall mount now, or can this be repaired? The hole that's left behind is rather large unfortunately.

It looks like an original not a repop, I would say it's now a wall hanger unless you want to match up a new barrel to it. Maybe even find a replacement lock.

 

[loud41]

Appears a little more than just the threads blew out. Might be time to shorten the barrel at the breech end to get rid of the damaged area and install a new drum. There would additional work to get the stock and barrel happy with each other again. Barrel requires additional examination to determine integrity of the steel before making any repair decision.

Is this a thing? I was actually considering a new barrel, but the thought of losing or even cutting the old one... I dunno the rifle probably isn't worth all the effort at this point. I love the thought of the possibility of it being an antique made out of a local shop in Ohio or some such, but really I have no way of knowing.

 

[russellshaffer]

Maybe a soft iron barrel?

 

[loud41]

Hmmm no I don't think it's iron, but like I said I'm no expert. I might put some serious consideration into cutting the breach end of the barrel. I would lose about 2". That would be about .5" past the corrosion. Then I could start again with a new breach plug, lock and drum. With the barrel out of the stock, the rest of it looks great. It even has scroll work extending down the entire top end of the barrel. In other words, the only significant wear is at the breach. I could get the stock to play. It's been repaired so many times, any alterations could be easily blended in.

 

[LawrenceA]

Maybe a soft iron barrel?

Most likely an iron barrel if it was made pre Bessemer (1856) or Whitworth cast steel (1880's).
Steel was too expensive and basically not available in qty or required for barrels.

 

[loud41]

Most likely an iron barrel if it was made pre Bessemer (1856) or Whitworth cast steel (1880's).
Steel was too expensive and basically not available in qty or required for barrels.

Oh that's cool! Before now, it shot quite consistent groups. I had a lot of fun with it. I'd love to save it, but also want to be safe.

 

[hawkeye2]

Well it looks discouraging but don't give up yet. If it were mine I would send it to Bobby Hoyt. Though he is best known for lining and reboring barrels he is capable of a lot more and he may be able to repair that area and the breech plug too if needed. He once repaired and lined an original fowler barrel for me that had been burned/rusted out to a diameter larger than the breech plug and also had a hole drilled into it for a cord to make it into a lamp.

 

[Josephg]

I like the look of it. I'd install a new barrel and breech and call it maintenance. A wall hanger is perty useless.

Hang the old barrel on a wall.

 

[loud41]

Well it looks discouraging but don't give up yet. If it were mine I would send it to Bobby Hoyt. Though he is best known for lining and reboring barrels he is capable of a lot more and he may be able to repair that area and the breech plug too if needed. He once repaired and lined an original fowler barrel for me that had been burned/rusted out to a diameter larger than the breech plug and also had a hole drilled into it for a cord to make it into a lamp.

Hmmm Bobby Hoyt. I've seen that name once or twice before. I might do that actually. I'd love to give him a call and see what he has to say. I'll look him up and see. Thank you for that suggestion!

 

[hawkeye2]

He can be difficult to get ahold of and then there's the problem of describing everything over the phone. He doesn't do e-mail or have a site. If it were mine I would ship him the barrel and ask him to get back to you. The worst you would be out is 2 way shipping and a no but I wouldn't be surprised to hear he can repair yours.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Helicoil it.
https://www.screwfix.com/c/screws-nails-fixings/thread-repair/cat12120002?brand=helicoil

 

[GregLaRoche]

I was thinking Helicoil myself.

 

[Mark Herman]

Helicoil or Bobby Hoyt aren't going to fix that old girl. Looks like just plain old metal fatigue to me, just wore out. Don't have to overload some of the old barrels, the pounding from light loads will eventually wear them out and loose drums are very common. Retire her and get something new or newer.

 

[BillinOregon]

If it were mine, I would indeed ask Bobby Hoyt what he thinks of it, and take that to the bank.

 

[loud41]

If it were mine, I would indeed ask Bobby Hoyt what he thinks of it, and take that to the bank.

It definitely won't hurt nothing to ask! I've read a lot of great things about Hoyt in my research on him and his work.