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

[Okie Hog]

IMO: Someone had trouble with the bolster previously: There appears to be welding around the hole.

 

[loud41]

Sure! I'm about to get better pictures taken along with measurements and such for the ALR site, and I'll post them here as well. I seriously appreciate all of the wonderful input up to this point. Thank you everyone for being so generous! This has been a fun adventure! I unfortunately completely lost the powder drum. I looked all over for it and I never found it. I'll have to keep looking as I frequent the range. I still have the original nipple as I had replaced it with a new one that fit #11s.

 

[andy52]

Many good suggestions but in my opinion this rifle is much more then a wall hanger. Even though I suggested re-barreling you really need to tread lightly with that gun. Most defiantly have it looked at by someone that has a good knowledge of antique firearms before doing anything.

 

[SDSmlf]

IMO: Someone had trouble with the bolster previously: There appears to be welding around the hole.

Thought the same thing initially, but based on the photograph concluded it was a crater created when the drum blew out. Someone would have to examine it in person or see better photographs to be sure.

 

[SDSmlf]

I unfortunately completely lost the powder drum. I looked all over for it and I never found it. I'll have to keep looking as I frequent the range.

Might be easier to find if have or could borrow one of those magnetic pickup devices used to clean up nails at construction sights. Downside is you will find every piece of steel recently dropped.

 

[GregLaRoche]

I’ve tried to find lost items with a metal detector and as just said, you find mostly what you’re not looking for. That said if you or a friend has a metal detector, it’s worth a try.

 

[Davey Boy]

Turn it into a flintlock, you can plug the hole and just have a vent hole in the plug.

 

[hanshi]

Put that old boy on the wall and get a recent, safer rifle.

 

[loud41]

Alright so I've taken over a hundred photos of the rifle both assembled and disassembled. I can insert measurements later. Duty calls for right now. However, you can view the photographs I took HERE. It's a link to the shared folder on my google drive.

 

[GregLaRoche]

You didn’t mention Remington stamped on the barrel did you? That could be a big clue.

 

[Davey Boy]

Photos are terrific, that number 3 is stamped on lock parts in my rifle too.

 

[loud41]

I’ve tried to find lost items with a metal detector and as just said, you find mostly what you’re not looking for. That said if you or a friend has a metal detector, it’s worth a try.

Hahaha oh man I wish you could see what the ground looked like... A sea of casings both brass and steel. It was the end of the day so there was quite a lot on the ground.

 

[loud41]

You didn’t mention Remington stamped on the barrel did you? That could be a big clue.

No I hadn't seen that before now! It had a chunk of grease or gunk covering it up.

 

[GregLaRoche]

I wouldn’t conclude that Remington was the original manufacturer. I’m far from an expert on old American guns, but your’s looks older than 1816 when Remington started. Perhaps they did a conversion on it and/replaced the barrel. It will be interesting to hear what others have to say.

 

[SDSmlf]

I have read that Remington was a barrel supplier for muzzleloader builders until at least 1850, when they really started making their own guns, primarily for the military.

 

[loud41]

I'm would assume this barrel is original to the gun only because the scroll work on it matches the patch box. But hey, might just mean I'm easily fooled.

 

[GregLaRoche]

That lock design was originally designed for a flint look. Maybe it was originally a flintlock or the lock was available and easily adapted to percussion.

 

[loud41]

I'll say this: the powder drum felt like an afterthought. It was very plain - no clean out screw or anything, and did not fit the gun very well. The **** would strike the primer quite high on the corner instead of dead on, and it rested far forward in the lock recess. With the hole in the side of the barrel, I can see the end of the breach plug had been cut or drilled into once upon a time. A corner of it is gouged away right where the drum used to be. Perhaps the old vent hole was drilled up and threaded?

 

[hawkeye2]

Remington manufactured and sold barrels for the trade and it's quite common to find a gun with a Remington marked barrel. I wasn't able to open any of the new photos you posted. It looks like I would have to download a program or join a hosting service, neither of which I will do. I'm afraid I can't see anything to indicate the lock was ever anything except a percussion lock. It's possible the drum was a (poorly done) repair from back in the gun's working life.

 

[SDSmlf]

I wasn't able to open any of the new photos you posted. It looks like I would have to download a program or join a hosting service

For what is worth, my phone took me to a website that allowed viewing the photographs without downloading or joining anything. (J.YOUNG .36 Cal Rifle - Google Drive )