New barrel?

[tunadawg]

Just wondering if it's common for a new barrel to have a bird's nest of metal in the bottom. Have my first build put together and the last step was the ramrod. Finished my ram rod, and for rips-n-giggles put it down the barrel and knew there was something down there. Went down with another rod and screw and pulled out a bunch of metal filings. I'm assuming from when the rifling was cut. Just wondering if this is normal.

 

[deerstalkert]

if a flint lock it could be from drilling the vent.
or from fitting the breech plug. probably not from the rifling process as the tube would be open on both ends during.
clean it out good and shoot it.
wouldn't say its common but it isn't rare.

 

[user 34300]

a bird's nest of metal in the bottom....

No. Someone in the factory or shop did it deliberately. There is no way that can happen as part of the manufacturing processes. It sounds like someone put a wad of swarf in the barrel.

A few curls of swarf? Maybe those were from tapping for the breech plug. That should have been removed before the plug was installed. If you have access to a bore scope look and see if there is swarf trapped between the plug and the sealing shoulder. That would be unacceptable.

Barrels are rifled before breeching. Factory barrels are often button rifled, so no chips.

I once got a modern barrel that was packed full of sandblasting grit. The bore was heavily scoured. Obviously somebody did it on purpose with the sand blaster.

Both situations were likely incompetent or disgruntled employees.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Just wondering if it's common for a new barrel to have a bird's nest of metal in the bottom. Have my first build put together and the last step was the ramrod. Finished my ram rod, and for rips-n-giggles put it down the barrel and knew there was something down there. Went down with another rod and screw and pulled out a bunch of metal filings. I'm assuming from when the rifling was cut. Just wondering if this is normal.

Do they look like this?
3F60C3BE-302C-431B-9312-88AB1E17EA4D by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[tunadawg]

Yes. Some were longer, but similar.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Call the maker, This is the first time I’ve found this sort of chips in a barrel. I’ve been doing this for a long time and I will be contacting the manufacturer of my kit.

 

[deerstalkert]

Phil, can you see any missing lands in your barrel? those look like peeled lands. weird

 

[Phil Coffins]

Phil, can you see any missing lands in your barrel? those look like peeled lands. weird

Lands look OK but there’s another piece in there that didn’t come out on my patches.

7FF510AD-7999-4EA2-8800-BCCBD6B13F38 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[tgfrench]

Looks almost like stripped threads

 

[deerstalkert]

Lands look OK but there’s another piece in there that didn’t come out on my patches.

7FF510AD-7999-4EA2-8800-BCCBD6B13F38 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

Lordy Phil! i am a "I can fix that " sort of a guy but i even, would be talking to someone about that!
here hold my beer while i breech this barrel!

 

[tunadawg]

Here's what was in my barrel

 

[tunadawg]

Gotta find a light so I can see if there's anything else down there

 

[tunadawg]

My picture isn't as good as Phil's, but you can still see some shavings in my barrel.

 

[ppb]

I'm curious as to what you would find if you were to pull the breech plug...

 

[44Bro]

As someone who has run a lathe a time or two. Those look like the chips from the threading for the breech plug. The barrel was probably single point threaded, and the operator didn't clear the bore.

 

[user 34300]

What kind of gun is it?? Mass manufacture or small shop? That makes a difference on how it was made.

That swarf is heat blued from cutting. It is smooth. When I grind a good tool bit I get that kind of chip from outside turning at relatively fast speed and feed. How could a guy who knows how to cut threads with a boring bar not take the time to blow the chips out before fitting the plug?

When cutting threads you don't run fast enough to blue the steel. IF they used some high speed cnc process to cut the threads that is beyond my pay grade. I will not say it is not from cutting threads though. I would not shoot it with out removing the plug and checking the threads. It might also be that the plug was stripped in the barrel and those are bits of thread. There is no way to be sure over the internet based on a photo.

I'd send it back for inspection. You could contact the manufacturer and send your picture and concerns. My money is on a disgruntled employee sabotaging the gun by putting the swarf down the barrel. IF it is stripped threads you have an unsafe gun.

 

[tunadawg]

Here's the answer I got...."Those are just from the touch hole liner hole being machined into the barrel. It won't hurt anything!"

 

[James Kibler]

This could be our barrel. Regardless of who made it, it's no big deal. Blow the chips out, clean them with a patch, shoot them out, whatever. Absolutely zero concern. I would suggest just moving on...

 

[tunadawg]

It is Jim.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Mine too.