Old barrel

[Tinker2]

It may be that the bore is hexagon? It hard to tell looking down the bore with a light but looks like maybe 1 in 30 twist rate?

Have not done anything with it yet.

Thanks
Tinker2

 

[Jason Lewis]

nope, not hex no octagon barrels were ever rifled hex. and no whitworth barrel would have been allowed to deteriorate to such a condition due to the type of shooting it was designed for. :shake:

 

make a pole lamp out of it with an ole lock that doesn't work well and make it the light switch.

Woodhick
Well...... I have bought lamps and turned them back into working guns.




Thanks
Tinker2

Well maybe it is time to revese your motive. :hmm: :idunno:

 

[Billnpatti]

From looking at the pictures and reading what you have had to say about this barrel, I'd say that a man like yourself will not be happy until you get it clean and see what you have and what you can do with it. It looks like it is a looooong way from being returned to a shootable barrel, but who knows, you just might be able to do that very thing.

The molasses idea sounds interesting. I've never heard of it but if it works, okay. If you decide to go that route, the 4" PVC pipe idea sounds the best to me. Just glue a cap on one end but leave the other end loose and even drill a vent hole in it to release the carbon dioxide that the fermentation process will release. If you don't, the carbon dioxide could build up enough pressure to rupture the pipe and you would have a real mess to clean up. Of course, you could just use Naval Jelly to remove the rust. Then take it to a gunsmith who is knowlegable about muzzleloaders and get his opinion on it.

If the breach plug is ruined by the rust, you can always replace it. If need be, you can cut off the breach end, re-thread it and put in a new breachplug if you cannot get the old one out. You can have the bore re-bored or even put in a liner.

This all assumes that it is a genuine antique and worth the money to restore it. It would be so sweet to return an antique barrel to shootable condition once again. When I see something antique like an old gun or gun parts, I wish they could speak and tell me where all they have been, what they have done and what they have seen.

Just don't cut it up until you have cleaned it and know what you have. You may have a jewel in the rough. :thumbsup:

This is just the opinion of a sentimental old fart who loves old guns. The opinion is free so do with it as you see fit. :hatsoff:

 

[Tinker2]

Thank you all for all the help. It was appreciated.

So... this is what I’m a going to do.
Kroil penetrating oil in the bore and nipple. Let that sit till the bullet puller is ready. I am having a 3/8 steel rod drilled and taped for a TC 10X32 ball puller. When I get whatever is in it out, I will de-rust it with either molasses or electrolytic de-rusting. Then remove the nipple maybe the breach plug, then.... who knows.

Thanks again
Tinker2

 

[der mike]

interesting thread, I am looking for old, not antique barrels to use in my derringer making hobby. any out there?

 

[JayDee Flohr]

So..........inquiring minds want to know, what is the current state of progress with the barrel?

 

[Tinker2]

So..........inquiring minds want to know, what is the current state of progress with the barrel?

Fossil Hunter
Up date.

Well... I measured it with calipers instead of a yardstick.

These are averages, the barrel is crusty.
Diameter at 1/2 inches back from muzzle .92
Diameter 6 inches back from muzzle .80
Diameter of barrel ahead of breach 1.1
Octagon barrel 34 3/4 long to the snail type percussion breach plug.
Bore .50 caliber, is hexagonal in appearance, 6 flats inside.
It looks like a fast twist rate.

It was loaded. A bullet puller did not work on the load in it.
It had some sort of wadding but no bullet. I had a bore size chisel made
to knock out the packed, caked powder. the chisel looked like a breach
plug face scraper but sharp. I used it like a star drill.

The 70 gr. or so of a powder that was in it, was reddish in color. I have hear of a reddish propellant that had been used in flintlocks but never saw any before. Not that this is that, but I kept it and may try it in the pan of a flintlock. Reference to reddish flintlock propellant is from the Back Woodsmen magazine.

So... I took “40 Flint’s” idea and have the barrel in a piece of “ PVC to make container for soaking a barrel.”.
Soaking it in a 7 to 1 solution of water and molasses. After mixing the batch up and pouring it in to the PVC I noticed that what was left in my mixing tub was not mixed as well as it could have been.

It’s not been in the vat long, and when I pull it out to look at it, it looks like a old rusty barrel with molasses on it.

Some of my neighbors have come over to see what I am doing and they are not sure that I know??



Tinker2

 

[Xtramad]

A former .40 cal fence post.

Just because it looks bad on the outside, doesn't mean it's useless.

This is what it looks like now.

And this is what I'm using it for.

It's not finished yet, but it should turn out very nice.

Don't chop it up until you have cleaned out the bore and inspected it. You can't judge a book by its cover

 

[Tinker2]

Xtramad


Looks good to me. Tell us more please.

“Don't chop it up until you have cleaned out the bore and inspected it.”

I am going to clean it up some before I use it for any project.
I have it soaking in a barrel of 7 to 1 solution of water and molasses, I was told that it would remove the rust.

So, what did you use to remove the rust with?
Did you re-cut the outside shape?
Was the rifling useable?
What did you do? How?



Thanks
Tinker2