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Ringed Barrel
- Thread starter FishDFly
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barebackjack
40 Cal.
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Whats "ringed"?
A tight fitting cleaning patch on a jag is a good way to tell if the barrel has been ringed. Also a bore light will usually show a ring if it far enough away from the breech. Don't neccessarily rule out a ringed barrel gun, I ringed a CVA Mountain rifle the length of my short starter from the muzzle, and the gun still is a tack driver. I would use a ringed barrel gun as a bargaining chip to get a really good deal.
When you use the tight fitting cleaning patch on a jag, if the barrel is OK, it will take about the same pressure to push the rod/jag/patch down to the breech.
If the amount of pressure suddenly becomes much easier, and then returns to the previous pressure, the barrel has been ringed.
With a modern rifle or shotgun which has relatively thin barrels you can see this bulge but on a muzzleloader with it's thick barrel it is very hard to see.
I once bought a CVA Mountain Rifle which was ringed by the former owner(s?) and I'd say RiverRat was very lucky.
My rifle wouldn't make a 10 inch group at 50 yards with any load! (No, it wasn't me...Shooting my GPR or one of the guns I've assembled I can shoot under a 3 inch group at 50 yards without trying hard.)
If the amount of pressure suddenly becomes much easier, and then returns to the previous pressure, the barrel has been ringed.
With a modern rifle or shotgun which has relatively thin barrels you can see this bulge but on a muzzleloader with it's thick barrel it is very hard to see.
I once bought a CVA Mountain Rifle which was ringed by the former owner(s?) and I'd say RiverRat was very lucky.
My rifle wouldn't make a 10 inch group at 50 yards with any load! (No, it wasn't me...Shooting my GPR or one of the guns I've assembled I can shoot under a 3 inch group at 50 yards without trying hard.)
Where was the ring Zonie?
About 10-12 inches ahead of the breech plug.
Just for some wild guessing about why the difference between your ring and mines effect on accuracy:
I think with the bulge or ring down by the powder charge where the pressures are higher (and hotter) there is a good possibility of the patch being "blown" as it passes the ringed zone.
With a ring up towards the muzzle the pressures are much lower (and cooler) so it might not blow the patch.
The folks who are fans of "coning" the bore report that even if the cone runs several inches down the bore from the muzzle it doesn't effect accuracy and IMO, the coned areas fit on the ball/bullet is definitely looser than any but the most sever "rings".
Just a thought. :hmm:
Just for some wild guessing about why the difference between your ring and mines effect on accuracy:
I think with the bulge or ring down by the powder charge where the pressures are higher (and hotter) there is a good possibility of the patch being "blown" as it passes the ringed zone.
With a ring up towards the muzzle the pressures are much lower (and cooler) so it might not blow the patch.
The folks who are fans of "coning" the bore report that even if the cone runs several inches down the bore from the muzzle it doesn't effect accuracy and IMO, the coned areas fit on the ball/bullet is definitely looser than any but the most sever "rings".
Just a thought. :hmm:
Richard Eames said:
With octagon barrels, you can use calipers to find if they are ringed or not...
Measure the outside (flat to flat) just enough to feel the barrel, then lock the caliper's dial in place with the retaining screw...
Slide the calipers along the length of the barrel, if there is a bulge, the calipers will stop dead in it's tracks where the barrel swelled...
I've seen this caliper trick it works well, but I have also seen one with a bore light and I was very surprised how easy it was to see, even with my old eyes. The light used was actually a fiber optic thing made out of some Christmas ornament. It was a simple plastic tube with a tiny bulb on one end that went all the way down and you pulled it slowly up out. It illuminated every little pit in that old barrel I looked into. And the ring was very evident. I was amazed
Don't know how a ring could be 'unrung', but my concern would be what has happended to the integrity of the barrel metal in that spot anyway...ie: is that now a weak spot.Musketman said:
As just a general comment, I know if I ever 'ring' a barrel I'd never shoot it again...and wouldn't sell it to some unsuspecting buyer either...I'd trash it or make a wall hanger out of it or something, but I wouldn't shoot it...life's too shoot and barrels are too cheap...YMMV
Guest
Just run your fingertip firmly along the length of the barrel. Your sense of touch is sensitive enough to detect them easily: they can be felt even when they can't be seen. It will be easier if you can do it by holding the barrel between your thumb and forefinger and sliding them along the barrel.
Don't trust dial calipers too much. Particularly if you aren't well practised in making measurements with one. A .001 in. resolution isn't the same thing as .001 in. accuracy. Besides, taking a measurement every half inch or less is very time consuming. Your sense of touch will take only a few seconds.
Don't trust dial calipers too much. Particularly if you aren't well practised in making measurements with one. A .001 in. resolution isn't the same thing as .001 in. accuracy. Besides, taking a measurement every half inch or less is very time consuming. Your sense of touch will take only a few seconds.
sledgemeister
40 Cal.
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You still would have a weakness in the barrel created by the excess pressure.
By simply boring it out would be a cosmetic change only.
By simply boring it out would be a cosmetic change only.
walruskid1
54 Cal.
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save the barrel, cut it off ahead of the ring and make a pistol. good excuse to buy more parts! :hmm:
This is only my opinion mind you, but keep in mind that the barrels we use for Black Powder Muzzleloaders is a low carbon, non heat treated steel.
As such, it is very ductile and can be bent some without loosing much (if any) of its strength.
Unlike some of the alloy steels which work harden when bent, the low carbon steels usually do not harden or change their strengths from cold working.
IMO, a barrel which has been "ringed" will be as strong as it was before the event so continued use of it should pose no special risk (except for the aggravation of not being able to get good groupes with it.)
Zonie
As such, it is very ductile and can be bent some without loosing much (if any) of its strength.
Unlike some of the alloy steels which work harden when bent, the low carbon steels usually do not harden or change their strengths from cold working.
IMO, a barrel which has been "ringed" will be as strong as it was before the event so continued use of it should pose no special risk (except for the aggravation of not being able to get good groupes with it.)
Zonie
