Very old and original muzzleloaders

[Randy1944]

Since barrel is not marked with caliber,
what is best way to tell caliber. I do not
have a set of calipers. Thanks for the help.

 

[Trench]

Is the barrel marked at all? Sometimes there is a number on the barrel identifying balls per pound.

 

[Brasilikilt]

You could always use a regular ruler or tape measure to get a ballpark idea.
Obviously not a very accurate method, but it has worked for me in a pinch when buying old used bullet molds.

7/16" is around .45, 1/2" is around .50 9/16" is around .54 so on and so forth

Hope this helps

 

[Randy1944]

Thanks much for the replies. Since I posted, I remembered, years ago, using a flat piece of metal that was made to check a shotgun barrel. It might also work on a rifle. I will go by Wally Mart and see if they have one. Thanks again.

 

[R.M.]

Do you have any drill bits? You can see what one fits in the bore, shank first, not flute, as it will/can scratch the bore.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Remember that old barrels made before the mid 1800s were often coned at the muzzle. That means they will be wider in diameter at the muzzle, and perhaps as much as 4-5 inches back from the muzzle than the rest of the bore.

Calipers are cheap to purchase, and you can find dial calipers from internet suppliers, for under $30.00. See the LINKS section on the index to this forum, up under the MEMBER RESOURCES section. There are direct links to many suppliers, such as MidwayUSA, Midsouth, Brownells, Dixie Gun Works, October Country, Cains, etc.

One way to know for sure what you have it to obtain a piece of solid brass rod( so it won't damage the bore). Oil or grease the barrel well, then put the piece of brass down the barrel. Then using a piece of lead( Usually an oversized lead ball, ie. A .54 barrel in a .50 cal. bore)push( you may have to use a mallet to start the lead down the muzzle) the lead down the barrel until it begins to move freely. That is the indication that the ball is now bore diameter, and probably is also filling the grooves. Upend the gun, and shake the barrel up and down so that the brass rod becomes a " hammer", driving the lead piece out of the barrel.

When the lead piece falls out( onto something soft, like a pile of rags, but in to soft grass, or garden soil, etc.) the brass rod will also come out. With the lead piece now out of the bore, you can use calipers or a micrometer to measure the width of the lead piece from one land to the other. That determines the bore size, or " Caliber". :hatsoff:

 

[musketman]

Very old and original muzzleloaders.

If the gun is very old, there could be a chance it is still loaded, many guns were stored "ready to shoot" just in case the owner was attacked.

As the gun was handed down throughout history, the acknowledgement that it is loaded was not. Care must be taken to limit the muzzle's exposure until an empty breech can be confirmed.

One way to do this it to lay the ramrod against the outside of the barrel's length with the end at the breech, then mark the tip of the ramrod with tape and insert the rod into the barrel, if the ramrod doesn't go all the way to the tape, chances are there is something in the bore.

 

[rdillion]

I have an old M.L. barrel that I found in 1980 while deer hunting near an old homeplace in Ark county. The barrel was so corroded you could hardly tell it was octagonal. Most of the under rib is missing but you can still see where the dovetails for the sights and tennons are located. It appears to have some sort of patent breech and yes it was loaded. There it was just leaning against and old red oak. I think someone was using it as a jack handle or pry bar. I've thought of incorporating some of the steel in a couple of my rifle builds. Maybe the rear sight or toeplate.