Want to build

[WannabeWoodsman]

I want to build my own smoothbore musket and am curious about barrel material. What would be safe to use as a barrel as far as steel type? Mild (commonly called welding) steel? stainless? Hardenable only? I've read iron was used at one point but I'm not sure what kind they were meaning. Advice would be great!

 

[Flintandsteel]

Buy a barrel. Then you know it’ll work and be safe.

 

[billraby]

I would assume anyone that actually owns the equipment needed to make a barrel would know a good amount about the different kinds of steel. The whole idea of using a pipe for a barrel is asking for trouble. There are all sorts of barrels available any numerous places that will custom make one. Barrel is the wrong place to go cheap.

 

[2 shots]

dito to all above

 

[Eric Krewson]

Building a gun for the first time definately puts you on a learning curve, learning about the needed parts, stock wood, reference material and such, It is not something to jump into haphazardly.

Almost all the barrel makers use the same softer steel with GM being the exception. Decide on a smoothbore design you like and start researching the available barrels to make that particular gun. Backlorders are common for barrels right now so you may have some wait time before you can move ahead.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I am pretty much a beginner as well, my second gun was an English fowler in 12Ga. I didn't know much about shaping the stock or the layout of the gun so I bought a full sized plan From Track Of The Wolf to work off of. I bought a stock blank and sent it off with the barrel to have the barrel inletted and the ramrod hole drilled, I didn't think I was up to this task as a rank beginner.

In the picture I am making a full sized template on cardboard to transfer to my stock blank.

My stock as back from being inletted by Fred Miller.

A year later, lots of work and learning what to do and what not to do.

 

[NeilMacleod]

Might be better to buy a kit, once you have the basics, you can go from their.
Ive been also wanting to build a musket.