I have a request from a client to make a memorial to her brother who passed.  The client wants me to use the barrel and slide from her brother's Glock 22 in the piece. My plan is to make a small bowl from a star shaped piece of metal and then use the barrel and slide to forge a ring around the outside similar to the Texas Ranger's Badge.  My research shows that the barrel should just be steel with a special heat treat process. My question is has anyone tried to shape a gun barrel into something else or have any experience with this?  I have access to a large power hammer so if it's just a matter of heat and force I won't have any issues but I don't want the metal to crack or split either. 

I don't know about the slide but the barrel should be 4140 and plenty forgeable. How much distortion is acceptable in the barrel? It won't crack if you don't forge it too cold or too hot. High orange and put it back in the forge when it starts getting close to red and it should be fine.

The slide could be anything except the actual breach block and locks, those would be impact resistant maybe 4140, maybe something else.

What are you thinking about doing? I have ideas but don't know what scale or how recognizable you want the parts. 

Frosty The Lucky.

Thank you for your quick reply Frosty. Luckily (in my opinion) my client does not like guns and doesn't want it to resemble a gun, just wants the steel used somehow. Here is a similar bowl I recently made. I am thinking of doing something similar for this with a star as the main shape. I've included a bit of brainstorming that hopefully explains my idea. The final bowl will probably be around 6" diameter (my client said, 'a cereal bowl's size).

On this one I would suggest getting out the playdough or clay, recreate the barrel shape and slide shape in that and work out the how. Not needing the original look maybe the slide could be cut in half lengthwise for material length and forgability due to the shape. 

As far as the barrel and slide I would lean towards what Frosty said and maybe someone will come along knowing more on the type of steel.  

This from Glock.

Quote

Glock barrels and slides are made from quality steel which has been treated with a special "Tenifer" process. This colorless carbo-nitrate formula enriches the steel with oxygen, sealing its pores. Tenifer makes the steel extremely hard (as hard as industrial diamond on the Rockwell scale) and corrosion resistant.

Don't know if I would put them in the forge.

I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s.
Semper Paratus

 

Again, I think I would experiment by cutting a bit off both the barrel and the slide and seeing how it works under the hammer.  A piece about a 1/2" long off the berrel would, IMO, be enough.

Also, you can always slit the barrel and open it out flat.s

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

Seems to me, back in the early 2000s, when my department was transitioning from revolvers to semi auto's. My Lt. and I evaluated 6 different semi auto pistols including the Glock. At that time the Glock barrels were chrome lined. Don't know if the newer Glock's still are. Something to consider when heating them.

I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s.
Semper Paratus

 

 

I was thinking it was a .22cal for some reason. Looking it up I expect the bore is lined one way or another. At one time some pistoles were actually Stellite lined like big guns. 

I'd cut a coupon off and see how it forges like George suggests. 

After coming back from a fast run to the store another thought struck. I wonder if the slide could be canister welded into a single forgeable billet. 

Frosty The Lucky.

Good Morning,

Does the Glock strike 12? As well as every hour? Or just twice a day?

Neil

Glock 44 is a 22LR,  the Glock 22 a .40 S&W actually designed as a LEO weapon, clear as mud now?

21 hours ago, George N. M. said:

Also, you can always slit the barrel and open it out flat.

This was going to be my suggestion.