navren scafidi Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Im attempting to make a set of flintlock rifles and pistols, can anyone tell me or show me how to make the barrel? Iv done it twice allready but they blow out the side when i test them. Iv been wraping steel around a piece of scroll steel and stick welding it. Is there a better way to do it?:confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDW Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Here is an article I found, by looking up one of the members of our group that has made some flintlocks. THE GUN MAKERS FAIR Kempton, Pennsylvania by Bob Heath [01/02;S;201f5] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nett Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Foxfire 5 has a good overview article on making a barrel, although they use wrought iron and the welding was done using a coke fire. Ned Roberts book The Muzzle-loading cap lock rifle has a wonderful chapter devoted to the subject, too. Dixie Gun Works sells gun barrels made from solid stock so the safety issues are greatly reduced, but still gives you a ton of work to do; breech plug, lock, stock, sights, etc.:Machined from finest quality American round bar stock, pre-straightened before drilling to assure minimum run out. After drilling, all barrels are reamed three times then burnished for highest quality bore finish. Rifled with 8 lands and 8 grooves with a nominal groove depth of .012. After rifling, the barrels are mounted between centers and milled octagon, assuring a bore true with the flats, then polished to a satin finish. Requires small amount of polishing of the flats before final finishing. 3/4X16 thread with a 1 in 70" twist. $130https://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_128_509_516&products_id=7298&osCsid=17a3a93ed30612738dca8916a4371d75 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dablacksmith Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 boy... makeing your own barrels is real tough! i have had the pleasure of watch a weekend demo on forge welding a gun barrel by Gary Brumfield years ago.. it took gary and a helper a full 2 days to get a barrel started to weld .. i think they managed to get a section about a foot and a half long in that time...unless you are real good smith and have help i would buy a barrel... there are many places that sell black powder barrels . ide do a google search for them or even ck ebay.. good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don A Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 (edited) The barrel welding segment in Foxfire 5 features Wallace Gusler of Colonial Williamsburg. You really need to look around and find the video/dvd called "Gunsmith of Williamsburg". It shows the Wallace through the whole process of building a rifle, even welding the barrel. Remember, this was filmed as a documentary back in the 70's, so it ain't exactly digital quality. Very interesting, and well worth your time. I suspect, however, that he forged his barrel from flat iron, not hot-rolled steel. This would probably have been true for all of the colonial era & "Golden Age" pieces made by this process. I would never trust one of my forge welds, especially if it were 42" long, to withstand a high pressure charge of black powder. For a good "store bought" barrel, check these:Colerain Barrel Co.Green Mountain Black Powder Barrels Don Edited March 4, 2009 by Don A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt87 Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Bealer, for all his faults, lays out the methods with which he was familiar. Not a stick-welder in sight though! You can drill-out a solid bar (common modern method and probably the most practical from a pragmatic point of view), use a tube (choose very carefully), weld and wrap a piece of iron in a spiral around a mandrel, weld a piece of steel length-ways around a mandrel, or fuller a groove in two bars (each making a barrel half) and weld together and forge to desired external profile around a mandrel. Note the welding here refers to fire/forge/blacksmith welding. Stick welding would require very careful weld prep and electrode selection. Bealer also recommends AGAINST welding-up mild steel barrels, though he was writing from a time when there was less experience of how to fire-weld mild steel. Once the barrel blank is ready, carefully finish the bore to the desired diameter. This may require a large lathe with a steady-rest and a custom-built boring bar, depending upon he specifics of the barrel. If it's a smoothbore the diameter is obvious enough, for a rifled barrel bore it to the land bore. If it's a rifled barrel, you then need to cut the two or more grooves and that's a whole other can o' worms... for which you'll probably have to build your own rifling cutter. They aren't too complex, just slow. Then drill and tap for breech plug, proof (test) the barrel and stand well clear when you're doing it... the traditional muzzle-loader proof is a double powder charge and double shot charge. In the UK safety laws require two consecutive proof loads. After that (all going well), lap the barrel (if it's rifled), apply sights/bead (if wanted), finish barrels and mount. There's a reason why barrels are expensive. Edited to add: all normal disclaimers apply! Don't shoot yer eye out or nothing! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primtechsmith Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 This guy may be able to help.www.claysmithguns.com Peyton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navren scafidi Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 thanks for the help, ill try traditional and if it doesnt work ill go with paying for someone else to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longhunter Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Hand forged fully rifled barrels bring a pretty hefty price Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primtechsmith Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Clay Smith will be demonstrating gun barrels, butt plates, and other things in May at our guild meeting if you feel like a road trip.... Peyton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navren scafidi Posted March 8, 2009 Author Share Posted March 8, 2009 sorry primtechsmith but im not going to be able to make that trip. its just too far for my truck to make it. but if you can post a video of the proccess itll be most appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blafen Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 How much Blackpowder are you using in your test barrels? and how thick are the walls? You are using blackpowder right? the reason i ask is because it is rather odd to see even a test barrel blown with blackpowder also how are you breaching thses barrels? not trying to be rude i just want to know as i am also trying to get into home barrel making (rifling more than forging and boring and reaming) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navren scafidi Posted April 12, 2009 Author Share Posted April 12, 2009 ok i managed to get 2 barrels working. A .45cal and a way more wrist freindly 38. I found out that if you make your own barrel in the rennisance style it will Not hold up to current standard smokless powder, even if its made correctly. Only use basic black powder. any way ill have some pics of the barrels and the finished guns in about a week when i finish making the handles.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt87 Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Modern powders have a different pressure curve to blackpowder. Looking forward to the pics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 The folks here made good points: 1) Only use blackpowder, modern smokeless powders can be expected to blow out barrels in blackpowder guns. 2) You should be able to purchase a barrel. In college I assembled 3 blackpowder pistols from parts from an outlet store for Connecticut Valley Arms, back when CVA was actually in Connecticut. If you are actually planning on using the pistol, I highly recommend purchasing a barrel. According to the Artilerist's Manual by Gibbon http://www.civilwarartillery.com/books/GIBBON.PDF canons were rated for the number of shots they were expected to fire before the barrel failed. Gibbon's book also describes the evolution in both design and manufacturing techniques and considerations to improve barrel design in canons, with the goal being to increase the life expectancy of a canon barrel. Not being an expert, I would expect similar design and manufacturing considerations from any metal barrel, especially one that is forge welded. Metal fatigues eventually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brasilikilt Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Navren, it's great to see that you have had some success! One of the other students in my blacksmithing class mentioned forging gun barrels, and I just so happened to have a copy of Foxfire 5 handy! I am also anxious to see what you will do with them! Have fun Iain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guinness59 Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Speaking from my own experiance as a blackpowder shooter, if you decide to purchase a barrel I would suggest a Green Mountian rifled barrel. they are about the best you can get and they are around fifty bucks for starters. They are match grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 I used to shoot black powder about a 150 years ago but when they came out with smokeless I gave up black. I was a member of an organization in the 70's, I hope I get this right:rolleyes:, National Muzzle Loader Rifle Association. Anyway they hand an annual shoot in Friendship, IN and they put out a very nice magazine. They had two issues that had how to forge all of the parts for muzzle loading rifle. Now all you need to is find some one that still has all of the back issues of that organization.:cool: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.