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Author Topic: The Big Bang project  (Read 11099 times)

Offline Rolf

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The Big Bang project
« on: November 30, 2013, 08:45:58 PM »
I bought a used 20mm Vulcan cannon barrel from a F14 Tomcat fighter on an internet auction. Dennis kindly cut it into four 12.5” sections and mailed to them to Runar.(The chamber was cut off first and thrown away.)

Three were then turned to strait cylinders, 33mm in diameter.



The bore of the barrels was coated a hard chrome layer.

This layer had to be removed with a rotary file before the breech could be drilled. Even then the drill had to be sharpened several times to complete the drilling. This steel is tough.

The barrels are threaded M25 x1.5, which is roughly the same as 1”x14 . The barrels were threaded 16mm deep with a carbon steel tap.

 Breech plugs are made from stainless steel bolts.

These plugs were screwed in tight against the breech shoulder.

Next the barrel profile was turned. The barrels taper to 25mm at the muzzle.


Next the breech plug bolsters were cut and tangs welded on.



Most of the lath marks were removed with a grinder.  The picture shows the fixture Runar uses to hold barrels.


The three completed barrels. We plan to use them for English style dragoon pistol and use
Chambers English round face locks and these brass parts from “muzzle loading building supplies:
34245 - French Pistol ButtCap Brass
BCR-2-B Buttcap retainer with face Brass
4130 - French First Model 1733 Dragoon Triggerguard- Brass
29010 - Brass English dragon sideplate
 THIM-100-B Tulip shaped pistol thimbles 5/16 Brass

At the moment we are sniffing around for stock blanks.The blanks have to be hard,dense with good grain in the wrist area. Figure is secondary. We need two walnut blanks for a brace of pistols and one curly maple. If you know of any possible suitable blanks, please pm me.

Update: I'll be getting the walnut blanks from Ron Scott.

Best regards
Rolf
« Last Edit: October 27, 2023, 11:19:07 AM by Dennis Glazener »
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Offline smylee grouch

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Re: The Big Bang project
« Reply #1 on: November 30, 2013, 10:14:08 PM »
This looks to be another great project to watch. Please keep us posted. Thanks.
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Offline frogwalking

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Re: The Big Bang project
« Reply #2 on: November 30, 2013, 10:23:43 PM »
An f-105 was a Thunderchief:  A tomcat is an f-14.  Nice work, and interesting idea.  I gave a discarded 20mm aircrft cannon barrel to someone years ago, but don't remember who.

What is the rate of twist on the rifling?
« Last Edit: November 30, 2013, 10:25:38 PM by frogwalking »
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Offline Rolf

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Re: The Big Bang project
« Reply #3 on: November 30, 2013, 10:36:09 PM »
Quote from: frogwalking on November 30, 2013, 10:23:43 PM
An f-105 was a Thunderchief:  A tomcat is an f-14.  Nice work, and interesting idea.  I gave a discarded 20mm aircrft cannon barrel to someone years ago, but don't remember who.

What is the rate of twist on the rifling?


My bad,  it's from a a f-14 tomcat. I have not measured the twist, but was told it's 1:40 .

Best regards
Rolf
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Offline Metalshaper

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Re: The Big Bang project
« Reply #4 on: December 01, 2013, 02:03:53 AM »
We make swivel guns out of the ones we get here in Kansas!! ;D

Respect Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan
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Offline PPatch

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Re: The Big Bang project
« Reply #5 on: December 01, 2013, 03:01:15 AM »
There goes Rolf skinning that cat yet one more way. Very interesting projects there and please do keep us posted as things progress.

dp
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Offline conquerordie

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Re: The Big Bang project
« Reply #6 on: December 02, 2013, 02:29:56 AM »
I remember someone doing this one time to make a rampart musket barrel. The problem was that the aircraft it came from was a Warthog and the rounds it fired contained depleated uranium and trace amounts were in the metal of the barrel making it unhealthy to own. I guess the rounds were used to penetrate the armour of tanks. Hope your barrel had nothing lime that down the tube in its previous life. Neat project.
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Online Hungry Horse

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Re: The Big Bang project
« Reply #7 on: December 02, 2013, 06:43:26 PM »
 Years ago I met a guy at rendezvous that bought some demilled 40mm tank barrels from Ramco Hydraulics in Willits Cal., and made barrel liners for muzzleloading cannons. Boy did they ever shoot. He built a civil war breechloader as well, that shot a bullet instead of a ball, that was even better.

                       Hungry Horse
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Offline frogwalking

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Re: The Big Bang project
« Reply #8 on: December 02, 2013, 11:31:42 PM »
These barrels are 20mm.  The Warthog gun is a 30 mm.  That would indeed be a big bang.  (Many years ago, I was an Aviation Ordnanceman.)
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Offline conquerordie

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Re: The Big Bang project
« Reply #9 on: December 03, 2013, 02:10:38 AM »
Yeah that would have been crazy. However reusing these barrels for muzzle loading purposes is very resourceful. Can't wait to see a finished project.
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Offline Rolf

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Re: The Big Bang project
« Reply #10 on: December 03, 2013, 09:56:24 PM »
I got my two barrels from Runar today. Beautiful work! I wanted to post a couple of pictures showing the size of the barrels.
The octagon to round barrel is a caliber 50 barrel for a Swedish officer pistol. As you see it would make a fine ramrod. ;D

Best regards
Rolf



« Last Edit: October 27, 2023, 11:24:53 AM by Dennis Glazener »
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Offline KLMoors

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Re: The Big Bang project
« Reply #11 on: December 04, 2013, 01:34:37 AM »
Yup, those will make a BIG bang!
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Offline FL-Flintlock

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Re: The Big Bang project
« Reply #12 on: December 04, 2013, 03:51:32 AM »
Rolf,
It's been a lot of years but if that's an M61 Vulcan barrel it should be 9-groove 1:20 twist. Barrels ought to hold up, they were made for running 6,000 rounds per minute or 1,000 rounds per barrel on the M61 platform.
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Offline gunmaker

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Re: The Big Bang project
« Reply #13 on: December 04, 2013, 04:05:53 AM »
Those should make a "BIG" bang & be accurate as well.  A good place to get walnut pistol blanks is www.gunstockblanks.com   I thought a 16 bore pistol was "Big"....Tom

  16 bore 10" bbl.
« Last Edit: October 27, 2023, 11:25:37 AM by Dennis Glazener »
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Offline frogwalking

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Re: The Big Bang project
« Reply #14 on: December 05, 2013, 03:26:50 PM »
It seems like I remember the 20 mm Vulcan barrels being made like the old paradox barrels: that is, most of the barrel was smooth bored, with a short section being rifled.  Does anyone remember this, or is my mind misremembering?  It was supposed to keep them from wearing out as quickly.   The normal 20 mm aircraft cannon was rifled full length as one w ould expect.
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Offline Rolf

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Re: The Big Bang project
« Reply #15 on: December 05, 2013, 04:24:35 PM »
This one is rifled all the way through.

Best regards
Rolf
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Jeger Justnes

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Re: The Big Bang project
« Reply #16 on: December 10, 2013, 11:40:37 AM »
Looking awesome, Rolf!
Lots of bang for the bucks I recon...
I'll have a quick peek at our stock of walnut but I know that it is very low on suitable sizes.
Also I might have some decent maple but not curly. Then there is some flame birch as far as I recall.
Good luck with the project, looking forward to following the process :-)

Best regards, Tor
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BrushCountryAg03

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Re: The Big Bang project
« Reply #17 on: February 06, 2014, 05:27:16 AM »
Rolf,

You're seriously my new hero...Your work is beyond words!

Will
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Offline B Shipman

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Re: The Big Bang project
« Reply #18 on: February 06, 2014, 07:18:55 AM »
Some years ago , a friend of mine made a Brown Bess "wall gun" from a 37mm anti tank gun barrel. The charge would twist the gun in your hands. And it was zinc not lead. Won first prize at Dixons in the military category at the time.
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BrushCountryAg03

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Re: The Big Bang project
« Reply #19 on: February 14, 2014, 01:37:32 AM »
Quote from: B Shipman on February 06, 2014, 07:18:55 AM
Some years ago , a friend of mine made a Brown Bess "wall gun" from a 37mm anti tank gun barrel. The charge would twist the gun in your hands. And it was zinc not lead. Won first prize at Dixons in the military category at the time.

Sir,

Please tell me you have a picture you can post of that wall gun...I would love to see it.

Will
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