Old barrel

[RAT]

I'm posting photos of a barrel to further a discussion on the thread about a revolutionary period rifle. The discussion went a little off topic when a question was posted about using screw-mounted muzzle caps to help date a rifle. This barrel was made as a percussion from the start. The percussion bolster is forged as part of the barrel. The bore measures .526 at the muzzle. The bottom of the barrel is filed in the position of a front lock bolt. The lugs indicate it was a full stock. The front dovetail at the muzzle has a mark from a drill bit at the bottom of the dovetail. I believe this indicates that a lug was drilled and tapped in this position to secure the muzzle cap with a screw. If the style of percussion bolster is familiar to anyone, please contribute your opinions on where this barrel may have come from.

[WESTbury]

Hi Bob,

I'm the guy that started all of this with my question on nose cap screws.

Just for info purposes: How long is the barrel?

                                 How many lands/grooves on the rifling?

                                 Is the bore funneled at the muzzle?

Thanks for posting the pictures.

Kent

[RAT]

The barrel measures 37 3/4" long. It's 1.106" at the breech end, .971 in the middle, and .977 at the muzzle. It's rifled with a whole bunch of narrow grooves, but they're too worn to count easily. Someone told me it may have been intended for elongated bullets rather than round balls. I'm not knowledgeable enough to confirm that.

[Mike Brooks]

I associate that type of breech with germanic made guns. It may not be the original breech. Is it straight rifled? If so it may have been from a germanic boar rifle.