proofing wrought iron barrels

[TMerkley]

Any one know what is a good proof load for testing a swamped wrought iron barrel.  it mics out at .440. It was given to me.  A friend and I put new breech plug in it and a flash hole liner.  Any suggestions besides, "Don't Do It"?

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

I don't know what load would be good...... this proofing business is strange alchemy to me... double load and you might ruin the barrel that would be perfectly fine with normal loads?

My question is have you done done any inspection such as xeray or magna-flux or any pressure testing with colored air or water to determine if their are and micro cracks etc???  Maybe this is dumb, but I would sure prefer to find a weakness that way rather than with 150 g of fffg in it??

[rick landes]

I agree with the good Dr. All stress to metal is cumulative so why add a big stress from the get go?
If I was that much in doubt of the barrel not working, I would not use it.
Use the safe checks do not go for the BLOW! It only proves the barrel survived the test and proves no suitability for continued shooting (read stressing).

We have repaired thousands of items over the years that have broken from accumulated stress, a BP barrel is really no different.

Please for your safety and that of others do not do it.

[Jim Kibler]

You can be pretty much assured that no wrought iron barrel will pass a magnetic particle non-destructive test.  I am near certain it will pick up on the silicate inclusions that are so common in wrought iron.  X-Ray is useles for this type of inspection.  I am not familiar with any non-destructive testing that would be applicable to determining if a wrought iron barrel is suitable to use.

Jim

[TMerkley]

Thank you guys for your insight. 

I was think light loads.  Like one grain per caliber, maybe 50 grains FF and leave it at that.  It won't be shot much.  I don't want to build a wall hanger that can't be fired.  The bore looks beautiful with no pits that i could see.  But that doesn't mean there won't be a weakness. 

[James Wilson Everett]

Guys,

I make a lot of wrought iron barrels, I agree with the statements above to just fire it with a very modest charge.  Normally I use just a bit above the caliber in grains
(I use 58 grains in a .51 caliber barrel).  If you want to shoot a very powerful charge, buy a commercial barrel.

Jim Everett

[omark]

you may want to try filling the barrel with solvent or kerosene. bear in mind, that would show cracks/flaws that go all the way through, not allmost through.  mark

[Jerry V Lape]

Out of curiosity, what do you know about this barrels maker, history etc and how do you know it is wrought iron? 

[TMerkley]

Other than the original breech threads not being of a standard or common thead, the softness of the metal when drilling and threading and the underlugs being made of a square type of iron (nail), tone of the "ring" metal when lightly tapped with a hammer and the sliver blade front sight and buckhorn rear, the bore being off center from being lap-welded.  I would 99.99% say that it was wrought Iron as compared to modern steel.  There is no name on the barrel.  But it is swamped and hand forged. there are enough hammer marks on the bottom side, and the flats are not all the same size..