Old barrel-Dixie Gunworks??

[varsity07840]

I picked up an older flint rifle today with an unusual barrel that I'm not quite sure how to deal with. 13/16" x 40" x.36 cal. flint.
It does not have a standard breech plug but for the life of me i can't see a seam for a patent breech. It has a beaver tail tang and it certainly appears to be a one piece affair,  barrel and tang. Is that possible? The bottom flat is marked INRI 1980. Somewhere in the back of my mind I seem to recall barrels like this from Dixie back in the eighties. I want to unbreech this thing to have a better look inside but I'd like to know what have here. All help greatly appreciated.

ADDED NOTE. THE TOP FLAT IS STAMPED F.D. STORING.

[P.W.Berkuta]

Put some cold blue or Dykem on the area that you think has the joint of the barrel & breach plug. Put enough on and allow to dry them lightly steel wool / fine Scotch-Brite it off - the seam just might show up.

[greybeard]

If it is not a patent breech the only seam will be where the  tang meets the barrel.

[Hungry Horse]

Some early kit guns, and factory finished guns had the tang milled out of the barrel material, all in one piece. The plug was an Allen head set screw that screwed into the breech threads, and was snugged down with a big Allen wrench. I have also seen them with just a screw slot to remove the plug. I think the Numrich minuteman had such an arrangement.

  Hungry Horse

[jerrywh]

 Heat the barrel until it turns blue. If there is a seam it will show. You cannot fool heat blue it will tell everything. Be sure it isn't loaded.

[Smoketown]

Any well stocked welding supply should have "Dye Penetrant" on their shelves.

It's good stuff for finding laps,seams and (surface breaking) cracks.

You can also take it to an engine builder and have it "Magna-Fluxed".

Cheers,
Smoketown