Douglas muzzle loader barrels were popular until one blew up creating a bad hand
injury.That tragedy started a controversy abut using 12L14 or other steels NOT certified
for gun barrels that still simmers today.Another thing an employee of theirs told me was
that crappy,"It's gotta be cheeeep if it's for a muzzle loader"* attitude of the time.This man
told me of charging $10 to install a breech plug properly in a barrel and the customer blew
up and griped about that price.There are still a few NOS Douglas barrels around and they
pop up for sale on occasion but as far as I know now,Douglas Barrel Company has NO
muzzle loading barrel program in place to make them.I know Douglas was making ML barrels
in the early 1970's.
Bob Roller
* I quit muzzle loading work and helped a friend with his European car repair shop and
part timed in a machine shop that sub contacted to the coal mining industry and IF I
did anything in my own shop it was bronze bearings for obsolete automobile transmissions
like Packard Ultramatic and old GM units.Shackle bolts and bushings plus engine fasteners
for 1930's cars like Packard V12,KB Lincolns and Model "j" Duesenbergs were also made
in limited quantities in my shop.Also helped Bill Large off and on for years before all of the other
work.
