Dose any one know if those previously mentioned ML barrels that blew up were loaded properly? I.E. ball down on powder, etc.?
Now thats the $64,000.00 question. It being human nature to deny something that could be embaressing. I'm jest sayin you know!!
Bob Reader
The one I looked at was loaded with 60 grains of power and one ball. First shot from a new barrel IIRC. The man who showed me the barrel is now gone. 60 grains was a very common load for 45s and still is.
The steel in question is not suitable for gun barrels and no amount of "was it loaded correctly?" will change that.
Spaced ball? IIRC the 58 caliber Springfield rifle musket was proved with 280 gr of musket powder and a mine-ball spaced 2" off the powder. These barrels were skelp welded iron.
When the barrel splits from the breech to near the rear sight its hardly a short started ball.
When it splits with no significant deformation it is an indicator that there is a problem with the steel.
Likely it split at a flaw caused by the high levels of lead, sulfur and other lubricant metals that besides introducing flaws make the steel brittle. Being cold rolled does nothing but make this worse.
But it sure cuts clean and it files easy for the same reason. Its designed to machine easy. But its no meant for gun barrels.
I prefer a steel that is tougher and harder to file.
Older 38 special revolvers have soft steel barrels and small shank barrels. Shooting hot handloads will bulge the thin forcing cone so far as to jam the cylinder. But it didn't split. Significant deformation, no split or fragmentation. Good barrel steel. Still a pretty nice old S&W then needed a new barrel.
Dan
