Black powder barrel manufacturers and their steel

[Eric Kettenburg]

12L14 is great from the gunmaker's perspective.  1137 works very nicely also.

Are they appropriate for gun barrels?  I have no idea.  What I do know is, I have NEVER personally seen nor heard of one failing when used with blackpowder. 

It's unfortunate that in today's litigious society, we have to be concerned with what the morons might do....

To go back to the original question:  as far as I know, Getz, Rice and Colerain use 12L14 primarily.  GM is 1137.  I have had barrels from Bobby Hoyt that were either 12L or 1137, at least they worked like it.  Ed Rayl's barrels were always kryptonite and ready to withstand a nuclear blast.  Orion seemed to be 12L.

ALL of the barrels mentioned are quality barrels and will serve perfectly fine with black powder loads. 

[Dphariss]

Is there any reason to seek out barrels that are not made from a better steel? If the 1137 that Longhammock uses is modified at the mill for use in gun barrels then why not use it exclusively?? I inquired about 1137 at a steel mil and was told the "M" meant modified and the modifications could be for guns,car and truck axles and a host of other things.

Bob Roller

Its sorta like ordering a car windshield made of ordinary widow glass when laminated safety glass is available.

Dan

[Bob Roller]

Bill Large got a barrel in that the owner said Bill had made but the rifling was wrong and no mark or name on it.
The top flat had blown and was in an eliptical shape arched upward.The residue looked like black powder and it stood beside the fireplace for years in Bill's shop.
Eric is right.The Boneheads and the morons are out there and also are the lawyers and metallurgists patiently waiting.
In 1987,Ken Bresien was going to market a single shot action based on a Stevens design and even though it was supposed to be marked "Black Powder Only"he stopped making them when he found out liability insurance would cost about $1000 a month and this was in 1987. Sooner or later,someone would try and barrel one of these actions to a hot nitro load and then the games would begin.

Bob Roller