Barrel steel question

[bob in the woods]

Have you ever seen the photo of the modern rifle that someone fired at the range,  forgetting to remove the bore sighter from the muzzle first.  The photo I saw had the barrel peeled back to the action like a banana.
Some folks will find a way to blow up near anything 

[JCKelly]

In my experience it is a waste of time and blood pressure to discuss muzzle-loading barrel steels.

One reason it is of concern to me is memory of shaking hands with a (former) pipe fitter who had remaining on his right hand only his ring and little fingers. That was from a seam in the cold-drawn barrel blank.

Wrought iron barrels were proof tested to check for bad welds (welds that didn't "stick") or gross slag inclusions in the iron.

Modern barrels in the real world are made of steel that the mill has made carefully to avoid seams and segregation of the invariable high sulfur content. Then the rifle factory magnetic particle inspects each one to ensure the bar has no seams in it. At least that is what I saw at Remington, on a tour of Ilion about 1997.

Most muzzle-loading barrels are of a steel which is prone to long, tight, cracks during the final cold draw. Free-machining bar steel is cold drawn to make it round enough to be held by the collet of an automatic screw machine, also the cold work improves machinability further.

The only inspection I ever heard in muzzle-loading barrels of is one barrel maker said something like the sound of cracked bars was different when machined, so he discarded them. Yes, sir, I am probably not quoting you exactly.

If the barrel has no seams it will probably work through quite a bit of abuse. However a seam can be a career changer for those who work(ed) with their hand(s).

[Acer Saccharum]

In my experience it is a waste of time and blood pressure to discuss muzzle-loading barrel steels.

Agreed.

[James Rogers]

In my experience it is a waste of time and blood pressure to discuss muzzle-loading barrel steels.

Agreed.

Ditto

[Ezra]

In my experience it is a waste of time and blood pressure to discuss muzzle-loading barrel steels.

I might agree with you, if I had the same depth of knowledge regarding barrel steel you do, but I do not.  Not everyone on this board has the same life experiences.  Thus we get questions from those of us wanting to learn about elements of building black powder firearms.  Pretty simple really.

Ez

[JDK]

They meant no slight to you Ezra.  There is a continued debate here on what steels are safe to use and what steels aren't.  It gets personal as there are several barrel makers who use steels that are not gun barrel certified in the manufacture of their muzzleloader barrels and some think it imprudent.

If you use the "search" function you can find these past postings and form your own opinion.  Enjoy, J.D.

[Acer Saccharum]

This subject comes up again and again, with results similar to cat herding. That is why I agree with JC Kelly's statement. No offense intended.

[Bob Roller]

There are steels that ARE made for gun barrels and then there are steels that are USED
for gun barrels.Vast be the gulf that separates them.

Bob Roller

[Ezra]

Oh, OK.  Thanks guys, now I understand better.  I need to get better using the search function anyway.  I do appreciate all the input guys.

Ez

[JDK]

There are steels that ARE made for gun barrels.....Bob Roller

Is anyone who makes barrels made from steel "made for gun barrels"  who offers the swamped or octagon/round profiles needed to replicate original early American guns?  Enjoy, J.D.

[Bob Roller]

If there were any REAL demand for special contours I would think that someone
would make them from GB Certified steels. They might be cost prohibitive and
probably are.

Bob Roller

[T*O*F]

Is anyone who makes barrels made from steel "made for gun barrels"  who offers the swamped or octagon/round profiles needed to replicate original early American guns?

JD,
Not really and there is probably no need for roundball guns.  However, many of us who build bullet guns rely on BPCR barrels.  They are available in a number of weights and profiles as straight, tapered, oct/round, and blanks, but they are pretty much limited to 36" long.  Even they are harder to obtain now that GM has limited production and other quality barrel makers have cut their offerings.

The difference is that all the bullet barrels have shallow cut rifling which is not conducive to patched roundball.

[SleepyHillBarrels]

Hear we go I get $300.00 for a 36" up to 1.250 oct - breach threaded crowned and
test fired if you send a plug I will install it for you for $25.00 the steel is 4150 cert.
all specs in the bore are held to .0003. My question to you is how much a hr are you
 willing to pay for your special contour .lets start with 3hr set up time. . then do the work lets say 2-3 more hrs. when all is done I will reset the equipment back to doing
my regular work no charge to you. when I call you and tell you it is ready you can tell me how your wife spent to much money on what ever and it mite be a month or so till you can
get back to me if ever. now I go back in the shop and break $ 300.00 worth of tools throwing
them into the wall for fun. Tell me it was worth it or it never happened.
Now what did you have in mind and do you want just one.
JIM MC 

[okieboy]

Ahh, wasn't the question of this thread "What is GBQ 1168"?

[SleepyHillBarrels]

You are so RIGHT my apology 
jim mc

[Eric Kettenburg]

Is anyone who makes barrels made from steel "made for gun barrels"  who offers the swamped or octagon/round profiles needed to replicate original early American guns?

I can't speak to that 100%, but Ed Rayl uses some pretty serious s**t.  It sure ain't 12L14, I'll tell you that.

[Bob Roller]

Ed Rayl told be he was using 8620 and while it isn't a certified barrel steel it is
more than adequate for black powder barrels. I made a bolster breech from this a while back and while
it machines readily with common Hi-Speed lathe tools it offers much more resistance that 12L14
or Ledloy.

Bob Roller
PS: Kermit's advice on eye protection should be heeded.Even though eyes are paired organs,the loss of one is
a horror story.

[Tim Crosby]

   Believe the original question has been ask and answered, thread locked.

   Tim C.