Planning the winter 24-25 Pistol build

[Steeltrap]

Looking to make another pistol with the 11.5" barrel piece I cut off from the last 45 cal rifle build. It will be very close to the Chambers American Flintlock pistol. I'm planning on using a small Siler lock on this build.

Anyway....I drew up the plan on the maple piece I have.

[rich pierce]

It looks like a good winter project.

[smallpatch]

WINTER? It’s 113 here today!

[Daryl]

42.8 here. Good project.

[Bob Roller]

WINTER? It’s 113 here today!
[/quote
Breathe only if you must or or you can remember how.
Bob Roller

[Steeltrap]

This barrel is 11-3/4" in length, and a 45 cal. I was considering swamping it by hand as it's not a rifle barrel I'm dealing with.

I did the math and for each flat the small part would need .0625 of metal removed, and the muzzle would need .03125 removed. That would be from each flat.

In addition, I'd only need to do this on 5 of the 8 flats as 3 flats are "buried" in the stock.

Any input on how difficult it would be to do this using just files?

[taterbug]

Swamping by hand?  how old are your shoulders?  makes mine hurt just thinking about it!

[Habu]

I recently finished swamping a rifle barrel by hand: it started out 15/16" from end to end, and 43" long.  End product is ~.920" at the breech tapering to ~.844" then flaring to ~.900".  Working on it maybe 30 minutes a night, it isn't too bad.  A lot depends on the steel the barrel is made of. 

[Steeltrap]

Well, you’re a brave man!!  I’m pondering just a short pistol barrel. I don’t think I’d tackle a long barrel!!

[Bob Roller]

A Vixen file in half round configuration and a  12L14 pistol barrel might be a good start or a bench grinder with the wheel guards removed might be useful but be very careful.A Vixen file has semi circular cutting surfaces and at one time was common in car body repair and custom body shops.I remember when Bill Large made a swamped rifle barrel he would spring the barrel on the planer bed and It worked well but that was in a shop dedicated to gun barrels and longer that 12".
Bob Roller

[Steeltrap]

Well, after some thought I’m going to leave the barrel straight. Since this is a piece from a rifle barrel the twist rate is not pistol correct. It could still shoot fine, but I won’t know that until it’s built. Then if it doesn’t shoot well I can buy a pistol barrel with the right twist.

If that happens I would either have to swamp the new one, or scrape the channel for a straight.

To much work for a “maybe”.  I’ll leave it straight. If it doesn’t shoot well I’ll drop another straight barrel in and call it a day.

[Habu]

Well, you’re a brave man!!  I’m pondering just a short pistol barrel. I don’t think I’d tackle a long barrel!!

It really isn't that bad,  After you do a few you work out "tricks" that work for you.  As Bob may have guessed, this was one of the Large barrels from the stash I got a while back: a friend wants to build a bench copy of his Bean rifle, so he's getting the barrel for his birthday.   

[J Shingler]

Pistol barrel is not bad. I hack sawed down close to the min depth on the flats I wanted swamped. Used that as a guide. Just file until the saw mark is removed. Also a sharp file makes this much quicker. I pulled out a new file for that project and was well worth it.
Jeff

[Steeltrap]

The power of "suggestion".  I may pick up a few new files......and then..........