I want to build a musket

[Wannabewoodsman]

I want to build my own smoothbore musket and am curious about barrel material.

What would be safe to use as a barrel as far as steel type? Mild (commonly called welding) steel? stainless? Hardenable only? I've read iron was used at one point but I'm not sure what kind they were meaning. Advice would be great!

 

[Sld1959]

My best advice is buy a professional made barrel.

 

[Recusant]

Many village blacksmiths also built muzzleloaders. There were those that built from scratch, and a lot of them used commercial locks and barrels. Smooth bore barrels were mostly made of soft iron by welding a few inches at a time around an iron core. If I was going to build a musket barrel using this process it would be on a gun for display only!

Gunsmith Shop

www.colonialwilliamsburg.org

 

[Sld1959]

The biggest reason I say buy a real barrel, is.

I have seen a lot of muzzleloaders built. I have seen quite a few homemade barrels, and I have seen a lot of guys hurt when they blow up, many not on an initial heavy test charge shot but later on after they feel confident in them.

A barrel is one part that is not worth doing. Especially by someone that's never done it before.. sorry no offense meant there.

My opinion only for what it's worth.

 

[Wannabewoodsman]

The biggest reason I say buy a real barrel, is.

I have seen a lot of muzzleloaders built. I have seen quite a few homemade barrels, and I have seen a lot of guys hurt when they blow up, many not on an initial heavy test charge shot but later on after they feel confident in them.

A barrel is one part that is not worth doing. Especially by someone that's never done it before.. sorry no offense meant there.

My opinion only for what it's worth.

No offense given and none taken.

You and I have enough of a friendship for me to understand what you mean and I'm not one to take offense easily anyway

Wall thickness matters as well as material types so I'm wondering (from a curiosity perspective) what happened. A lot of unknowns: material variables alone are types of metals used, quality control, how it was treated by the builder etc.

I will take heed though

 

[TEXASforLIFE]

No offense given and none taken.

You and I have enough of a friendship for me to understand what you mean and I'm not one to take offense easily anyway

Wall thickness matters as well as material types so I'm wondering (from a curiosity perspective) what happened. A lot of unknowns: material variables alone are types of metals used, quality control, how it was treated by the builder etc.

I will take heed though

A good schedule 80 pipe will get you started...............................Velocity might be limited

 

[Warfaremil]

I would recommend contacting either Track of the Wolf in MN; or The Rifle Shoppe in OK. You don’t want to take a chance using questionable material. Remember, the barrel absorbs the explosion of the powder to propel the projectile. You don’t want to cause possible injury or death to yourself or others by using a barrel not made from good quality material.