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M/L Barrel steel

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homebrew .357

36 Cal.
Joined
Jun 12, 2013
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Hi, I`m into making a few muzzle loading barrels and sorting out the best steel. I think the ones made in Spain are made of 12L14 steel as this is easy to machine and strong enough for black powder. Just up from that steel is 12/15 grade steel and this is what I was thinking of using. It`s still good to machine and a lot better to what they had in the 1800`s. Now the grades are what I can get in New Zealand and could be different in the US, I know Green mountain use 1137 grade for their M/L barrels, not sure what that would be over here. So am I on the right track. Thanks, Homebrew.357 .
 
Hello, Home, the Spanish proof house marks on the Spanish barrels I've seen and owned are not as high as Italian and other proofs. BUT, that is not a condemnation of the steel, per se. I have seen a couple of idiots charge their CVA guns way over what the company recommended, (one fired 60 gr 2f from a .45 pistol!) and they lived; I also have a thin 9mm/.35 cal. Spanish smoothbore barrel that is proofed to about 15,000 lbs IIRC, that had a walnut in the breech from an overload. I salvaged it by removing about 1 1/2 inches of the breech end of the barrel and re-tapping and plugging it with a forged plug. I have not tested it, but will before I trust it. (magnaflux also) I only intend to use shot loads in it, so pressures shouldn't be bad. From what you've said, and what I've seen, your barrels should do fine if in standard sizes and kept out of the reach of children (of all ages). Perhaps Zonie can give us a more professional opinion on this.
 
I think the 1215 steel is basically the same as the 12L14 steel when it comes to the strength of the material.

Both are free machining low carbon steels. The 2 in the number says the steel has been resulfurized and rephosporized to enhance machining.
The "L" in the number, 12L14 has a very small amount of lead added to it to improve machine-ability when compared with the 1215 steel.
 
Thanks guys, looks like I`m in the ballpark so should make a good barrel, anyway have finished reaming out the bore of the first one and setting up to cut rifle. This one will have a twist of 1-48" so a choice of ball or bullet and the next one will be a 1-60" for ball only. I`m just making the barrels for someone's home project so they can have blast with black powder and as I`m the only one making them I`m a busy boy. Cheers over there, Homebrew.357.
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Yes, it checks out at a singe up form the 12/15 and this barrel is machining nicely, definitely a lot better than the 10/45 steel I was using. Should be able to get a good polish in the bore after rifling.
 
No particular laws against making barrels there? It's always a matter of degree where a plank of wood becomes a gun stock, a billet of steel becomes a pipe, or a barrel, and the collection of parts becomes a gun.

In the US none of the above becomes a gun or firearm, but they ARE considered to be deadly weapons in that you wouldn't be able to take them in to the cabin of a commercial airliner with you.
 
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