Help identifying this old barrel

marsh trapper · Feb 23, 2024

I recently got this barrel that was my great grandfathers . It seems to be about 36-38 caliber. Its a a very heavy barrel . Id like to restore it ( im waiting on the stock that goes with it to be given to me in another week ) . Rifling seens to be more vibtage , perhaps from 60s . Just seeing if anything jumps out to anyone just from looking at barrel , sights, tang etc .

marsh trapper · Feb 23, 2024

marsh trapper said:
I recently got this barrel that was my great grandfathers . It seems to be about 36-38 caliber. Its a a very heavy barrel . Id like to restore it ( im waiting on the stock that goes with it to be given to me in another week ) . Rifling seens to be more vibtage , perhaps from 60s . Just seeing if anything jumps out to anyone just from looking at barrel , sights, tang etc .

Here are some more pictures

tomas-p1 · Mar 21, 2024

the barrel have exactly the same modern type of nipple arrangement found only on modern replicas from late 1960 and to today that exact same as my 1970-1990 made spanish made replica gun i have and olso same caliber i thing this barrel and your wood is a early hawken type replica build kit every thing every part looks like that i see if i can find a old catalog with your riffle in because i have seen it before

Kansas Jake · Mar 21, 2024

I don’t think the rifling and muzzle look modern. Also, not many of the modern replicas were made in 36 caliber range. It may be from a late percussion rifle made around or after the civil war.

andy52 · Mar 21, 2024

To me, it seems to be an iron barrel not steel if so that would put it pre-1900.

poker · Mar 21, 2024

I really dont think they used screws to hold sights in the 1800’s? I realize that may have been cobbed later, but Im not seeing any dovetails either. Id lean to it being more on the modern side.

Kansas Jake · Mar 21, 2024

The screw on the sight looks like it is screwed into a dovetail. It may have been added later in the life of the barrel. Maybe a fix for an older broken sight.
Might be something from after 1900 to but the barrel doesn’t have look of being from the modern era. How long is the barrel and what is the rifling twist?

tomas-p1 · Mar 22, 2024

andy52 said:
To me, it seems to be an iron barrel not steel if so that would put it pre-1900.

Yes after a closer look the rifling and barrel looks old but the skrews and bolt on touchhole and niple is modern maby a reaplacement

rich pierce · Mar 22, 2024

It’s a barrel from the mid to late 1800s. If you want to restore it, remove the drum first. They are often screwed into the front of the breechplug. Then unbreech it. Chances are close to 100% that the rifling needs recutting. These are fun projects but 20 hours of skilled work in some cases, so it has to be a labor of love. Always at least 8 hours to recut the rifling on a barrel that looks like this one.

Thagomizer · Mar 23, 2024

Agree with Rich. Look at the corrosion on the muzzle. That took some time.

Help identifying this old barrel

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Help identifying this old barrel

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

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69 Cal.

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