Heating a barrel red to hot stamp

[Billy Boy]

I found a video of a reproduction 1805 pistol having its barrel heated red hot to have stamps applied in an effort to “defarb.”



I don’t know much about metallurgy, but wouldn’t this take the temper out of the steel? Or is this not an issue?

Unequal heating could cause a slight warp in the barrel, too much or too long could defeat your scale prevention strategy. Go slow, be careful.

 

[Stykbow]

But the bottom of the "stamp" is rounded, not sharp as it would be with engraving.

I’ve never paid attention to the bottom of the etched area, but the ones I’ve seen are as crisp and clear as any that have been stamped.

 

[vintovka]

Stamping barrels can already be a risky business without doing something so seemingly absurd as heating them so hot they glow. I am reminded of some unmentionables whose import markings can be seen/read inside the bore!

 

[flconch53]

Barrels are not hard enough to worry about heating them to softener them. Just buy good quality stamps and stamp near the breach. Never had any trouble there. When I built guns I often stamped my initials and the date on the bottom of the barrel and the Customer's name on the top. Again stay near the breach.

 

[Red Owl]

Sorry on the LRB- I have days like that. In any event you stamp the barrel cold- no need to heat up. The old iron barrels- I don't think any stress was created since no carbon to speak of.
Most gunsmiths, by law, need to stamp barrels, etc. that have been modified, re-bored, etc. Done cold.

 

[Bad Karma]

Every mark on this gun was hot stamped. They’re cleaner and more precisely located than anything I’ve seen from factory except a few Colts. The barrel was easily cleaned and would stack .457 balls into an inch at 25 yards all day.

I can highly recommend his work if you can handle the lead time.

 

[vintovka]

Over the years , I have ruined two gun barrels , one using a bench vise , and one a hammer .Tight spots in the bore can't be easily fixed. Would urge caution to keep from making the same error as I did.

Old story but my mentor at Lassen - the late Hal Sharon really stressed the use of precision, tight fitting mandrels when stamping barrels or other items needing support. The subject of heating anything came up only in regards to cooling, extreme barrel straightening or quenching parts.