What to do with a Ringed barrel

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petew

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I got this 50 cal and discovered wrench marks on the breech plug, and when I removed the plug the barrel had a nice ring just under the sight. I want to thank the scum bag for selling a damaged rifle that he knew was damaged , and possibly dangerous. I also should have inspected it closer when it arrived last spring.

So here is what I did to make it a shooter. Choped 9" off the barrel, re breeched it to a TC style percussion breech plug , making it a 20" Hawken Carbine.

It still needs to be blued, and the wedge key lug installed.

It started as a 29" barrel but the previous owned Ringed the barrel by not pushing the ball all the way in. I chopped 9" off and re-breeched it to a carbine fun gun.

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I was more concerned with it staying together and not killing or maiming me than accuracy . After steel takes on a deformed shape it has exceeded it's elastic limits and is subject to failure at a lesser pressure than what made it deform.

Anyway it is completed now, blued, and sights are on. I used a TC tang peep on it. She stands 37" from floor to muzzle now.
 
For those that are not knowledgeable in black powder... what is a "ringed" barrel ?
My apologies if this is a stupid question or if I missed something ...I just don't have any experience with black powder.
I am curious to learn though.
Thanks.
 
silen said:
For those that are not knowledgeable in black powder... what is a "ringed" barrel ?
My apologies if this is a stupid question or if I missed something ...I just don't have any experience with black powder.
I am curious to learn though.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Ringed barrels usually occur when a ball has not been seated all the way don against the powder.
When the gun is fired, there are two pressure spikes instead of one- the first with the powder igniting, and a very large one when the gases hit the ball !
This second "bump" (for lack of a better term)causes the barrel to get ringed, or very sightly bulged.
Cat
 
Thank you appreciate the info and patience with what was likely my stupid question and also the clear picture it gives me of this :) .. I had thoughts as to what it was but am glad and for the clarification!
S.
 
The Cat answered it perfectly, and that was not a dumb question at all. I was lucky there was enough barrel left to salvage, if it had been a few inches farther up there would have been no salvaging it. I made my cut an inch past the ring. I wonder if the guy that sold me this gun sleeps well and if he ever wonders if the gun blew up and killed me. He knew it was bad, that is why the breech plug had wrench marks on it. The plug also came out very easy, so I know he had it out and looked . Lots of BAD KARMA will follow him I hope.
 
A ringed barrel is not limited to black powder. The barrel of a modern cartridge gun can become ringed as a result of firing it with a barrel obstruction such as mud or snow.
 
petew said:
I was more concerned with it staying together and not killing or maiming me than accuracy . After steel takes on a deformed shape it has exceeded it's elastic limits and is subject to failure at a lesser pressure than what made it deform.
.
Click to expand...

While the metal may be subject to failure at a lower pressure, I think there is still a pretty large margin of safety in most cases depending on how large the ballooned area is. In many cases there is just a black ring on the inside with little distortion on the outside. Also most modern muzzle loader barrels are considerably thicker than the absolute minimum capable of preventing them from exploding IMHO

cheers mooncoon
 
mooncoon said:
While the metal may be subject to failure at a lower pressure, I think there is still a pretty large margin of safety in most cases depending on how large the ballooned area is. In many cases there is just a black ring on the inside with little distortion on the outside. Also most modern muzzle loader barrels are considerably thicker than the absolute minimum capable of preventing them from exploding IMHO

cheers mooncoon
Click to expand...

One thing I did not mention is the ring is under the wedge key lug dovetail, that is cut in 1/8".
 
petew said:
The Cat answered it perfectly, and that was not a dumb question at all. I was lucky there was enough barrel left to salvage, if it had been a few inches farther up there would have been no salvaging it. I made my cut an inch past the ring. I wonder if the guy that sold me this gun sleeps well and if he ever wonders if the gun blew up and killed me. He knew it was bad, that is why the breech plug had wrench marks on it. The plug also came out very easy, so I know he had it out and looked . Lots of BAD KARMA will follow him I hope.
Click to expand...

Did you buy it here (EE) petew? If so, you'd be doing a public service by naming names...I for one don't want to deal with the guy.
 
It came from AO classifieds and I can't remember his name.I also changed computers and deleted old PM's or he would have had a piece of my mind.
 
^...err, actually, I don't know about that. Can anyone comment? It wouldn't be an antique, so wouldn't it be restricted at best and prohibited at worst? (assuming we're talking a side lock. {flint is different right?})

I don't think our government trusts us in the making of our own pistols. Think of the kittens please.
 
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