Anyone ever dug a musket barrel?

[CoilyGirl]

And how in the heck would you know it was if it was slightly crushed and had rust all over it? I found a long heavy object about the length of a musket barrel a few feet away of where I dug my belt buckle and two other breastplates were found. I see what resembles a sight if. It is indeed a barrel and I see that one end is definitely hollow but other that that,shrug.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

reply

CoilyGirl, isn't the barrels of guns made of conductive material ? So that ... no ... they woundn't be rusted bar shaped things. Rusted objects would be iron, not conductive. I may be wrong, and perhaps some firearms are made of iron barrels ? The guns I've found have had iron parts, but not the trigger guard or barrel. on the ones I've found. Maybe I've just discriminated all the irons ones out !? Doh!

 

[CoilyGirl]

See I'm not sure on that Tom, about what they were made of. The rust is in spots and not all over like you would think a water pipe would be like but I don't see anything that resembles where the bands would fit on or where a bayonet would attach so I'm wondering if it would be a waste to try and give this thing an electrolysis bath. This thing feels like what I know the weight of a musket would be but I don't want it in my garage if its nothing.

 

[GMD52]

Coily,

You said that one end was hollow, did the other end show something blocking the hollow channel? Perhaps a breech block and nipple channel? Homemade barrels had varying degrees of iron in them according to where the barrel maker got his raw material, and I'm not sure that the rust spots are atrue indication here.....if you think you have determined a sight cut, try very carefully cleaning away the crud to determine if it is a dovetail cut.....good luck and let me know what you find....Gary

 

[Boatlode]

Post some pics of the thing, CG.

 

[CoilyGirl]

Gary it almost looks like the end that is not hollow isn't necessarily solid. I will dry tomorrow to chip a little bit of the rust to see if I can make out a dovetail site or heck,any other type if site before I just chunk it in the trash. I guess I could haul it to the next Middle Tennessee Metal Detecting Club meeting and vet pointed at,haha. Thanks for the input.

 

[CoilyGirl]

Will do tomorrow Boatlode,thanks.

 

[releventchair]

Coily ,just rub it in why don,t cha? L.o.l.. Nope no barrels for me.
One end on the old muzzle loaders as opposed to breach loaders will be closed on used and not disassembled barrels. They are closed with a breachplug often with a tang,a piece that sticks out away from barrel to fasten to wood stock. Thing ought to ring up iron. I,ll look for some pics of breach ends and tangs.
First is a hooked breech,the threaded piece threads into rear of barrel and tang with its opening for breech plug to hook in to is secured to stock.
The next one will be a simple breachplug with tang attached.

 

[CoilyGirl]

Well we just checked it out in the garage and deemed it to be just junk so in the trash it goes. I know I can count on y'all though to ask all the right questions.

 

[Red James Cash]

On the end that has a breach plug there would also be a little tang with a hole in it.a screw would go through the hole and screw into either the stock or the trigger assembly.then again that would be the weakest part of the barrel and would probably rot away first.

 

[Red James Cash]

whoops i missed your post relevent

 

[releventchair]

That's alright Red, I was looking for the arm wrestling icon.
No idea what arm it could have been if a barrel but with my wild guess of percussion the nipple would rot /corrode first followed by powder fouled surfaces.

 

[Red James Cash]

 

[luvsdux]

In response to Tom in Ca, unless made of stainless steel, iron or steel gun barrels are very prone to rust if not properly cared for. I retrieved a 22 rimfire barrel one time that was nothing but a long rust tube.
luvsdux

 

[Boatlode]

Hey CG - where's the pics?