If you have an hour....

[rsterne]

you will surely enjoy this video about gunsmithing by hand in the Colonial days....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJVz3T61trI

Amazing job, and the sheer number of skills required boggles the mind....

Bob

[catman81056]

That was an hour well spent. Amazing talents for a person so young, and with home made tools no less. I only could imagine how barrels were made in the begining and after seeing one made, well, thats pretty cool.
Thanks for the link. Here's a direct link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJVz3T61trI

[Harold_V]

Here's a direct link.

Note that the link also appears in the original post. When I edit posts such as this one, so the video is present to be viewed, I have a policy of leaving the link, so the readers can click if they wish to explore the offering full screen.

Harold

[catman81056]

Understood, I clicked on the pic and couldn't watch. Didn't even notice the link, brain fart!!

[ken572]

rsterne,

GREAT! FIND

Thank You for posting this..

Ken.

[Harold_V]

Heh! Apparently I failed to check after editing. The link can't be embedded, at the owner's request. It must be clicked, to be viewed directly from YouTube.

We live and learn! I'd never seen that before.

I have removed the link that was embedded.

Harold

[alphawolf45]

I've had that on VCR for years, seen it many times....What I would like somebody to explain is that iron rod mandrel that is held into the barrel as its forge welded to shape.Why doesnt that steel rod get stuck in the barrel as its being forged around it?

I have numerous coal fired forges, blowers, two 50 gallon oil drums full of coal..Hammers tongs etc..But I never have a helper so cant easily try that trick for myself...Dont know how that can work anyway..What am I missing?

[hammermill]

the mandrel is inserted into the barrel after each heat cycle. the scale and borax on the inside of the barrel and the detail that the mandrel is not heated keep it from welding into the bore of the barrel. also isuspect the steel spring backs a bit after the compression of each hammer blow

makes a modern gun drilled, button rifled barrel seem like a cake walk

[JackF]

Bob,

Thanks for the link. That was a fascinating video.

Jack