Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

rickystl · 11th April 2015, 08:08 PM

You mentioned that you might possibly consider making one into a shooter one day. I too have one in pretty good condition I plan on shooting one day. But it's three or four projects down the list. LOL

When I take the barrel off the stock it will hopefully solve a mystery I've had for many years. And that is: How are the breech plugs installed in these barrels?
I read somewhere that the breech plugs were "sweated" into the barrels and not threaded. Meaning that the breech plug was made slightly under sized. Then the barrel (only) was heated, the plug installed, and the barrel left to cool and shrink back to form a tight fit with the plug. Or possibly forge welded in place? But I really don't know. I really would not want to shoot one without a threaded breech plug. But I can have one made. We'll see when I get the barrel off.
Another curious thing about these barrels. Note the pronounced swelled area at the breech. I've read - and there's a YouTube vidio showing this - that the inside breech area of the barrel is shaped like a powder chamber. Similar to a European Hand Gonne. But I've never seen any real evidence of this. I'll have to try using my tiny drop light with a wire and see if I can tell. The barrel walls are so thick on these guns that I could just have the bore refurbished. But if there's a powder chamber, you would want to know exactly how much poser to fill the chamber, or it could be considered a bore obstruction while loading. Once I start on the project I'll post my findings.
Another interesting design feature of these guns is that the stocks are usually made in two pieces, or even three if the barrel is long enough.
Stu: Do keep us updated during your cleaning process when the time comes. Should be fun. Rick.

11th April 2015, 08:08 PM	#12
rickystl Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: St. Louis, MO area. Posts: 1,621	You mentioned that you might possibly consider making one into a shooter one day. I too have one in pretty good condition I plan on shooting one day. But it's three or four projects down the list. LOL When I take the barrel off the stock it will hopefully solve a mystery I've had for many years. And that is: How are the breech plugs installed in these barrels? I read somewhere that the breech plugs were "sweated" into the barrels and not threaded. Meaning that the breech plug was made slightly under sized. Then the barrel (only) was heated, the plug installed, and the barrel left to cool and shrink back to form a tight fit with the plug. Or possibly forge welded in place? But I really don't know. I really would not want to shoot one without a threaded breech plug. But I can have one made. We'll see when I get the barrel off. Another curious thing about these barrels. Note the pronounced swelled area at the breech. I've read - and there's a YouTube vidio showing this - that the inside breech area of the barrel is shaped like a powder chamber. Similar to a European Hand Gonne. But I've never seen any real evidence of this. I'll have to try using my tiny drop light with a wire and see if I can tell. The barrel walls are so thick on these guns that I could just have the bore refurbished. But if there's a powder chamber, you would want to know exactly how much poser to fill the chamber, or it could be considered a bore obstruction while loading. Once I start on the project I'll post my findings. Another interesting design feature of these guns is that the stocks are usually made in two pieces, or even three if the barrel is long enough. Stu: Do keep us updated during your cleaning process when the time comes. Should be fun. Rick.