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August 13, 2018, 05:30 PM | #1 |
Member
Join Date: September 29, 2016
Posts: 30
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Powder, steel and pressure
Hello, i found this gun https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqGW09Ohd3Y&t=12s
A old .50 flintlock pistol I noticed how thin the barrel is, and i wounder, how can it be that thin without rupture? I know black powder is low pressure compared to smokeless, but it’s still a big caliber gun with a heavy load behind. How much lower is the pressure of black compared to smokeless powder? Does a modern .22 long rifle create more pressure than this .50 muzzleloader does? Back in the days i guess they didnt had that much of steels either, i read that gunbarrels used to be made of mild steel, and other soft metals like gunmetal, that would rather deform over time than explode. |
August 13, 2018, 07:03 PM | #2 |
Senior Member
Join Date: November 26, 2016
Posts: 1,564
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I'll bet a Google search would answer your questions.
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August 14, 2018, 05:25 PM | #3 |
Senior Member
Join Date: April 7, 2006
Posts: 10,981
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Look at shotgun barrels...
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August 15, 2018, 06:56 AM | #4 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: July 31, 2000
Location: Middle Peninsula, VA
Posts: 1,588
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Quote:
Good steel, even old steel if it is high quality, is very strong. You can lift up a pick up truck with a 3/8 inch bolt if you load it just right. |
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August 15, 2018, 07:53 AM | #5 |
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Join Date: November 2, 1998
Location: Colorado
Posts: 21,831
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Modern steel better than 18th Century steel. I wish I had more metallurgy.
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August 15, 2018, 09:00 AM | #6 |
Senior Member
Join Date: October 25, 2001
Location: Alabama
Posts: 18,535
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First, black powder pressure decays pretty rapidly, the barrel wall thickness can taper off a lot. There are some number of Damascus shotgun barrels with holes or cracks about nine inches from the chamber because smokeless is more progressive and carries its pressure longer/farther.
Second, pistol loads were not very heavy, not compared to rifle and musket charges. |
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