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4th April 2021, 02:46 PM
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#1 | |
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Austria
Posts: 1,912
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Quote:
https://scholar.google.co.uk/scholar...=1&oi=scholart And some interesting info on the effects of fatigue (mechanical fatigue resulted from the repeated mechanical forces/pressure, and thermal fatigue, resulted from the repeated cycles of heating and cooling) on gun barrels, that is even more important in the case of antique firearms where one doesn't know: 1. the material of the barrel, 2. the heat treatment of the barrel, 3. how was it manufactured (solid block drilled, spiral welded, multi-layered sleeved, etc.), 4. the conditions in which it was used (what type of propellant, what loads, etc.), 5. how long was it used/how many times was it fired, 6. how well was maintained. Not knowing the answers to these questions but proclaiming it is safe to shoot an antique gun doesn't sound wise to me. Last edited by mariusgmioc; 4th April 2021 at 03:35 PM. |
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4th April 2021, 03:10 PM
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#2 | |
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: In the wee woods north of Napanee Ontario
Posts: 405
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Quote:
Seems metal aging is an intentional method to get desired results and does not enter into the realm of firearms barrels and other steels by the passage of time. Does not seem to be applicable to the topic. |
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4th April 2021, 05:00 PM
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#3 | |
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Austria
Posts: 1,912
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Quote:
Citing from the first link I provided: "Natural aging occurs throughout the life of the metal alloy. During the natural aging process, super-saturated alloying elements within the metal alloy form what are known as metal precipitates. These precipitates block dislocations in the metal, increasing the strength and hardness of a metal alloy while reducing its ductility." Steel is a metal alloy... |
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4th April 2021, 05:13 PM
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#4 | |
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: In the wee woods north of Napanee Ontario
Posts: 405
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Quote:
Metal aging applies to modern production methods of alloys usually stainless steels. Modern processes taken out of context and applied to antique firearms, am I wrong? You be the judge! |
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4th April 2021, 10:18 PM
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#5 | |
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Arms Historian
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66
Posts: 10,670
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Quote:
As I have zero knowledge or understanding of metallurgy, all of this is extremely enlightening. It sets me to wondering, in most of my exposures to antique firearms, it seems one of the primary interests in them is whether it 'shoots'. As I mentioned on the TV series "Pawn Stars" they are always buying old guns, and seem to almost invariably shoot them. OK, I know its TV, and they probably dont air the ones that fail or do not get fired. But I am in Texas, gun country, and old guns abound. I bought an old Winchester (1873) that was in use from the 1880s to the 1980s, a century. It was rough, many repairs, the neck bound with rawhide etc. As I noted, I am not a 'shooter' , but did this one remain serviceable so long due to use rather than neglect? It sure seems like gunmakers in earlier years had pretty good command of what they were doing. As I mentioned, most of the mishaps seem to derive from ammunition, powder and loading issues, not the metal components. |
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