Below are a couple videos in which I cover my work to re-forge an old shotgun barrel tube forging into a tube for a pistol barrel. The barrel tube that I re-forged, was given to me by Peter Dyson. I believe it to have been intended to finish out into a 20 gauge barrel. The tube was in the as forged state, just as it came from the barrel smith’s shop. This tube I estimate, to be approximately 100 years old.

The point of my work shown in these videos, is to provide a plausible source for the damascus material used to create barrels for antique pistols which incorporated damascus gun barrels. There are thousands of antique pistols which have damascus barrels. I have been asked by firearms researchers, to provide an answer to where all these pistol barrels came from. There is very little information written about the making of damascus gun barrels, originating from the period in which these barrels were made. No writings at all have been found, which comment on the making of small bore pistol barrels. All known documents from that time period, only discuss the making of damascus shotgun barrels. I theorize that small bore damascus pistol barrels could be made by re-forging short sections of large bore barrels, which were originally created for use in shotguns.

These old damascus gun barrels, were welded up of wrought iron and low carbon steel. I made my damascus gun barrels out of modern steels. My barrels were difficult to weld and the steel was very hard under the hammer and a challenge to shape. I always expected that the old barrels smiths were working with a damascus material that was much easier to weld and forge. I found this to be very true, as the old tube of wrought iron and low carbon steel was almost frighteningly soft under the hammer. Twice, I had forge welds break while re-forging the old tube. Both times, I fluxed the break and easily rewelded the tube back together.

This was an amazing experience! How many people get to forge on 100 year old damascus?!

The longer video includes the entire process of re-forging the barrel tube, as well as an overview of the tools used. Also included is my rather lengthy commentary on the construction of antique damascus gun barrels. This longer video is intended to provide historical information to firearms researchers, as well as serve as a tutorial to anyone wishing to attempt re-forging one of these old damascus tubes.

The shorter video only includes an explanation of my theory and enough of the forging work to demonstrate how I went about it.

Short Version:

[media] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LES5nvJJ2Mc [/media]

Long Version:

[media] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lt4g3zhW2NM&t=3180s [/media]