I got this in the form of a question about a barrel I have for sale.. It's a McGowen barrel btw.

"The way you check this is hold the barrel by the chamber end and whack it with a plastic mallet or screwdriver handle. If it rings it has been stress relieved, if it doesn't it hasn't."

What do you think..

Rich

I think (KNOW!) the person who told you that has absolutely no idea what they are talking about.

No, I absolutely know that's not how you do it. You hold the barrel up and then whack yourself in the head with the mallet. If you drop the barrel you relieved stress; if you don't drop it, you didn't hit it hard enough.

I really thought of an old Dick Van Dyke show episode:

First you put the barrel in a bag.. then you got outside in the sun

and swing the bag over your head

and scream like a chicken :-)

Rich

quote:

No, I absolutely know that's not how you do it. You hold the barrel up and then whack yourself in the head with the mallet. If you drop the barrel you relieved stress; if you don't drop it, you didn't hit it hard enough.

Man, that hurt ... and it hardened the barrel.

stand the bbl up in the corner and shine a bright light down the bore.
then start screaming "you suck, you think your straight? you couldnt hit water from the bottom of a lake. i know i should have bought a lija. your mother was microgrooved. im gonna use you for a tomato stake"
if the bbl doesnt weep its stress relived.

We metallurgists do it this way -- put him in a 55 gallon steel drum and have a few guys whack the barrel with sledge hammers for an hour .When you let him out of the barrel he will be TOTALLY RELIEVED !!!

quote:

Originally posted by richj:
I got this in the form of a question about a barrel I have for sale.. It's a McGowen barrel btw.

"The way you check this is hold the barrel by the chamber end and whack it with a plastic mallet or screwdriver handle. If it rings it has been stress relieved, if it doesn't it hasn't."

What do you think..

Rich

That's how you test an accordian.

What you do, is clean the bore really good. Insert an unprimed case in the chamber. Suspend the barrel by looping a piece of wire (Coat hanger) around each end. From the muzzle end look down the bore at the diffraction ring pattern. While looking at the rings, heat the center of the barrel with a propane torch and watch as the rings begin to distort.

Without touching anything, remove the heat and let the barrel cool. Re-check the diffraction rings to see if they return to their original form. If they completely reform, it is a good indication that the barrel is stress free.

Outside of actually turning the barrel and watching for things to warp, this is a quick and dirty method for checking. Gunsmiths and barrel makers use this "type" of exam to check and straighten bent barrels. Of course we use actual barrel straightening presses rather than coat hangers but you get the idea.

LMAO..
This is tooo much.
Tell the guy that McGowen stress relieves all of his barrels during the build process. You can't make a barrel like he makes without doing it. And, tell the guy where to shove the hammer..... That guy is full of shit.

Don

Gentlemens:

The best method of stress relief I have found is a good soaking in a quality Scotch Whiskey. Can't say as I have tried it on barrel steel, but I don't see why it wouldn't work.

Glenn

I have to agree with hst on this one.
Place the barrel on a table next to a glass of single malt whisky. Barrel should remain motionless while you sip the whisky and a little branch water.

Net results, barrel still the same, however you will be relaxed! PRN!

i sorta agree with rusty, but i can't think of a valid reason to taint any good single malt with any additional water. ifn you keep it in the fridge don't even need the ice.

I have heard of ringing the barrel set on a side by side to determine if the center rib is not soldered correctly but rifle barrels?????

I have heard the oldtimers checked for cracked tubes by "ringing", but stress relief noway.
Good Luck!

I think the person that told you that must have been wacked in the head instead of the barrel. Are you sure it wasn't an old whiskey barrel? They make more of a "bong" sound.

That's how large grinding stones are checked for cracks. They are held loosely through the mounting hole with a rod and hit with a hammer. If they don't ring, there's generally a flaw or a crack. Some of the newer fiber impregrenated ones don't ring though.

quote:

Originally posted by DEC:
That's how large grinding stones are checked for cracks. They are held loosely through the mounting hole with a rod and hit with a hammer. If they don't ring, there's generally a flaw or a crack.

Yup, a crack caused by a hammer blow!

Well, nobody has actually tried it yet.