Nepalese p-1853 - Barrel Proof Testing

[selair_chapman]

So I appear to have gotten very lucky with a ~150 year old Enfield Pattern 1853 IMA $99 "parts gun." There is almost no pitting on the barrel or in the bore and no rust at all under the layer of grease/gunk it shipped in. The only pitting that exists is around the nipple in about a 1/2 inch diameter. The bore polished up nice and shiny with rifling only slightly worn. All the hardware that came with the gun is in excellent condition so all I will need is a new stock and misc bits that are easily obtainable to bring this one back into action.

**There are no proof marks on the barrel**

I want to conduct proofing stress tests on the barrel before I go spending money on the stock and remaining bits.

I will be using a string-pull rig and everyone will be under cover when it hammers down (safety first). So, having never proofed a barrel like this I am planning on starting small (blank charge) and working up to a 1.5 x full military load, taking calliper measurements all the while to look for bulging/failure. I figure if it can handle a 1.5xload without failure or bulging I will feel comfortable shooting from the shoulder. If she blows I will have a pretty cool blown up barrel to hang above my Birmingham P1853. For a $99 gun I'm willing to take the risk.


My plan:

Step 1: Cast the barrel with Cerrosafe to determine exact calibre (expecting slightly under .570 ish with this Nepalese barrels) and get sizer to 2 thousandths of an inch smaller than bore.

Step 2: Case and size pure-lead Minies (500 grain Lee Aluminum cast)

Step 3: Fire a few blanks at 60 grains FFG

Step 4: Fire a 30 grain FFG load with 500 grain Minie.

Step 5: Fire a 40 grain FFG load with 500 grain Minie.

Step 6: Fire a 50 grain FFG load with 500 grain Minie.

Step 7: Fire a 60 grain FFG load with 500 grain Minie – Std Military Charge

Step 8: Fire a 70 grain FFG load with 500 grain Minie.

Step 8: Fire a 80 grain FFG load with 500 grain Minie

Step 8: Fire a 90 grain FFG load with 500 grain Minie – "Hold on t'yer butts"

Again, I've never done this and would really appreciate any suggestions, tips, warnings, oh-hell-no's!
Cheers

 

[kevikens]

For what it is worth, I have seen and handled several of these arms. I have one on my wall. They were stored in such a way as to guarantee integrity problems no matter what they look like on the surface. I'd be hesitant to fire even just loose powder in one of them. Firing one with a minie ball, in my opinion, creates a danger or hazard of shards of metal going a lot farther than you imagine. You might want to think more about this. There may be a very good reason for no proof marks on the barrel as this weapon may have been transmogrified in a Karachi back alley and is as dangerous to the shooter as the intended target. I hope other experienced collectors and target shooters and the forum moderator weigh in on this.

 

[selair_chapman]

For what it is worth, I have seen and handled several of these arms. I have one on my wall. They were stored in such a way as to guarantee integrity problems no matter what they look like on the surface. I'd be hesitant to fire even just loose powder in one of them. Firing one with a minie ball, in my opinion, creates a danger or hazard of shards of metal going a lot farther than you imagine. You might want to think more about this. There may be a very good reason for no proof marks on the barrel as this weapon may have been transmogrified in a Karachi back alley and is as dangerous to the shooter as the intended target. I hope other experienced collectors and target shooters and the forum moderator weigh in on this.

I hear ya and I share the concern. For me I am really doing this to see what the barrel will take. If it blows, and I appreciate it's a significant chance, so be it. For me $99 is not a big deal. I am firing in the middle of a 30 acre private lot behind an earth wall. Safety on the test is not an issue. What I want is to be able to see if this could be turned into a safe shooter. I'm thinking being able to hold repeated 1.5 x std military loads with a 500 grain minie without distortion should make this a reliable .75 x loadmilitary load shoulder shooter. Am I wrong? I may be...dunno. let me know if I am. I am not a gunsmith or a barrel expert. I'm hoping some of you are.