Chapter V: Gun-Making

Barrel welding--Birmingham welders--Different twists of metal
(illustrated with cuts)--Process of welding--Hammer-hardening--Belgium
welders--Mode of plating barrels--Belgium method (with cut)--Profits
of fraud--Qualifications of a good gun-barrel maker--Processes of
boring and grinding--Proper inclination of double barrels--Elevation
of barrels should be proportionate to charge and distance--Brazing of
barrels detrimental--Mr. Wilkinson’s opinion--Solid ribs requisite--
Advantage of the patent breech--Best shape of breech (with cut)--Gun
locks--Their scientific construction--The Barside lock--Messrs.
Braziers’ locks--The stock, fittings, &c.--Recipe for staining steel
barrels--Birmingham method of browning--Belgian method--Varieties of
iron for best barrels--Laminated steel barrels never known to burst--
Base imitations of laminated steel--Cost of laminated steel barrels--
Author’s method of laminating--Stub Damascus passed off for steel--
Birmingham guns--Practice of forging names of eminent makers--Author’s
offer--Improved metal for axles--Author’s imitation Damascus (with
plate)--Joseph Manton’s merits--Prize medals awarded to author--
Advantages of Birmingham for gun making--“London-made guns”--Foreign
imitations of English guns--Periodical exhibition of guns recommended
--Steel-twist and stub Damascus (with plate)--Barrels of charcoal
iron--Inferior guns--Cost of skelp-iron guns--Cost of “sham damn iron”
guns--Sham guns (with plate)--Cost of “park-paling” guns 185

CHAPTER VI.--THE PROOF OF GUN BARRELS.

Proof-house of Gun-maker’s Company--Proof Acts of 1813 and 1815--
Provisions of Gun Barrel Proof Act of 1855--Penal clauses--Schedule B
--Proof marks--Scale of charges for Proof--Mode of proving (with cut)
--Number of barrels proved in 1857 243