blackball229

Wasn't really comparing the two, just that all barrels have a life expectancy. Even at lower pressures there is a a shock factor every time the gun fires creating fatigue.If I fire it 20-50 times a day for the next fifteen years, your saying that barrel will be in perfect shape? You say liability is for "weaselly lawyers"? If my wife an son are shooting on the crew or anyone else for that matter,your damn right I would want to know how far anyone has thought this through. As a fabricator and designer for one of the largest and most famous themeparks in the US, this is what I do professionally.

I still think "one generation to the next" might be a bit too optomistic and could be a liability in the long run. Wow these barrels must be better than what our military uses because they have a finite number of cycles.

I'm not sure any liner will last from one generation to the next. As a fabricator for one of the premier themeparks, I've built many projects where we were forced to reevaluate our thought on absolutes, when it comes to safety.Absolutes only last untill that one occurrance happens that our egos wouldn't let us look at. Time will only tell how long something will last. I've done restoration on various historic projects where the original builder or designer had great innovation but stopped short on thinking the technology all the way through, or stopping short and saying this will suffice. When other lives are at stake over thinking is really the best policy.The shock from repeated firings over time will effect most metals unless the sidewalls are extremely thick. My concern is that we have liners 1/4 inch thick press fit into castings with a seal issue around the touchhole. The repeated firings and cleanings would be forcing gasses, carbon aluminum oxides into the gap. However small it is, when the guns are washed, moisture will sit there and begin to oxidize the sidewalls building pressure between the the two. Add the shock of repeated firings, there are some unknown factors created. There is a point where it could become dangerous.

Ahh, wonderful to find some true knowledge on this subject My group is firing sleeved barrels, several shows per weekend, and then doing the usual cleaning at the end of the weekend, pouring water down the barrels, brushing and using bore butter. As a fabricator and a son of a master machinest, my questions are these. 1 Since the barrels are pressure fit into the casting and the touchhole drilled afterward, there is no true seal between sleeve and casting. there will be a buildup of powder residue and rust over time. Having rebuilt historic machinery and architecture pieces for years, I've seen how this type of buildup can cause expansion pressure. How safe is this over time? 2 How many actual firings would be considered safe before retiring barrels? 3 There was also a mention of honecombing of barrels over time. Is this just relative to cast iron? what about the sleeves, how do they react over time to firing? 4 Shouldn't our master gunner be keeping a detailed log of firings? 5 We use aluminum foil for our charges, you mentioned an incident involving aluminum foil. What are the pros and cons of foil charges? I'm relatively new to the group, and the people in charge have been lording their methods and knowledge as absolute. Me, having been a machinests son,a fabricator and a shooter since I was 12 have some serious doubts about the safety of the group. What are your thoughts, and what else should I been considering?