🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Pistol barrel

[HuntinDog]

Hi all
I dug this little brass barrel a few days ago.
The bore is .304 and it 3 1/4” long.
It has two little proof marks that look like stars.
There are no flash holes in the breech.
That end has what might be an iron plug that is snapped off. But still no hole that I can see.
Any info you might add would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance

 

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[DCMatt]

I'm thinking... not a barrel.

With lugs like that on the top, it may be a ramrod pipe/holder/thimble. I've never seen one quite that heavy but I guess they just don't make them like they used to...

I can't make anything out of the proof marks. If you can give good descriptions, maybe we can find more info.

 

[HuntinDog]

Thanks for the reply DC
Too heavy for a ramrod guide.
I will try to get a better picture of the proof marks and I see I didn't give one of the Breech.

 

[ColtsPop]

I can’t believe I am saying this, but I agree with Matt, it is probably not a barrel. I don’t even think it is firearm related. Check for rifling, that’s the tell.

 

[BuckleBoy]

I'm thinking... not a barrel.

View attachment 2068706

With lugs like that on the top, it may be a ramrod pipe/holder/thimble. I've never seen one quite that heavy but I guess they just don't make them like they used to...

I can't make anything out of the proof marks. If you can give good descriptions, maybe we can find more info.

Agreed!

 

[Almy]

Unlikely to be rifling in any brass gun barrel, so absence would not rule out gun barrel. Walls are too thick for a ramrod holder. It would weigh the gun down too much unnecessarily. Seems to have lots of age. If it were mine, I'd be tempted to make a mount for it and make it into a toy cannon. Could do that, I think, without damaging the item. I've considered doing it with a much thinner-walled pistol ramrod guide I found.

 

[ColtsPop]

Unlikely to be rifling in any brass gun barrel, so absence would not rule out gun barrel. Walls are too thick for a ramrod holder. It would weigh the gun down too much unnecessarily. Seems to have lots of age. If it were mine, I'd be tempted to make a mount for it and make it into a toy cannon. Could do that, I think, without damaging the item. I've considered doing it with a much thinner-walled pistol ramrod guide I found.

Respectfully disagree. Even brass cannon have rifling.

 

[ironhorse]

Theres many kinds of vintage boot pistols that had screw on barrels ...I feel you might have one of those...the metal plug could just be the snapped off threads of the body of the gun.

 

[creskol]

Respectfully disagree. Even brass cannon have rifling.

Not all cannons have rifling: