Rifle barrel for spudgun

[Kryptonian]

Has anyone used a real rifle barrel for these spud guns with slugs?

I would like to make a .308 cal air rifle (it would have to be non-

combustion.)

I would like to use some sort of high pressure solenoid valve and a steel

action. Bolt action style.

Any links or hints that could help me accomplish this?

[FishBoy]

i would edit out the part about hunting rabbits/hunting in general, mainly because it's not allowed on this site. I'm not sure if it has been done, but i don't think it would be too difficult

[nivekatoz]

Thats a good idea.. I have seen a web site where a guy used a shotgun barrel on a big bore airgun. Its a smooth bore," I think" but I guess you could use a riffled one.The web site is BRYANANDAC.COM. Theres all sorts of homemade air guns.

[DYI]

You'd need an awfully powerful spudgun to make a real rifle barrel work properly - Larda's hybrid is the only thing that comes to mind right now that could pull it off properly, and it ain't exactly easily achievable to the average hobbyist.

Pushing a (usually) lead bullet through rifling takes quite a bit of power, as one could imagine.

[SEAKING9006]

I suggest buying one, if you need that kind of performance, judging by how you say you require a rifled barrel.

I suggest a Daisy Powerline 880S or one of many break-barrel air rifles.

[frankrede]

I actually have a shotgun barrel I am considering making into a cannon.



the top one.

I would most likely be made of steel and used at high pressures.

[Ragnarok]

Pushing a (usually) lead bullet through rifling takes quite a bit of power, as one could imagine.

Perhaps a better move would be a using an air rifle barrel - say a .22" or perhaps even a .25" using moderately heavy pellets.
With a good high pressure source and a decent valve, I don't see any reason that couldn't work - although I'd be looking to start with at least 500 psi for that to be sure of getting an appreciable muzzle energy - with a 50cm .22" barrel, you could probably extract 20+ ft-lbs, which is enough to get a typical pellet to about 700-800 fps.

Of course, an alternate option is to use the .308 barrel, and find a way to cast diablo pellets in the size, which take significantly less energy to shove down the barrel. It would yield a greater muzzle energy, but also be a lot more work.

[Kryptonian]

Thanks for all your imput, I am still in the design phase right now.

I all access to mills and the sort, so there isn't a problem in how I am going to make the parts. I wanted to basically make an ar-15 designed lower. Not a real one with all the holes drilled, maybe an 60 percent lower.

I'm still much a beginner when it comes to airguns, but I would like to make something that my mechanics professor would be proud of.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

I would agree with the air rifle barrel suggestion, you could always use 22 rimfire slugs for that extra "ooomph" - otherwise, using 0.308 bullets in a 0.308 barrel, you'd get your rounds stuck half way through the barrel - at best - at spudgun pressures.

If you're making it bolt action, you might want to consider making a hammer valve. Take a look at this demo for details.

[Gippeto]

There is this;

http://www.quackenbushairguns.com/308_exile.html

Might offer some ideas for you. Pressures are very high by spudgun standards though.

You can make diablo style pellets as Rag mentioned, but I'll warn you now, he is understating the work involved.

[Kryptonian]

Gippeto your gun is amazing!

[Ragnarok]

You can make diablo style pellets as Rag mentioned, but I'll warn you now, he is understating the work involved.

Yes, I'll admit to that gaffe.

Lead casting is quite a lot of work anyway, and diablo pellets are a tough shape on top of that. Getting them consistent enough to extract good accuracy would be an epic task.

The Quackenbush Exile, although interesting, seems a mite disappointing on the accuracy front - only a 1" five shot group at 50 yards?
Not totally appalling, but any half way decent springer could match that.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

The Quackenbush Exile, although interesting, seems a mite disappointing on the accuracy front - only a 1" five shot group at 50 yards?

The sort of shooters who buy a Quackenbush don't use it for bench-rest, 1" is smaller than a boar's head and that's good enough for them if the ft/lbs are high

[Ragnarok]

@JSR: But I'd still like to know that my rifle was as good accuracy wise as it could be.
If it's possible for .308" powder burners to pull off better, and standard air rifles as well, why will a .308 air rifle not manage it as well?

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

There's a difference betwen a finely tuned 12 ft/lbs air rifle and a powerhouse with almost 20 times the muzzle energy. I've fired 50 cal and 9mm Korean big bore airguns, as well as Daystate's 22 Airwolf at rimfire power levels, I can assure you that they are not easy to shoot accurately.

You can't really compare with powder burning rifles either, a 0.308 round would be screaming along over 4 times faster than what the Quackenbush does, that's effectively a straight line at 50 yards.

Again, for hunting purposes, I would happily gain an inch of group size for an extra 50 ft/lbs, it's a fair trade-off in my view.