Weiss Musket Barrel

[Jim Leinicke 7368V]

I recently purchased a nice, Model 1855/61 rifle-musket barrel by Weiss, with the serial number 61 struck on the underside. Can anyone tell me anything about the total production of Weiss barrels, and approximately when this barrel might have been made?

Thanks-
Jim Leinicke

[Southron Sr.]

Mr. C.H. Weisz has a business in the 1950's that supplied parts for original Colt percussion pistols, musket parts, etc.

My understanding was that in the mid-1950's a lot of the early Skirmishers were still shooting original Springfield rifle-muskets. The problem was that the original barrels were wearing out with no replacement barrels available.

So Mr. Weisz purchased a World War II Pratt & Whitney Rifling Machine that had been used during the war to turn out .50 machine gun barrels. He had an engineer modify the machine to cut 3 groove, .58 caliber barrels with Progressive Depth Rifling. Of course those replacement barrels became very popular with Skirmishers. I have always understood that there were "two runs" of Weisz barrels-but the numbers produced were never that many.

I purchased 3 Weisz Barrels from his widow around 1970 and I was very pleased with them.

When Mike Yeck put his replica Springfield Rifle-Muskets in production in the mid-1970's he purchased the Weisz Rifling Machine from Mr. Weisz's widow. Today that machine is owned by Danny Whitaker and is still making .58 caliber barrels!!! Denny has informed me that he has rebuilt the machine three times over the years!!!!

So, if you have every wondered why Whitaker barrels are so accurate-now you know, they are made on the original Weisz Pratt & Whitney Rifling Machine!!!

P/S. Danny has to be something of a mechanical genius to keep that machine going because in addition to overhauling and rebuilding it-he has also improved it!

[Southron Sr.]

Check this out! It is a good article on how rifle barrels are made and the various processes used.

As the article points out the Pratt & Whitney Hydraulic Rifling Machines are now rare and no more will ever be made. If I am not mistaken, the Weisz barrels were made on a modified Pratt & Whitney "B" Series Hydraulic Rifling Machine. There is a picture of one of those machines in the article:

http://www.firearmsid.com/Feature%20Articles/RifledBarrelManuf/BarrelManufacture.htm

Enjoy!!!

[Jim Leinicke 7368V]

Southren- Thanks for the information. This barrel is apparently a good deal older than I thought, and a bit of skirmishing history. I will enjoy using it.

Jim Leinicke

[RaiderANV]

........ I have always understood that there were "two runs" of Weisz barrels-but the numbers produced were never that many.

And most of the first run did not have a serial number on them.