Re-purposing the Trade Rifle. Ideas invited

[Matt W]

Or, "101 uses for a dead KFS Trade Rifle"

Speaking of volley guns, it occurs to me that there are other ways to make use of a worn-out Trade Rifle. After all, what we have is a mass-produced cast-iron tube. Just because it's now an inaccurate rifle doesn't mean it doesn't have other uses. If these tubes are cut down, welded or even curved we have a number of opportunities

Gas Pipes
Genuine historical trivia: Gas lighting was introduced in London in the 1820's, using pipelines made from war-surplus musket barrels.

Water Pipes
Do you want indoor running water, or a pump for a well? Again, cast iron pipes would be useful

Building
Would reinforced concrete be another low(ish) technology that might be helped by the addition of some cast iron bars?

Bicycle Frames (and the axles of bicycle wheels)

Axles in general

Components for stills

Any other ideas?

[ArmySGT.]

Use a reamer and bore them out.......Shotguns.

Good steel....... cut into desired lengths.... make knives, swords, spoons, ladles.

Cut into sections use as construction spikes on log structures.

Draught tubes for a forced air furnace.

Several laid across a fire and you have a Mega Bison grill! (Buffs)

Make nails.

cut into lengths.... afix 90 degrees to a shaft.... Pick axe, adze, axe head.

Cut into 12 inch sections, packed with explosives, cap explosives with mercury fulminate, use the percussion cap system from the gun....... 19th century suicide bomber vest.

[dragoon500ly]

Cut in half, beat flat, heat and used to give cutting edge for plows, shovels, etc.

Can be re-cast as new barrel.

Heated, beaten into horse and ox shoes.

Have to admit, did not think about the suicide vest...but can be cut into foot-long lengths, capped on one end and loaded with powder and shot, detonator at capped end and you have a crude command detonated mine.

[ArmySGT.]

Have to admit, did not think about the suicide vest...but can be cut into foot-long lengths, capped on one end and loaded with powder and shot, detonator at capped end and you have a crude command detonated mine.

Or with a trip wire booby traps for invaders or as traps for game / game predators.

I don't know if it is in use elsewhere.... I can't confirm the shotun / tripwire / 5 gallon bucket for anti-coyote during calving season.

Cut hole in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket small enough to pass the shot gun barrel through. Drill a hole below this to pass a wire through....

A shot gun is rigged into a cradle, built or improvised, and the barrel passed through. Wire is attached to bait like a blood hunk of meat on a bone and the end passed back through the drilled hole. The bait is placed into the bucket with the open top at 90 degrees to the ground.... The bucket just serves to make sure that the coyote is standing directly in front of the barrel and will recieve the entirety of the blast. Shot gun is loaded and the trip wire is attached to the trigger. The coyote is a opportunist and will go for the easy meal.

[dragoon500ly]

Well, if you want to go cheap...take a shotgun shell, a thin piece of wood, nail and either glue or duct tape.

Run the nail through the wood so that the tip sticks through, make sure you touch up the tip with a file so it's nice e and sharp, fix the shotgun shell so that the cap is resting on the tip of the nail and fix in place, you now have a cheap little AP mine

Emplace on that likely approach route and...

This trick can also be done with rifle and pistol cartridges, but a buckshot load is just nastier.

You can also take that rifle barrel, bend in half and mount a knife blade on the ends and use it in a spring trap.

[ArmySGT.]

Well, if you want to go cheap...take a shotgun shell, a thin piece of wood, nail and either glue or duct tape.

Run the nail through the wood so that the tip sticks through, make sure you touch up the tip with a file so it's nice e and sharp, fix the shotgun shell so that the cap is resting on the tip of the nail and fix in place, you now have a cheap little AP mine

Emplace on that likely approach route and...

This trick can also be done with rifle and pistol cartridges, but a buckshot load is just nastier.

You can also take that rifle barrel, bend in half and mount a knife blade on the ends and use it in a spring trap.


I always though the pipe plus end cap with another pipe fitted inside and against the shell rim was the better way to go... Oh and blunt the nail. If the primer is pierced the detonation will probably vent back toward the pin and not into the vents towards the powder. The crushing force will be enough.

But, this is Trade Rifles and those are muzzleloader, percussion fired rifles.

Umm ...... let's see..... Bore them out and make a extra large Minie bullet filled with magnesium or red phosphorus.... an improvised flare signal gun.

Without rifling and a double powder charge.... firing the piece makes a signal gun.... A lot of frontier forts used the swivel gun as a signal gun.... The loud bang was a signal for the people to rush back to the fort.

[ArmySGT.]

Cut into short lengths..... You have arrow shaft or javelin shaft straightener.

You can warm up the shaft by a hot fire or boil it. Slip the barrel segment down and allow it to cool using the barrel segment as a former. Acts as a scraper, making for a uniform circumference too.

[ArmySGT.]

Take off the stock and the barrel....... Keep the action.

You have a flint and steel fire starter.... Heavier and more cumbersome than just a flint and striker..... unless you have cold and shaking hands in a wet and windy winter night.