Anyone here know primitive weapon making?

The first foxfire book has instructions on making a black powder rifle. It starts out with "first find you some red dirt..."

alfadriver wrote:

KyAllroad wrote: Watch "Predator". Arnold makes a bow in the jungle out of found materials.... But realistically, I can't see needing bronze/Stone Age weapons. There are so many weapons in the world today with just a little scavaging you could find something far better than anything you are likely to make.

Just like there's no good reason to have old cars hanging around? Seems like a great hobby- especially with so many of the primitive survival realtity shows- there's a lot of interest in survival with not much stuff. How to make a usable ax with a stone, a stick and some binding. How to make basic binding/rope before you've gotten any hide. How to start a basic fire. Just basic cool stuff to know. Ends up being as useful as being able to set points these days. You do it for fun reasons, not useful ones.

I know, all very true. I do happen to have a book titled "Making Stone Age Weapons". I even practiced a few techniques back when I was trying out to be on the tv show Survivor (semifinalist btw).

And while all the skills are interesting from an intellectual challenge standpoint I do stand by my assertion that that's about the end of their usefulness.

I would like to spend more time learning some blacksmithing....

These are in stock and shipping now.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/deluxe-hickory-flat-bow-builders-kit?a=1344516

Someone on here in the build thread section was making his own longbows from scratch FWIW.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Did primitive weapon makers use black powder and iron pipe with caps threaded on the ends?

It works better than you might think. I happen to know from a uh, friend, that at least one piece of new, Chinese, 3/4" "black iron" gas pipe will accept a 12 gauge shell if you grind the seam down slightly and hold up to multiple 14000+psi(probably closer to 20,000 psi) proof loads made from taking apart cheap federal fun pack shells and making up a couple double charged ones. With a good breach plug (cross pinned) and proof testing(double charge of BP, double ball) you could make a reasonably safe musket, probably safer/stronger than an original one at that.

Heavy duty hydraulic tubing works pretty good too. http://www.homegunsmith.com/cgi-bin/ib3/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=30;t=15656