Ferro Alloy

Ferro-Alloy Tapping

Licenses:

Is the gun and ammunition approved for industrial use ?
The gun is approved by Pyrotechnische Bundesanstalt, Braunsweig (PTB) as a shooting tool and has received approval number 80, which is marked on the gun. The ammunition is approved by CIP, the European organization for control of ammunition. This control is continuous, and the ammunition is marked with approval stamp from the controlling proof house.

Can we get a license to buy a gun and ammunition ?
In all of Europe the authorities allow the use of Winchester’s gun and ammunition for industrial purposes, because the gun is a necessary tool, and no immediate abuse is possible. The gun weighs over 100 kilos and cannot be hand held when fired. The barrel is not riffled, but smooth as in a shotgun, therefore it is inaccurate on distances over 100 meters. The ammunition is caliber 8 gauge industrial, and cannot be used in any other weapon civilian or military.

Where and how do we get the necessary license ?
In some countries no license is required at all, e.g. Germany. If you are in doubt contact your local police department, who can issue the necessary license for import, purchase, storage, use of the gun and the ammunition, or they can inform you of the proper authority where to apply.
This license can contain articles of how to store the ammunition in a locked depot separate from the gun, and that the gun shall be secured with Winchester’s locking frame, when it is not in use. The license is issued to your company, and you can appoint the personnel who shall operate the gun.

Does it require special training to use the gun ?
We recommend, that only personnel who has been trained, and is familiar with the safety regulations use the gun, e.g. 2 persons from each shift.
Do you have not the personnel who can train others, we can send a special factory trained representative who can help you work out safety instructions specific for your plant, and who can educate the shooters in efficient and safe use of the gun.
When you purchase your first gun this training and education is free of charge.

Will the Safety Section and Union approve the use of an industrial gun in our factory ?
Safety Section and Union work for better and safer conditions for their workers. This is precisely what Winchester can offer. The advantage of using a Winchester industrial gun is faster and safer tapping, because you can stand secure away from the furnace behind a shield and open or improve tapping. Without the gun, tapping requires personnel, operating drill or oxygen lance, close to the tapping area, this job is neither safe nor pleasant, so both Safety Section and Union will be positive to the new improved working conditions the gun will offer.

Shooting:

Opening a tap hole:
Depending on how thick the tap block is, and if there is frozen metal behind it, you can either shoot immediately, or drill first, and then shoot the rest. Both ways secure that no personnel is close to the tap hole when the metal starts running. If you drill first, you stop the drill when the materiel starts
getting red, this way there is no risk that the drill will be ruined by the liquid metal.To open a tap hole 3-25 cartridges are used, which takes 2-3 minutes once the gun is aimed.

Increasing tapping speed:
The gun is also used in connection with continuous tapping. If the metal starts to run too slow, 2-3 cartridges will often solve the problem. The bullet works in 2 ways, with it’s weight and speed it knocks loose frozen metal, and when it stops, the zinc bullet burns at high speed and temperature, like a small blast, which heats up and opens the tap hole.

Is there any risk that the gun will make the tap block wider on the inside and ruin it ?
No – contrary to for example oxygen lance, the bullet moves forward in a straight line. This means that your tap hole will have the same diameter all the way through the tapping block.

Maintenance:

How long does the gun last ?
The gun is very rugged, and with a minimum of maintenance it can shoot up to 250.000 rounds. The maintenance of the gun is mainly to clean off dust which wears very hard on the gun, and from time to time exchange the firing pin and some springs which wear during use. Our instructor will teach you how to exchange these parts, and how you take the gun apart and clean the dust away.

Where do we get spare parts ?
With the gun you get a spare part catalog with the number of all parts. If you cannot find your spare part catalog, or need instruction on how to install or replace a part you will find this information on our home page www.parbst.dk/winchester. Necessary parts can be ordered by letter, phone, fax or e-mail at the below address:

Winchester Industrial Service V. Parbst & Søn Borsholmvej 41 DK-3000 Helsingør Denmark

Phone: +45 49 76 54 00 Fax: +45 49 76 54 20 E-mail:WINCHESTER@PARBST.DK

We have a complete stock of spare parts, and can ship the same day you order.

What should we do, if some day we no longer need the gun ?
You just contact us. For security purposes Winchester wants to buy back guns no longer in use. First of all to secure that they do not fall into the hands of ignorant persons, and secondly because an old worn gun suddenly can be taken into use again in your factory or somewhere else. The price paid for old guns is of course dependent upon their condition, but as minimum we usually pay USD 1.000,- per gun. If you want a more precis offer on your old gun, you can send it to us for evaluation.

Working conditions:

Is it hard/unpleasant to operate the gun ?
No – The gun is easy to operate, and the shooter is standing well protected behind a shield protecting him from heat and splashes of molten metal and sparks from the furnace.

Does it make a lot of noise when the gun is fired ?
The Winchester industrial gun is equipped with a good silencer, (sound reducer), which absorbs most of the blast. The bullet, however, moves with supersonic speed, which causes a supersonic blast. This blast cannot be reduced, therefore all persons on the deck should wear earplugs when shooting. Outside the deck, even close to the furnace, the blast can only be vaguely heard, and there is no risk of hearing damage.

How do we aim the gun ?
As on regular guns there are fixed sights on top of the gun. The gun is adjusted with two handles. When the gun is roughly adjusted, the breech block is opened, and final aiming of the gun takes place by looking through the barrel directly at the target. After the first shot, final adjustments can be
made, and the position of the gun is then locked with the tapping kit, which prevents further movement of the gun. The gun can now be fired continuously until the tap hole is open.

Must we aim the gun between each tapping ?
Normally the gun is left in front of the furnace between tapping, and since tapping takes place in the same location each time no further aiming is necessary. Just check the aim, and shooting can thereafter start immediately. The gun is very heavy almost 100 kilos and will therefore remain in the
same place despite the recoil from the firing, and with the tapping kit installed, it is insured that your original aiming and shooting angle is maintained. If the space in front for the tap hole is used for other purpose between tapping, the gun and cabin can be hung from a rail in the ceiling allowing it to be moved back into it’s original position, making aiming unnecessary.

Can the gun be moved for tapping of several furnaces ?
This will require that you build a portable stand which can be rolled or moved with a crane if available. Our instructor can help you building a portable stand with attachments to ensures that the stand is fixed and stands firmly after a move. The aim of the gun will however need to be adjusted after each move, to match the location and angle of the tap hole of the next furnace. Our instructor can also supply you with a Winchester locking frame assembly which should be installed before the gun is being moved.

Security:

Can a ricocheting bullet injure our staff ?
If the gun is not aimed correctly the bullet will hit the side of the furnace and ricochet away from it. Frozen metal in the tap hole may also cause the bullet or parts of it to ricochet. It is therefore important that a safety curtain capable of catching possible ricochet’s is in place, or that factory
safety rules ensures that bystanders and other personnel not participating in the shooting are being removed before shooting takes place. The shooter and his assistant are perfectly safe during shooting since they are being protected from ricochets by the shield in front of the gun.

Are there any risks in connection with loading and firing the gun ?
The job as a shooter requires some safety equipment:
Earplugs, to avoid hearing damage during shooting
Safety glasses and vizier to protect face and eyes from hot powder gas from the gun and sparks from the furnace.
Gloves, to protect against the heat from the gun when moved.
If the shooter uses above mentioned safety equipment, as instructed, he will be protected from the harm and discomfort while firing.

Can the gun blow up by a mistake ?
From other types of guns, chamber and barrel bursts are known, especially if the barrel is wholly or partly blocked. Due to the special circumstance that the Winchester gun has to operate under, it is impossible to prevent dust and ash and sometimes frozen metal from flying into the barrel. The gun is therefore built in such a way, that it can not burst, even if the barrel is totally blocked, the barrel will just enlarge. This will of course damage the gun, but there is no hazard to the shooter. To avoid damages on the gun, the barrel should regularly be blown clean with compressed air, and visually controlled prior to shooting, and after unusual incidents.
The chamber construction is so strong that it cannot blow up. If powder gas cannot get out, the upper edge of the cartridge will open up, and the hot gas will blow backwards. This gas is harmless, and will be stopped by the vizier and the safety glasses which the shooter of course wears.

Can the gun or sound reducer be damaged by the heat ?
The gun will of course become very hot, partly because of the fired cartridges and partly because of the heat from the furnace. The sound reducer has a double function, it reduces the blast and also protects the gun from the heat of the furnace. The gun is therefore not damaged by the heat. If molten
metal is splashed towards the gun the sound reducer will be damaged, but will in most cases prevent further damage to the gun.

Can the cartridges endure to be close to the hot furnace, is there any risk for spontaneous ignition in the chamber due to the hot temperature of the gun ?
Gunpowder ignites at 148° Celsius, which is far above the temperature behind the gun shield. A splash of molten metal will naturally ignite the cartridges, but will NOT cause a explosion. The cartridges will simply burn, and the fire can be put out with water. Face shield and gloves worn by the
shooter are sufficient to protect him against popping primers during a fire in an ammunition box. The temperature in the chamber can under extreme circumstances exceed 148° Celsius, but as the powder is protected by the shell and the 3oz. (85 gram) heavy zinc bullet, the cartridge should be
substantial time in the chamber in order to spontaneously ignite, and the gun will have cooled down in the meantime, therefore spontaneous ignition will never happen.
As a safety measure: Do not load any round into the chamber before the shooter is ready to fire, and the gun shall be unloaded immediately if firing does not take place.
This is to prevent accidents. The gun should never be left with a cartridge in the chamber when moved from one furnace to another, or when covered up.

What if someone steals our ammunition ?
Winchester caliber 8 gauge industrial cartridges do not fit in any other weapon either civilian nor military.
The thief must also steal the gun in order to have use of the cartridges.With a weight of over 100 kilos the gun is neither very transportable nor usable for other purposes.

Demonstration:

You can test the system in your factory before you decide if you wish to purchase or lease the gun:
We have experience with the Winchester gun from Ferro Alloy factories all over Europe. We know it works, and that it works well, to the satisfaction of the workers as well as management, but you do not have to take our word for it.
If your factory is in Europe, we offer to lend you the gun for 2 month, help you with the installment, and training of your staff in safe and efficient use of the gun, completely without obligation. All you have to pay for is transportation of the gun, and for the ammunition you use during the test. If you after the test period are not satisfied with the results, you simply return the gun and unused ammunition to us freight prepaid.
Just call us, and we will arrange to have a gun and test ammunition to your factory for a demonstration, so that you can experience the advantages of the Winchester tapping system at your own factory before you decide how you wish to tap in the future.