A barrel truck has a handle structure; a wheeled support, the wheels spaced apart such that the wheels can slide under a barrel when the barrel is pivoted; a cradling member pivotally coupled to the support for engaging the perimeter of the barrel but not extending past the center line of the barrel; and an upright structure having a gripping mechanism for gripping the top of the barrel adapted to have a force applied thereto to exert an upward force on the barrel to pivot the barrel off the ground causing the wheeled support to move forward and pivot with respect to the cradling member, allowing the wheels on the wheeled support to move underneath the barrel, with further force on the handle structure lifting the barrel off the ground balanced over the wheels.