Making a change!!
 

Last week I sent my 50cal Lyman DeerStalker Flintlock out to a guy in Ohio to make a custom 45 1/20 barrel for it. His barrels are a special steel just for muzzleloaders. When it comes back I will shoot and test it out then send it to the local Gunsmith and have it duracoated instead of blued. But when done it actually looks like its blued.

This barrel will come back with sights and ready to use. This way I can if needed use my 50cal barrel as well.

The reason for doing this is to be able to use premium bullets. I know cheap bullets work ecspecially when you hit the right spot. I just never seem to make the perfect shot. That's why I prefer using better bullets.

It should be back in about 6 weeks, I cant wait to shoot it.

That sounds like a great project. I will be looking forward to your range results.

Can this barrelsmith do the opposite?
Can he take a typical 50-cal T/C or Knight barrel and turn it into a 1:66 roundball shooter?

How does he do that change? Do they re bore the barrel after they fill it? I can understand going larger, but smaller? Very interesting.

I hope you shoot it before you get it coated so we get your range report sooner. GRIN

I'm looking to do the same thing, primarily to use the 45cal bullets I cast for my White ML's and if need be to try some 40 cal Barnes bullets with Sabots.

Ed

Triple Se7en...

Maybe if he does barrel sleeving... that's the only way I can see keeping the same size bore and completely changing the rifle's twist without screwing it up.

You might better have him make you a 1:66 twist barrel and keep your old one like Grouse45 is doing.

BPS

As I understand what you wrote you will have two barrels and the 45-1-20 will be Duracoated. Could you tell us a bit more about the Duracoat I do not believe I have seen one.

I can get a new T/C Impact on sale sometime this year for about $229. Then give the entirely new ML to the barrelsmith for sleeving.

Then it comes back to me as a brand new 1:66 twist inline. I really don't care if the barrelsmith keeps it at 50-cal, or must reduce it to 45-caliber.

I'm getting excited just thinking about having a break-action, open breech, roundball shooter.

Sounds difficult!!! But I guess it's possible. To answer your question I don't know.

It's on my primary inline, and also on my Flintlock. I love the stuff and I believe it's much better then anything on the market like black ice.

The biggest obstacle might be the liner/sleeve walls circling the removable breechplug face, which I'm sure has to remain tightly edged. Like all breechplugs, which must be changed-out on occassion.

Oops, I just thought of something. That darn QLA......
Didn't mean to hijack your nice thread. Carry-on and please mention me, next time you and the barrelsmith talk.

Probably better you talk to him.


Howard Kelley
1058 North West St.
Hillsboro OH. 45133
937-364-2086

:happy0001: Much obliged! :woot:

Just got a call from Howard. He said barrel should be done by the end of next week. Wow, that's gonna be a lot faster then I thought!!

Grouse and Tripple 7,how much will those conversions of you all,s cost?

Bet you are going to be pacing the floor like an expectant father in the waiting room checking outside the door for the Brown truck. GRIN

I'm really looking forward to your initial assessment of the barrel, and the first range report.

AND Pictures!

I'm scared to call and find out. My wife doesn't like my new brainchild idea at all. :hit:

He inspected my Flintlock and said its not a good barrel that came from the factory. I guess will see how good his is soon.😉

I don't ask mine😛

I never did either, when she stayed home and I worked. Now it's the other-way-around. She is working and I'm retired, earning only social security.

Well don't worry, its not that expensive. Less then the factory barrel for sure.

I have a TC Hawken .50 that i'd like to make into a slow twist .54. Does he do that sort of work?

I just gave him a call. Real nice guy, and 3 years older than me, so we hit it off right away.

He didn't like the idea of boring out the barrel, and said it would cost close to making a new barrel. So, i'm going to go that way. I'll make it a bit longer at 30" with a deep groove slow twist, and he'll even brown it too.

It will be my muley hunting gun, and also for BP shoots.

I posted this in case others might like something similar done.

Are you going with a 1-72 twist???

Also, how deep is he going to cut the rifling???

And while we are at it, can he cone the muzzle???

To be honest. We didn't go into the details. I need a month or two to save up the money. He wants $275 for the barrel. Send him the gun, and it's ready to shoot when you get it back. He'll use your sights and breech plug.

I was going to get whatever twist he recommended for the length barrel I was ordering. For sure I want deep grooves, but again i'll go by what he recommends.

I thought of coning the muzzle after I hung up. It would be nice to eliminate using a short starter. Again i'll do it if it doesn't hurt accuracy, and will go by what he recommends.

I wasn't much help with your questions. I could have done better if I was ready to order the barrel.

Give him a call. Unlike the other barrel makers he picked up the phone right away.

Right?

His price is less than I expected to read.

I don't want to send him my T/C rifle / QLA barrel. The CVAs have an easy-loading system too. So that's not cool with roundball-shooting. My Knight has never been shot and I desire a backup 1:28 twist. Traditions do not have an easy-loading system. But I prefer not going in that make/model direction. I could buy another Knight, but this time pay $339 for the newest version of their Vision, instead of $199, that I paid.

Nah...... I think I'll wait and think this over more. I want an inline with 1:66 twist........ someday.

Not sure if you have to pay up front? After all he has your gun.

If you don't, then you are probably delaying the return date. I really don't care either way, for I have a boatload of patience.

Now excuse me for the next hour or two, while I take some Prozac for an addiction to biting my nails and lips. :s4:

Not what I meant. He might want it paid for when it's done. Just in case there's some added expense.

Not sure though. I didn't ask him.

Here is what I would recommend, based on the .54 barrel I had Ed Rayle make me back in 1988...

I went with a 1-72 twist although I believe a 1-66 would be fine...As to rifling, go with
.012-.014...A coned muzzle would be nice, back then I had never heard of one, I've thought of doing mine by hand but I figure if I have put up with it this long why change...

Kind of what I had in mind. Similar to what GM did for the drop in barrels.

A shame they stopped selling them.

Makes sense.

Hey Grouse, I can hardly stand the wait. No barrel yet? What's the status?