AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Gun Building => Topic started by: bob in the woods on July 07, 2014, 01:30:39 AM
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I have a 1 in straight oct. 32 inch long .54 cal Bresien barrel. I've had this for a few years, and was recently thinking about what I could build with it. Not being into " Hawken" rifles I was wondering about an English sporting rifle perhaps?
Any suggestions ? Also, does anyone know what material he used for his barrels ?
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Bob, can't help you with what it was built with, but if you aren't into Hawken's (and I consider the barrel you have a little short anyhow in that caliber for Hawken), an English sporting rifle (or deer park rifle) would be a good option for a barrel that length and caliber.
Here's a link to Julia's site with a 55 cal 27" bbl Joseph Manton flint rifle (somewhat unusual in that it is not a double) http://jamesdjulia.com/item/lot-1250-joseph-manton-flint-single-rifle-37720/ (http://jamesdjulia.com/item/lot-1250-joseph-manton-flint-single-rifle-37720/)
Alternately, you could build a Leman (or Henry) in either full or half-stock with it. I just find them a touch hard on the shoulder when you pull the trigger, which would be amplified with a 54 and a heavier charge.
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Thank you for that link. Nice rifle :) One that I was thinking of is posted on the "Flintriflesmith" website. as an English Short rifle. Suggested as a possible gamekeeper's rifle.
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That "short rifle" reminded me quite a bit of the English (pattern) 1776 rifle - another option of similar style which used a full octagon barrel.
While the original was a 62 cal with 30.5" hooked breech barrel, you could make it "believable" with what you have.
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi760.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fxx243%2Fgalamb2%2Fk1_zpscc9528e1.jpg&hash=346e8e2e2c8c171d5975d9596a2ffaf2bc0ecc5e)
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P.S. - found an old post where Don Getz stated that he once asked Ken Bresien what steel he used for his barrels. The response was 12L14 and from an old article I found on his barrels, the twist should be 1:66.
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Thank you again. English rifle it is.
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Be aware that the gun in the photo above has a tapered and flared barrel. You won't get the same architecture with a straight barrel.
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Thank you Acer. I still lean towards something along the lines of the rifle on the Flintriflesmith website. It does not appear to have that severe a swamp . One reason I asked about the material of construction. I could file a slight swamp without too much difficulty [ 32 in barrel] if it is actually 12L14 , but if it's anything like the barrel I'm working on now [ Rayle} ..forget it !
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Ken Bresien told me he used 12L14.The hard to file Ed Rayle barrel speaks well of Ed's
being cautious about material.He told me he used 8620 and I have made breeches from it
and didn't notice anything unusual about the way it behaved in a lathe or V mill.
Bob Roller
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Here's an English gun in curly maple, as per the order, that Taylor made some years back - with a straight, 1" .54, I believe. Note single, set trigger.
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv638%2FDarylS%2F506590a6.jpg&hash=dc31e9d2f96b983f5b1002e2aa05e5136c08935d) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/DarylS/media/506590a6.jpg.html)
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv638%2FDarylS%2F12a1dde0.jpg&hash=205baa837ced545fdd1a5f72ec13b012e46db7a2) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/DarylS/media/12a1dde0.jpg.html)