Re-Rifling a Worn Barrel

[Two Biscuits]

I will be re-rifling a barrel to use standard .480 swagged balls. The current barrel measures .470 at lands, .485 at grooves, 1-48" r.h. twist x 44" length.
I want change to 1-66" twist. What would be ideal land and groove specs using .018" pillow ticking?
Thanks

[Hungry Horse]

There’s a real good chance that the worn rifling is only at the muzzle. A couple of inches cut off the muzzle end will probably fix it.

  Hungry Horse

[Two Biscuits]

This is one of those great old Bill Large barrels. Someone had "freshed" it to use .470 molded balls. I intend to bring it up to competition grade and give it longer life. The .480 Swagged balls will eliminate all the weighing and culling. I also still have a good supply of .018 pillow ticking.

[Hungry Horse]

Cut the barrel back, and quit wasting your time weighing balls, and use the extra time you saved at the range practicing.

  Hungry Horse

[EC121]

Better make sure Hornady  is going to keep making the .480s.  Everyone is out right now with ni ETA.  Do a search for "Hornady 6088".  See if anyone has them.

[okawbow]

This is one of those great old Bill Large barrels. Someone had "freshed" it to use .470 molded balls. I intend to bring it up to competition grade and give it longer life. The .480 Swagged balls will eliminate all the weighing and culling. .

I have a barrel that uses .480 balls. The swaged  balls I checked don’t weigh the same at all. I got better groups with hand cast.

[rich pierce]

I can’t figure out how you can enlarge the bore marginally and change the twist. You’d have to bore and ream it smooth then re-rifle to change the twist.

[Pukka Bundook]

As Rich says above.

[Hungry Horse]

I suspect you assume the barrel has been fresher out because it is an odd bore size, if that is the case, you should know that Bill Large made many off sized barrels. I Would never rerifle a Bill Large barrel unless it was serverly damaged no matter what caliber it was.

  Hungry Horse

[little joe]

Bill made a 47 cal.bbl. I,v had 2 of them.

[stubshaft]

This is one of those great old Bill Large barrels. Someone had "freshed" it to use .470 molded balls. I intend to bring it up to competition grade and give it longer life. The .480 Swagged balls will eliminate all the weighing and culling. .

I have a barrel that uses .480 balls. The swaged  balls I checked don’t weigh the same at all. I got better groups with hand cast.

I actually believed the advertising about Hornady's swaged balls until I weighed and measured some.  Now I use them for plinking and use hand cast for hunting and target shooting.

[Two Biscuits]

Thanks guys,
The barrel mic's true from end to end so loosing any original length is not needed. I have the .470 mold. This week I will pour a lapping slug and lightly clean up the bore. I am fitting a new breach plug as well. The old one made contact at the end of barrel but not at the end of the bore. I found some .480 balls but realized the project is a bridge too far.
Time to get out the old pot and ladle and run some ball.

[Hungry Horse]

 Unless you are positive there are pits in the bore, I would not lap it. If it just light, to moderate, surface rust, I would give it a good soak with some sort of rust cutter. I would suggest AreoKroil, or Balisol, if it’s light, and a dose of Evaporust if it more serious. None of these will damage the bore, but over zealous lapping sure will. Most of us would give our eye teeth to have a barrel with old Bills name on it, so please be careful with it. When I got started a half lifetime ago Bill Large barrels were the holy grail in muzzleloading barrels.

  Hungry Horse