questions on getting an original barrel re-worked

[rich pierce]

I have been meaning to get to some work on an original barrel and am trying to decide whether to send it out or muddle along.

OK, the barrel is about 42", slightly swamped, .36 caliber, with the rifling shot and the barrel is bent sideways, about .100 or so near the rear sight. It has threads for a drum, and the breechplug is intact and can be turned out with my fingers. The rifling is still there but it ain't pretty.

We want to get this barrel to flintlock ready, squirrel gun quality.

If I was to do this myself, I'd probably straighten it first as close as possible, then fresh the rifling.   Then I coulddetermine  if there's too much breech erosion and if I need to cut the breech end off.  I'd cut back the muzzle end a bit, and use the drum threads for a touchhole liner if possible.    On the other hand, if the breech is too eroded after freshing the rifling, we'd have to cut the breech off and re-thread it.  I expect the barrel will come out well under .38 by the time it's clean.  Is this sensible talk coming out of my mouth?

If I sent it out to a barrel-maker, would they straighten and bore it smooth then rifle it or would they fresh it using the rifling as a guide? Seems if they bored it smooth we'd end up with a .38.  And in the end I suppose the work would cost more than a new barrel?

[Don Getz]

Rich.....If that's an old hand forged barrel it will straighten very easily.   I found that they have very little "spring" in them
and when you bend it, it stays bent.  For a barrel in your condition, we usually refer to this as "bending it straight"  As for the bore, while I am not intimately familiar with the way Bob Hoyt does it, I think he uses a piloted drill to open up a bad
bore.  He would then re-ream it to a smooth bore, then rifle it.  If it is now about 36 cal, you would probably end up with
something about 38 cal., and that wouldn't be all too bad.    I am not sure of his pricing, but I think it would probably only be about $75-$100 to do it....I sure won't guarantee those prices.  If you decide to clean it up yourself, you are looking at
a lot of work...that is, if the rifling is real bad.   If it still has some rifling in it, you might be able to "fresh" it yourself by
pouring that lead slug and fitting cutters into it to re-cut the rifling, and later, re-cut the tops of the lands......it can be done this, just a lot of work............Don

[Birddog6]

Bob Hoyt can do it, and he has done several barrels for me & done an Excellent job.  Don't be in a hurry, as he is swamped, but he is worth the wait. (for me)   

Keith

[Pvt. Lon Grifle]

Mr. Hoyt can also reline that barrel. He has done  many dozens of musket barrels. 

[Bill of the 45th]

Ed Rayl, can do it as well. Time factor depends on what he's doing at the time, though mine went from about .38 to .54 as it was a very heavy barrel, and I wanted it lighter.

Bill

[Artificer]

Many International shooters have had their original barrels re-bored or re-lined over the years.  This because you can'compete in the more regarded original matches as long as you have an original lock and barrel (with re-cut rifling correct for the period) and the rest of the rifle is considered "correct" for the time period of the lock and barrel - even if you use all repro parts for the rest of the rifle. 

Bob Hoyt has done a lot of work for them and for NSSA shooters I've known and the work is always first rate.

I saw an 1855 two band rifle barrel he "grew" 9 inches of barrel back onto the original cut down barrel and relined it.  Not only that, but he managed to keep the outside dimensions of the barrel correct so it was still legal for NSSA competition.  That isn't impossible, but it is not easy to do.  If you didn't know it had been cut down, it would have almost been impossible to see where he joined the additional piece of barrel.  That barrel shot like a house afire after Bob's work.

[Tizzy]

I just mailed an original 46 1/2" swamp to Ed Rayl yesterday for a re-boring and re rifleling. When I spoke with him on the phone, he stated he would be able to work on it sometime later this month. So turn around shouldn't  be to bad with him at the moment.

[Majorjoel]

I was wondering if you send an old barrel in for re-boreing and re-rifling, do the sights and barrel tennons have to be removed? What about the old breech plug and it's threads within the barrel?

[Bill of the 45th]

Joel, ain't talked with you in a while.  The answer for Ed Rayl is no, and he didn't remove or replace anything on the one I had done, which included rebreaching.  Also there were no outside tool marks either, all the original patina was there.  Mine was a wrought iron barrel which I thought was thick enough to go to .58, and Ed called me and said he would only go to .54 for safety.

Bill