Barrel weight comparisons

[Roger Fisher]

Maybe someone out there can answer this and save me researching the question.

Upon deciding to stick another longrifle together this winter rather than sit and vegetate (or worse), I rooted around and came up with a GMT 15/16th straight 50 cal barrel. (no clue where it came from). One must stay active.  My intention is for her to be an offhand rifle mainly for w walks and line shoots.  I realize that I'm planning on down the road and could be a stretch at my age.  Lets just say I have mucho longrifles already.

In any case, I'd rather she be a .45; but any noticeable weight difference when shooting offhand between this barrel and say a .45 same dimensions?  I mean for a guy getting a little peaked and losing his muscle (tone/tune)

Any real experiences out there?

[Ryan McNabb]

I always feel a definite weight difference between .45 and .50 caliber barrels of the same profile.  It's interesting to look at Track's barrel section where all profiles and calibers show their weights.  Some surprises there.

[bgf]

According to TOW, there's roughly 0.45 lb. difference in the 7/8" versions between .45 and .50, so I expect the difference will be the same with 15/16".   That would make the 15/16x42 .45 cal weight about 6.61 lbs vs 6.16 for the .50.  For me, it doesn't seem like enough difference to get worked up over (could even be a good thing), but some people don't like weight up front to start with. 

[ken]

Roger I have both a 45 and a 50 in that damention. I had  to cut the 45 back to about 38 inches to get the same feel in muzzle weight.

[Roger Fisher]

Roger I have both a 45 and a 50 in that damention. I had  to cut the 45 back to about 38 inches to get the same feel in muzzle weight.

Since my ol gal is 39 1/2 15/16 in .45 and I go with this .50 seems as if I cut her back to 38 1/2 I should have a fairly well balanced rifle using steel hardware and  fairly heavy bp and trikker guard.  Maybe I should scare up a .45 in 7/8 instead, for a slimmer long rifle.     Decisions, decisions.

[northmn]

Your weight differences increase with larger diameter barrels because you have steel over an increased radius.  Similar to the fact that a one inch pipe is heavier than a 3/4 inch, even with the same wall thickness.  The 15/16 barreled 50's I built for others were a bit on the heavy side and I would not want to use one today, but they were full 42 inches.  I have a percussion 50 with a 36 inch barrel that I like.  It is a half stock and I suspect the underrib adds a little more weight than a full stock of the same length.  I cut my little 25 down to 36 inches as it was heavty and have not regretted it a bit as it is much nicer to carry (also makes for 15 cent ramrods).  I have also picked an English style for a deer rifle where I cut the barrel down to 32 inch that hold very nice.  The English styled flintlock, in fullstock with a barrel of that length would be a nice difference.  Check Chambers site for his kits to pick up ideas on design.

DP

[bgf]

DP,
The wall thickness is not the same -- it is more with a .45 than with a .50 -- doesn't matter what the size of the barrel is in terms of difference (as long as the size ATF is the same for the two calibers), although the bigger barrels (ATF) will be heavier.  Or am I missing your point?  I'm building a 15/16x42 50 right now, because I like the weight, but I wouldn't recommend it to everyone.  Conversely, those A and B weight barrels seem whippy to me.  In 20 more years, I may feel differently about it .

Roger,
7/8" x .45 will be a little over a full pound lighter (at 42 inches) than 15/16 in 45.  It seems like you like the balance point a little further back, so that would make a big difference.  Why not swamped if you are going to go with a different barrel?

[northmn]

My point is that as barrels get bigger all the weight is in the extra diameter on the outside of the bore.  Some think that if they have the same wall thickness that they weight the same ie a 13/16 45 or a 15/16 54 (more or less).  They get heavier.  A full length 15/16 50 barrel will be barrel heavy, just as about any straight barrel. A 7/8 45 is listed at about 5.5 pounds total and a 15/16 50 at about 6.2 pounds.  As I have gotten older I appreciated the lighter weights and shorter barrels.   There is also a balance issue.  I am building a English influenced half stock flintlock with a 32 inch 58 1 inch barrel and have gotten it clsoe to being shootable (not finished but shootable) so far it seems to balance very well.   Were I to redo the project I would have looked into a fullstock styled English rifle.  I have plenty of rifles already myself and its fun to play with something different.

DP