Ideas on using a barrel.

[deepcreekdale]

Last night  I was doing some inventory of my stock of barrels. I came across a Getz, .54 cal. 1 1/16 across the flats, straight, 46 inch long barrel (yeah, it weighs a bit), 1 turn in 48" that I had taken in as trade for some repair work I performed for a customer years ago. I had salted it away without thinking much about it at the time. Looking at it, I can't really think of what to do with a barrel like this but it seemed like a good deal at the time. I was thinking maybe a chunk gun, but .54 cal seems a bit much, or maybe something like the rifle ascribed to Francis Parkman in Bairds, "Hawken Rifles, The Mountain Mans Choice."  It seems a bit heavy for a squirrel rifle here in North Florida, might spoil some meat, any of the brethren have any thoughts on what to do with it?

[Roger B]

Actually, I understand that .54 is pretty popular for chunk guns.  I think that barrel would make a great one.
Roger B.

[deepcreekdale]

Thanks Roger, I was leaning in that direction, I bet that what it was originally built for too. I have been looking for an excuse to build a chunk gun anyway. Sure would be steady over the log.

[P.W.Berkuta]

If it were me and I lived near where they did the chunk gun matches then I would build a chunk gun and either shoot it or sell it. If I was not going to shoot chunk gun matches then I would sell or trade the barrel for something else that would appeal to a wider selection of shooters -- just my thoughts.

[Bob Roller]

Thanks Roger, I was leaning in that direction, I bet that what it was originally built for too. I have been looking for an excuse to build a chunk gun anyway. Sure would be steady over the log.

Stock it like an English long range rifle with a shotgun butt plate and no rod under the
barrel for a good prone position chunk gun.
I handled the Parkman rifle when Tom Dawson owned it and it was a 42" 50 caliber
about 1-1/16 ATF. It was as described , "A long heavy rifle of about 15 pounds."

Bob Roller

[deepcreekdale]

That is an interesting idea Bob, I like your suggestion. Something with a Henry bar  lock would be nice. We don't have chunk gun matches here in Florida that I know of, but it would still be fun to do, maybe give me an excuse to travel a bit to matches or try to get something going around here. I usually shoot on my own property but it would be fun to shoot that long heavy barrel at a range next to some guy with his inline!
I always had an affinity for that Parkman rifle, I like long barrels. That extra 4 inches of metal would put an exclamation point on Bairds description I would think.