barrel profile question

[Ken G]

I have a "which barrel?" question and I'm hoping to get some opinions.  I have a customer who is wanting a TN rifle in .50 cal.  We have decided on one of the new Rice 46" long barrels.  They are made in a "B" profile and a "C" profile without being a custom order.   I'm sure the "B" would be the lighter of the two but the "C" is closer to some original barrels specs.  Is a "C" profile going to be miserable heavy?  This will be a shooting/hunting gun.  Not a wall hanger.    
Any comments or opinions on a either in a .50 would would be most appreciated.  
Thanks in advance,
Ken

[billd]

I have a 50 in a B and a 54 in a C. I can't tell you what each weighs but the C is noticably heavier.  The 54 is in a piece of wood and the 50 is still on the rack waiting for a project.  I don't have an accurate scale here at home.  If you really need to know what each weighs and I can do it next week in work.

Bill

[Acer Saccharum]

I'd go for the lighter barrel. I know back in the day guns often were heavy, but my opinion is that the men were in better shape than today, and a few extra pounds meant naught.

[Birddog6]

The Rifle will weigh aprox.  1 # more with a C50  vs.  a  B50 .  But it will feel like more than 1#  because it is 46" in length. 

[Dphariss]

With that length barrel use a B weight.

Dan

[Tim Crosby]

The Rifle will weigh aprox.  1 # more with a C50  vs.  a  B50 .  But it will feel like more than 1#  because it is 46" in length.  

  But wouldn't it ballance better?

  Tim C.

 Now that I think about it, it would depend on the butt also. TC

 

[Stophel]

I think all the old Tennessee rifles I have seen were miserably heavy anyway.

 

[Bill of the 45th]

FirstKen, I'd go to the expert, Barbie chambers, since she's marketing Rice barrels, and she can give you the exact weights. After that I'd go back and share the info with the customer. a .50 cal. is a deer, bear hog gun. so is he going to blind hunt or move around a lot.  Then the customer needs to weigh the ratio of hunting to shooting.  Is the shooting over the log or off hand.  After all this, it's still the customers decision.  I personally would go with the B weight, but then I like an A weight 40, with pewter all over the lock.

Bill

[billd]

There is a weight chart on Rice's web site, but I'm sure most of you are aware, there are several mistakes on it.  Don't bet the bank if you use it.

Bill

[rtadams]

10-23-09

Quote:"There is a weight chart on Rice's web site, but I'm sure most of you are aware, there are several mistakes on it.  Don't bet the bank if you use it."

Have you notified Rice Barrel company of the mistakes?

[flehto]

Presently building a Bucks County {90%} w/ the Rice .50 cal., "B" weight, 46" bbl and the balance point w/ all components mounted is right at the entry thimble and the rifle is a dream to hold. Just guessing, but it seems to weigh approx. 7-1/2 lbs.....Fred

[Birddog6]

Presently building a Bucks County {90%} w/ the Rice .50 cal., "B" weight, 46" bbl and the balance point w/ all components mounted is right at the entry thimble and the rifle is a dream to hold. Just guessing, but it seems to weigh approx. 7-1/2 lbs.....Fred

I am finishing a Tenn rifle with a A-40 in 44" and it is a real skinny-minni & it weighs 7.5# on a digital scale.

Just for fun, I pulled out  & weighed a black walnut Bucks stock (lighter than sugar maple) and the stock, B-50 x 46" Rice barrel, lock & all the parts are  8.5#..  Using a  C-50  x 46" is gonna go 9.5 to 10# depending on how dense the wood is.

[flehto]

Evidently I'm not too good at guessing LR weights especially after mainly using "C" weight, 44" bbls. Possibly the excellent balance contributes to my faulty estimation because she surely does hold nicely. After 5 kids my wife threw out our baby scale.....Fred

[Birddog6]

Of the B vs the C in that rifle, I like the much better than the C weight barrel. And same way in the Tenn. rifle,  I prefer the A & B weights. The C weights get the rifle up to 10# and over.  Now that may well be PC & HC & all of that, but that has no bearing on whether the rifle is comfortable to shoulder & shoot.  IMHO

That being said, I know one guy that is a hoss of a man, and the bigger it is & more it weighs, the more he likes it. I don't think he owns a gun that weighs under 10#.  Course he is 6'6" and weighs 280# too.  

[billd]

I have a 46" C in .54 here now. It is inlet into a great piece of curly ash. The butt was shaped by Fred to a southern style. I mounted a iron butt plate. That's all I done so far. The forearm is still 2 3/4" thick. It weighs 10 1/4 lbs.  I would think it will loose a pound or maybe 2 when I shape the forearm. It heavy wood.

Bill

[B Shipman]

Bird, as a matter of style, a 1/16 th breech is a bit much for the type. Personally, I think most customers go too light in what they want. In this case, though I'd pick a B wt.

[Ken G]

Guys,
Thanks for all the comments, opinions and information.  Not sure which we will go with.  It just so happens the person I'll be building for is over 6' so 10lb.+ rifle may not bother him.   
Ken