New Rice barrel profile offers use of low profile sights

[Dennis Glazener]

I just talked with the folks at Rice Barrel Company and got the particulars on a new lightweight barrel profile that they will offer. This barrel will be sold as an "A" profile and will be available in up to .50 caliber, you heard that right. It is patterned after an original Shetz barrel from VA. (I didn't get which Shetz). The objective is to offer an original type barrel that will allow one to use very low front and rear sights like found on many originals. Here are the specs:

Length will be 42" that is 15/16 inch (.937) at the breech tapering to .800 inch 12 inches from the breech. at the waist it will be .750 inch then up to 13/16" or .812 inch at the muzzle. 1.5 inches from the muzzle the barrel will measure .800 inch. This will allow the front sight and the rear sight both to be at the .800 inch barrel diameter. This should allow the builder to use very low profile sights like the original.

That's the good news, now for the not quite so good news. The new profile must have tooling set-up in order to produce these barrels at competitive prices so they will not be mass produced until Rice receives firm orders for 50 barrels. Once the templates/tooling is set up this barrel will become a standard offering.

Anyone wanting one of these barrels should contact Rice Barrel company and place an order. As soon as the 50 barrel limit has been reached the barrels will be made.

Dennis

[Ed Wenger]

Thanks for the info Dennis, I'll be calling Rice...  Any idea on price, or round/square rifling?

         Ed

[Dennis Glazener]

Ed,
I am not sure but I suspect that once tooled up they will be the same as the other barrels, choice of round or square bottomed rifling.
Dennis

[Don Getz]

Son of a gun, something new.     When we bought the Paris barrel business some 33 years ago, they offered a barrel called the
"standard light".....guess what the dimensions were?      .930 at the breech, tapered down to .750 at the small part, and went
to about .820 at the muzzle.    As a matter of fact, that was the FIRST barrel I ever made, and still have it, and John still makes
them.  Isn't that a coincidence...............Don

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

While I'm sure there's a market for light barrels, i don't like 'em!  I can't hold them still on the target, like I can a C or D weight/profile.  Of course, to each, his own.
I have found that on most of the swamped barrels I've used, the dia. at the rear sight and at the front is almost the same.  i am under the impression that that is one of the reasons for the swamp - certainly one that is functional as far as sights go.

[Acer Saccharum]

Taylor, please stay on topic.

You and Roger Fisher (and me) like big barrels. I may not ever use one of these light ones, but it's good to know they are going to be out there.

[billd]

I remember using that profile barrel Don talked about a few times back in the day.  I'd still be using them if I could get them. It made a nice slim light gun.  I hope Rice makes it a standard offering.  Money, or lack of, won't let me place an order right now.

Bill

[Don Getz]

Actually it's a great barrel for doing many of the golden age guns.   We ran this profile barrel, but moved the cutter up to
produce a barrel that was 1" at the breech, with remainder of the barrel also being .070 bigger, for Homer Dangler to
use in his J.P.Beck kit.  Taylor, you would like it because I always thought it was heavy...........Don

[California Kid]

Don, I built a gun with that barrel made by Paris in .50 cal. I think it was 15/16" at the breech. Long time ago. Jim Hash has the gun now. Made for a real light gun good for hunting. I shot a few deer with it. I think Jim used it last year for the Va. muzzle loader season.

[B Shipman]

My rifle has the Getz standard light  in .45 that I built in 1985.

[B Shipman]

P.S. Jump that up to 1 in. at the breech and proportionately the same with .50 as the max and you really have a big seller.

[Don Getz]

Bill.....that is what we did for Homer.   I always thoought the barrel was heavy, but, in reality, it is probably closer to what
you would actually see on a lot of old guns.    This profile does not have that pronounced taper and flair and more closely
resembles old barrels...........Don

[rich pierce]

I guess this would be the ticket for a Golden Age rifle, 1790-1810 or so?  Probably after that there would be little swamp?  Someday I want to build a Bonewitz and wonder if that profile would be a good one for that project.

[BrownBear]

That's good news Dennis. I've been contemplating a small caliber build, but wanted a really trim rifle for dedicated hunting use.  Sounds like it would be perfect for my needs.  Now to choose between 32, 36 and 40 cal. Or would 45 be more versatile with occasional use on deer?   

[Pete G.]

Just my luck. Two weeks ago I started the acquisition of parts stage for a golden age Valley of Virginia rifle and already have a B weight barrel. Perhaps if this build comes out to my liking I'll have a good excuse to build a follow up.
I like long skinny barrels myself, especially those that shoot well, so this is welcome news.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Bill.....that is what we did for Homer.   I always thoought the barrel was heavy, but, in reality, it is probably closer to what
you would actually see on a lot of old guns.    This profile does not have that pronounced taper and flair and more closely
resembles old barrels...........Don

Don, does John still have these Beck barrels for sale??

[Don Getz]

Tim.....yes, he still has the ability and fixture to make them.    Bear in mind, he is a one man shop and has a lot of barrels
to do.   The 1 inch breech version is a nice barrel, but, even in 54 cal. I find it to be a heavy barrel, mainly because it doesn't have a lot of taper and flair.   On the other hand, it probably closely resembles a lot of the old barrels.........Don

[Acer Saccharum]

Many originals I have seen have such little swamp that it is not readily seen. These would also be more conservative of material, ie: less stock to remove. Also very correct for late 18th and early 19th Century guns. I'd prefer the 1", for a Jacob Kuntz, for example.

[Blackpowder Barbie]

Liston brought over the new 42" version of this barrel stocked in a Sheets pre-carve today - Oh Man what a great gun!  Long and slender, yet enough weight to hang just right.  I couldn't believe I could hold it so steady for such a long time (maybe I didn't drink enough coffee this morning to give me my usual wobble!)  I'm thinking of maybe doing a special run of our York kit in this barrel - what a go getter that would be!! 

He also had with him the same profile in a 46" long barrel.  I don't know when we would have the time, but I'd sure love to offer a rifle kit using that - beautiful.  So long and traditional looking.  The swamp is great, not over exaggerated as some of the other barrels are. 

The weight difference between a 42" Golden Age barrel in a "B" weight 50 cal. to this barrel in a 50cal. makes this new barrel 3/4 of a lb lighter!  The total weight of the new barrel in the 50 cal. is 3lbs, 13 oz.  Now any weight chasers I deal with will have to worry more about the weight of the wood than the barrel! 

The rear sight was 3/16" high and the front sight was an 1/8" high.  Oh so nice on imperfect eyes.   

I think this will make a great addition to their line of barrels and will give folks concerned about being historically accurate a good source for readily available barrels.

[billd]

So this barrel is already being made?  I thought this thread was saying it was on the drawing board.
Bill

[490roundball]

He also had with him the same profile in a 46" long barrel.  I don't know when we would have the time, but I'd sure love to offer a rifle kit using that - beautiful.  So long and traditional looking.  The swamp is great, not over exaggerated as some of the other barrels are. 

Now you got my attention - is there going to be a long length option (yeah I know call Rice - guess I'll have to)

[smallpatch]

I am currently using one of John's barrels, ( I think he calls it a Rupp profile).  Very nice, slim profile, .95 @ breech, slow taper, and slight flare at the muzzle, 46" long.  What a beauty. 
I had originally ordered a custom 48" barrel, John just sent this one along to see if I liked it.  I kept it.  It turned out that the piece of wood that I had wasn't long enough for the 48"  I love it when a plan falls together.

Thanks Don and John.

[Dennis Glazener]

So this barrel is already being made?  I thought this thread was saying it was on the drawing board.
Bill

Bill,
When I talked with Jason at Rice Barrels, he told me he had made a couple of barrels as prototypes but they could not sell the them at competitive prices without tooling up for the new profile. He said they need 50 firm orders to justify tooling up for the profile. It was my understanding that they will be 42" and up to .50 caliber.

I believe that was the same way they did the 46 inch barrels that are now a standard offering.
Dennis

[Blackpowder Barbie]

Dennis is right, they will need a total of 50 to be ordered before they put them into production.  The same type deal as when they first came out with the larger 46" long barrels they currently make. 

[B. Hey]

If 50 pre-production orders are needed, is there a place to "sign up" or do we simply call and let them know? Thanks .. Bill