the "odd" calibers

[WadePatton]

By "odd" i refer to the "non-standard" fare offered by the some bbl makers.

Argue for/against 'em here.  

Personally I was always a wildcat cartridge fan and see way less complications choosing a "not available at Cabela's Pro Shop" round-ball gun bore than a assembling odd-ball cartridges.  (no fire-forming nor extra dies needed-just a mould.)

Is it not P/C to have a (worn/pitted) bbl freshed up into an "odd" caliber for most of the FL period? Wise me up. (edit for clarity)

I doubt I'll wear any bbls into that condition (needing freshment), but are there any other considerations beyond having a ball and patch combo that will repeatedly load and shoot?

[rich pierce]

Harder to sell.  But I'd be tempted by a .52 C weight barrel, 46" long.

[volatpluvia]

Since from .50 to .62 you have standard sizes almost every .02 inch I don't see an advantage, unless you just gotta have a .42, .52. .56 or a .64, etc.
volatpluvia

[Acer Saccharum]

Make any caliber you want as long as the smith can produce a mold to fit the barrel.

[Don Getz]

You may be led astray by all of the odd calibres found in old guns.  These odd calibres were created by freshing a barrel.
They would work on the bore with a lap and cutters inserted into them until the bore looked good.    They would then
make a mould for that gun, and they were not really concerned about the actual bore size.   As far as new barrels go,
I don't know of any that are deviating from the "standard" 32, 36, 40, 45, 50, 54, 58, 60, & 62.   From a cost standpoint
it is not feasible to make an oddball calibre.   To do so might require a new drill, reamer, and rifling head, these are not
nickle and dime items.............Don

[WadePatton]

Yes, I understand freshing out a bbl.  As i tried to say, I don't expect to wear one down to the point of needing such.  Starting full-fresh in a goofy ball size might be the easiest way to get there.  

Charlie, a member here, offers the "standards" _plus_ 30, 38, 44, 47, 48, and 52 options.  I'm torn twixt 30 and 38 for a squirrel/turkey popper.  I don't think i'd be happy with 25.  and as indicated, prefer odd things to match my quirks eh?

thanks Rich, very good point.

[WadePatton]

Make any caliber you want as long as the smith can produce a mold to fit the barrel.

can't i just spec one out to the innernet machine shop to laser-water-hydroform me one from bronze or steel or aluminimum?

 

[Acer Saccharum]

Yes, just click the 'buy it now' button. 

[WadePatton]

Yes, just click the 'buy it now' button.  

(seriously there is an online cad interface for machine work. build/spec part in their cad, submit, receive bid, order or not.  just like real life-takes a quantity to spread out the setup costs.)

His (Charles Burton, KY) full line: Calibers available: 30,32,36,38,40,44,45,47,48,50,52,54,58,60,62

and i reckon Charlie would be the first guy one should inquire to about them_what's_not_commonly_replicated ball mould availability.  Also now I've decided that it would be best, as always, to have one of each...

[James Wilson Everett]

Guys,

Not talking about modern machining practice here.  When making a barrel the bore is drilled/reamed/honed/lapped/polished until the gunsmith is pleased with the bore condition - straightness, finish, uniformity.  The actual bore size is of secondary importance.  Right now I am rifling a barrel with a bore of 0.513, which in the period was just as "oddball" as a 0.500.  Every gun needed its own mold anyway.  I guess I am in agreement with Don Getz here.

Freshening does not change the bore size as much as many think, only a very few mils are taken out during a freshening.  Over the long life of a barrel, with many freshenings, the bore size would increase somewhat.

Jim

[PPatch]

I'm torn twixt 30 and 38 for a squirrel/turkey popper.  I don't think I'd be happy with 25.  and as indicated, prefer odd things to match my quirks eh?

So then, .30, .32 and .36 are available "off the shelf." But you believe you could do better squirrel or turkey hunting with maybe a .29, .31, .33, .34, or thirty-five caliber or some other non available caliber? Just because. In what way would this enhance your ability to bag small game?

Me, I'd go with a .32 and call it done, a few thousandths of an inch dia. wouldn't make any significant difference since in the end you are going to end up with a rifle with the ballistic performance of a modern .22 anyway, although it will deliver more kinetic energy to the target given the size and weight of the ball.

Dave

[billd]

I have a .48 caliber Rayle barrel.

Bill

[Dphariss]

Many originals came out a little odd because thats what it took to clean the bore I am sure.
Then did not use standardized reamers after all.
My criteria is if Lyman does not make a ball to fit it I don't need it.

Dan

[WadePatton]

Guys,

Not talking about modern machining practice here.  When making a barrel the bore is drilled/reamed/honed/lapped/polished until the gunsmith is pleased with the bore condition - straightness, finish, uniformity.  The actual bore size is of secondary importance.  Right now I am rifling a barrel with a bore of 0.513, ...
Jim

so you're making the mould too?

[WadePatton]

a man with a 30,38,44,47,52 would be well-equipped as any fellow with a 32,36,40,45, and 50 would he not?

the latter only shines when you want to buy pre-made stuffings OR you'd like to sell your arm and would like for the widest range of buyers to be interested.  On that note, methinks i'll leave my "independent nature" at the gate.

[Acer Saccharum]

Jim is probably using an old style straight reamer, he keeps on shimming the reamer out until the bore is free of rough spots. Then the bore will be rifled at whatever the bore ends up at. You know he'll make his own mold.  

[Acer Saccharum]

I am going to go out on a limb by saying that 250 yrs ago, every bore was custom. Each barrel was welded up from a strip of iron. The barrel ended up at whatever diam it reamed clean. Then the mold was made for it.

But now a days, we drill from the solid, and have tooling to make a specific hole diameter. To make an odd size caliber is actually custom work, and needs a whole new set of deep hole drill, and a set of reamers, and rifling head. You're talking hundreds of dollars in investment for an odd size. Probably you'd pay for all the tooling, as builders aren't going to make something the customer needs to find a custom mold for.

Times have changed and the technology along with them.

[Steve-In]

If it makes you feel better about having a odd caliber go for it.  Be willing to pay in dollars for the barrel and in finding, making, or having made a mold to fit.  But really most muzzle loaders are "wildcats" any way.  You work up loads to tweak it to the purpose you want to use it for.  Don't overthink this stuff.

[WadePatton]

Yes yes yes, I will be using "standards" as I don't want "resale" to be hindered by someone afraid of non-standards or desirous of using store-bought balls.

But as I understand his price list, there is no extra charge for any caliber.  One would of course have to purchase or make the mould-there's the only additional cost given the supply Mr. Burton makes available to us.

If one is casting his own balls, zero cost difference beyond the mould and jag requirements-given Mr. Burton as a source.  Others may charge otherwise.

but that so many want them ready-made balls...

Sometimes it's hard to accept the simplicity of smaller is smaller and bigger is bigger.  nothing really different but bbl length.  Hard to let minutia go, but I'm trying.  Need rubber boots for wading the minutia eh?

(too many years tweaking on metallic suppository spitters--too much theory and not enough smoke) 

[Acer Saccharum]

But as I understand his price list, there is no extra charge for any caliber.

Personally, I would interpret  'any caliber' as  'any caliber(that I have the tooling for)'.

[54Bucks]

 Even with no price difference for the barrel, a custom matching mold from the few who make them may also be limited. And more than likely the non-standard mold will be a single ball bag type mold. For a Turkey with standard barrels, molds, jags, ect. in .32, .36, or .40 being readily available, ....I would shy away from a non-standard calibre.

[Militant_Hillbilly]

Charlie recently built me a .44 and I'm very impressed with his workmanship. Track of the Wolf has .429 .433, .435, and .437 balls in stock so I'll have no problems finding something to feed it.

I'm considering a .38 or maybe a .47 from him as well. The .375s for .36 pistols should work well in the .38 if I go that route and I have a Lee .470 mould already.

I wondered how long the wait time would be considering the "oddball" caliber I requested. From date of order to delivery was just under 7 months and his website said he's running a 6 months lead time, so I wouldn't say that would be anything to be concerned about either.

[cmac]

I've been getting custom Larry Callahan bag molds even for the standard calibers, because this allows me to use a bit heavier patch. I don't like using a ball starter and thin patches sometimes burn or tear.

Are there any ballistics test results on these odd size calibers?

[Jim Kibler]

I get the feeling that sometimes these odd calibers are a novelty, sort of like using an odd species of wood.  Gives something to talk about...  Of course not saying anythng is wrong with them either, though.

[rich pierce]

Some folks get "bored" easily.