Thread size?

[Hivernant1962]

I just obtained a 13/16" x 40 cal. Douglas barrel. Does anyone know offhand what the breech plug thread size would be? Thanks.

[Bob Roller]

Go to a hardware store and buy a 9/16X18 and a 5/8X18
thread bolt and see which one fits. I'd guess the 5/8 would.

Bob Roller

[Acer Saccharum]

Is the breech already threaded?

[Don Getz]

Being a Douglas, I would guess that it has 5/8 x 18 thread.   Check on the depth of the thread.   It should be about 1/2" deep,
if it's longer that that I would shorten it to 1/2"......Don

[Hivernant1962]

Yes it is already threaded. It's right around 1/2" deep also. Any idea what the twist rate is? Thanks for the responses.

[Acer Saccharum]

Fit a tight patch to the loading rod, and make a Top Dead center mark on it. push carefully to follow the spin. make another TDC mark when it it gets to the other end. calculate the twist from your marks.

[Hivernant1962]

I will try that now, thanks Acer

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Tom, because muzzle loading barrels normally have such a slow twist - less than a full revolution in their length - I do as you do, but with a flag made from masking tape sticking straight up at TDC.  then I push the rod slowly into the bore until the flad is at 90 degrees from TDC.  Measure the distance the rod has traveled, and multiply by 4.

[Acer Saccharum]

Excellent trick, Taylor. That adds a new twist to the box of tricks.   

As they say in the RCMP, 'We always get our man'

[WadePatton]

Yeah, i was going to suggest 180-degrees and then multiply by 2.

but there you go.

Tom, you should try 120 degrees and multiply by 3.   

[Acer Saccharum]

Thanks, Wade. 

[Hivernant1962]

I tried both methods, came up to being between 1-56" to 1-60", Thanks guys 

[Acer Saccharum]

Close enuff to tell you it's for round ball. Fine tuning will come with your powder, patch and lube.

[Hivernant1962]

Now to ponder what to turn it into...... maybe a l/h Bucks county..

[Acer Saccharum]

The breech width is awful small for a Bucks. You'll have to fatten up the breech to get the right wrist architecture.

A percussion or late flint period would be more appropriate, when parallel sided barrels were the norm. (not swamped is what I'm trying to say)

[Pete G.]

Now to ponder what to turn it into...... maybe a l/h Bucks county..

Go Southern.

[Hivernant1962]

Did not think of that, perhaps late Lancaster then.

[frogwalking]

I had both .32 and .45 caliber Douglas barrels and both had 1 in 66   twist.  I understood all Douglas ML barrels had this same twist.

[Old Bob]

A friend of mine used a .50 Douglas on a halfstock which he loaned me for use in a couple of chunkgun matches. It had a 1 in 48" twist. I had heard the same thing about 1 in 66", so I checked and re-checked. Always came out 1 in 48. So I called the Douglas shop (this was about 6 years ago) and there was one employee who had worked there when they made ML barrels still working there. He told me that they did make some barrels with the 1 in 48 twist. This was a 32" x 1" barrel. It shot great but was too short for chunk gunning.

[Hivernant1962]

Well, I guess a southern rifle it is. I have a set of prints here that show it with a 13/16" barrel. Would a L&R Bailes lock be about right? I'm a lefty so my lock choices are a bit more limited. Is there anyone that y'all know of that sells hand forged hardware?

[Acer Saccharum]

For hardware, try Marc Tornichio(sp) Ian Pratt, and Wally Cleaver.

I think anything English import and later flint would be a good choice.  The Bailes is a terrific lock, fast and positive. Get yourself some spare frizzen springs for your shooting bag, the springs seem to blow out every so often.

[Hivernant1962]

Thanks for the info Tom.

[Dphariss]

I had both .32 and .45 caliber Douglas barrels and both had 1 in 66   twist.  I understood all Douglas ML barrels had this same twist.

Douglas also made 48". The 7 groove barrels for Golden Age Arms Co and the Douglas 36" Hawken barrels were 8 groove 48". Otherwise  66 was standard in all calibers.

Dan

[Hivernant1962]

It is a seven groove, would be kind of neat if it was one made for Golden Age Arms, I used to do business all the time with Jim there. I used to drive over an hour to get up there, now I live 10 miles away and he's closed. Such is life.

[Dennis Glazener]

Is there anyone that y'all know of that sells hand forged hardware?

Check with ALR members Joe Schell, Curt Lyles, Marc Tornichio, Mark Elliott come to mind right now, probably others that I have left out. Many others that do their own but I am not sure they sell them as a stand alone wares. (if I left anyone out please let Hivernant1962 know.
Dennis