Suggestions for Barrel Makers

[John Ciccone]

A friend wants to put a new barrel on an old Traditions rifle he made some years ago. For a 50 caliber gun he intends to hunt with. As it turns out he is looking for a 1-in 46 twist. Any suggestions you can offer.

[bob in the woods]

What size barrel? Is it 7/8ths of an in ?  Straight sided ?   [ more than likely it is ]    Percussion or flint ?     What about the breech plug ?    He may need a new one since the existing one is likely metric threads .   Basically, any of the barrel makers will have something to suite.  They're all good.

[smokinbuck]

1:46 ROT is a new one on me. Definitely a custom barrel.
Mark

[Scota4570]

I would not suggest putting any money into a Traditions rifle.  Leave it be and save for a better rifle or kit to make a better rifle. 

[AsMs]

I would not suggest putting any money into a Traditions rifle.  Leave it be and save for a better rifle or kit to make a better rifle.

I concur

AsMs

[rich pierce]

A guy wants what a guy wants. As a friend I’d advise him to make an off the shelf barrel work.

[Hungry Horse]

I can only assume he is trying to come up with a twist rate that will work with PRB, and conicals, as well. These compromises almost never work well for either projectile. If they did the market would be flooded with them.
 I also agree he’s wasting time, and money, on his project. He should build a purpose built hunter, with quality parts, and give his old gun to a kid to learn on.

  Hungry Horse

[bob in the woods]

I referred him to any of the standard barrel suppliers since the choice of a 1/ 46 twist makes it obvious that there is a lack of knowledge as to what is available.  1 in 48 would be easier to come by, but again, the breaching system ; fitting etc could make for a much more complicated revamp than can be financially justified.

[Ky-Flinter]

Charlie Burton will cut any twist you want , from 1-18" TO STRAIGHT ( ZERO TWIST).  http://fcibarrels.tripod.com/rifle-barrels.html

-Ron

[Old Ford2]

Putting a custom barrel on an old Traditions gun, is like putting a thousand dollar saddle on old Holstein cow.
Fred

[Phil Neal]

I concur with Oldford 2.

[Joc7651]

First, it’s your rifle. Customize it any way you like. Make it your own. Get in touch with Howard Kelly at Webertown Rifle Works. He’s the oldest registered barrel maker in Ohio, and does great work for a reasonable price. He builds some of the barrels for Doc White’s custom guns. His contact info can be found with a google search. He built a 36” .54 cal round ball barrel for my T/C Hawken wiith a 1:72 twist rate. He also uses a 11 degree target crown on his barrels. Mine will put them through the same hole at 50 yards. About 1 1/4” at 100 with no wind.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Your Italian rifle may have a barrel that is metric in dimension across the flats.  I rebarreled a Replica Arms rifle from the 60's many years ago, and the original barrel was somewhere between 13/16" and 7/8" - in the middle.  So I bought a Green Mt. 7/8" barrel and opened up the channel to receive the larger tube.  Just as a note, the original barrel had two sets of rifling grooves:  one that was straight and the other with a twist.  I think the twist rate was in kilometers too.  Maybe that's why the op thinks he has a 1:46" twist.

[crankshaft]

He made it years ago ..there could be sentimental value folks.

  Unfortunately, the bbl was the most  valuable part on them.

[Daryl]

Your Italian rifle may have a barrel that is metric in dimension across the flats.  I rebarreled a Replica Arms rifle from the 60's many years ago, and the original barrel was somewhere between 13/16" and 7/8" - in the middle.  So I bought a Green Mt. 7/8" barrel and opened up the channel to receive the larger tube.  Just as a note, the original barrel had two sets of rifling grooves:  one that was straight and the other with a twist.  I think the twist rate was in kilometers too.  Maybe that's why the op thinks he has a 1:46" twist.

I remember looking down that barrel in Taylor's shop.  It started giving me a headache, just looking down it. Weirdest thing (in a barrel) I ever saw.
Your friend might find a 28" or 32" twist, or 60" in standard .50 cal. barrels.  He may have someone cut a 'special' rate of twist for me, but will be expensive, likely.
He would be much better off to re-barrel to a standard barrel - either slug or RB rate of twist. There is no such thing as a GOOD compromise to use both projectiles
imho.