Rice 46 inch barrel

[hortonstn]

I have a client who wants me to build a rifle for him he is a tall strong man he wants a 46 inch swamped barrel I saw rice builds this  golden age/York series in that length
What style of rifle would be correct for this barrel?
I've never built anything longer than 44 what other problems might I encounter
I'm in unknown territory
Any advice appreciated

[Stophel]

Only "problem" you may have is making sure your stock blank is long enough.

A LOT of original rifles had barrels longer than the current-standard 42".

I'm waiting on a 48" Rice rifle barrel, myself.

[rich pierce]

At that length one must decide on how many underlugs and ramrod thimbles to use. Without knowing the styles you and your client prefer it’s hard to say what you should build. Of course many fowlers had barrels that long or longer. A few rifles did, depending on where and when.

[Goo]

How about  "le long carabine killdeer"?

[flehto]

I've used the Rice "B" weight X46" in .50 cal. on many of my Bucks County LRs and the LR has a nice balance and weight. 4 bbl lugs are used along w/ 3 RR pipes. The standard blank lengths I've bought are more than long enough to accommodate the 46" bbl. A bbl this long really looks better than a 42" bbl. The 2 different LRs shown bear this out.....Fred

[hortonstn]

Thanks for the ideas

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Here's another Buck's Co. rifle, this one with a 48" Getz  "B" weight barrel.  This is a light and handy rifle, like Fred's, three rod pipes and four barrel slides/keys.
The original that inspired this build has a 46" barrel.

[Kevin]

Greetings,

What does the "tall strong man" want to use the rifle for?

Rice Barrels provides the 46" swamped, custom profile barrels that Mr. Kibler uses in in Southern Mountain Rifle.

Just a thought,
Kevin 

[flehto]

Hi Taylor....that 48" bbl looks better than the 46" "shorty" bbls I used. Would have used a 48" bbl but Rice didn't have any....only the 46" bbl and couldn't wait for Getz. Thanks for showing your excellent BC...always a treat.....Fred

[Elnathan]

Kentucky-made longrifles often/usually had barrels over 44". Good looking, distinctive, and seldom reproduced.

[hortonstn]

Thanks for the piks guys I only hope someday I can produce rifles like you display they are beautiful
Kevin he only target shoots paper and metal hangers, I wasn't aware jims were that long
Thanks again

[Dan Fruth]

A 46 inch bbl smoothbore that weighed 6 3/4 lbs. At 66 I could never shoulder a 1 1/8 inch breeched rifle barrel that length.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Beautiful gun Dan!  Light as a feather.

[rich pierce]

I think it’s backwards to start with barrel length then see what can be built with it. On some re-creations of specific makers’ rifles it would just not fit.

Not Christians Spring
Not early Reading of RCA 21-24 styling
Not an early Dickert

Just saying I’d explore long originals to base a gun on.

[smallpatch]

Generally, a client has an idea of style, era, area, and design of a rifle, then the builder gets together the parts to build an accurate representation of that rifle.
Perhaps a little more input from your client would be helpful.

[okawbow]

I’m 5,10 and shoot a Early York style rifle with a 2 1/8” wide Butt plate and a 48” swamped 54 cal barrel.  Balances perfectly. No problems at all handling the length at 68yo. Weighs about 8 1/2#.

[utseabee]

Look in RCA. Beck and Beyer made some long ones. Newcomer from Lancaster. There are plenty of options. 46" really isn't out of the norm.