Yorktown Barrels??

[Top Jaw]

Saw a rifle for sale over the weekend probably made in the 1970s. On the straight octagon barrel in small stamped stylized letters was the word “Yorktown”. It looked more like a barrel makers stamp rather than a builders stamp. Just curious.  Anyone ever heard of a barrel manufacturer back in the day named “Yorktown”?

[blienemann]

Top Jaw, i think I remember ads for that supplier in the old Buckskin Report - Yorktown barrels.  I don't remember if they were providing swamped barrels at that time.  Check with someone who has the old magazines.  Bob

[Bigmon]

Brad Emig produces a fine rifle he calls YORKTOWN?

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I'm probably way off base, but that reminds me of a gunmaker called John Clark out of Tottenham Ontario who may have been involved in that rifle.

[Ray Nelson]

Perhaps YORKTOWN RIFLEWORKS located in Brogue, Pa. during the late 1970"s. L.R. Smith was the Prop.

Ray

[lexington1]

I remember Yorktown barrels in the 70's and early 80's. I can't remember whose barrels they were but they were taking straight barrels and swamping them. I had one in .58 and it shot pretty good.

[Ray Nelson]

They were Douglas barrels.

Ray

[Top Jaw]

This one might have been swamped very lightly, if so it wasn't overly noticeable.  Rifling did look like what Douglas was using. 

[Mtn Meek]

I came across this ad in an old copy of Buckskin Report while I was looking for something else.  Thought it might be of interest.  Lienemann's memory was right on as usual as well as Nelson's.

[Top Jaw]

Thanks for the article and advertisement! 90 bucks breached sounds like a incredible bargain in 2020. But I looked up the rate for inflation and $90 in 1977 equals $384 in 2020!!  So when you figure a Premium swamped barrel today will run you $265, +25 for the breech plug and fitting the plug, You’re at $290.  So actually, you are saving $94 in today’s money by buying it now, with today’s machinery and competition.  And if you shop around, you can get a swamped A wt for just over $200.  So the 70s might’ve been the glory days, but today’s era is definitely the golden age, at least for a builder.

[Marcruger]

I read the 1977 ad, and noticed two things:

The breech plug was 1/2". It held against 300 grains of 3f powder and a bore diameter ball.  Some "conventional wisdom" today would say that 1/2" length is inadequate. 

Also, the swamped Yorktown barrels were narrowed down from Douglas barrels, going from presumably octagon to swamped.  Again, 300 grains of powder with a bore diameter ball did not make that narrowed Douglas barrel let go. 

This is a sample size of one.  You can draw your own conclusions. 

God Bless,  Marc

[Daryl]

9th proofing - 300gr. and 2, .540" balls.
Then 10th with 200gr. and 2, .540's, then 11th proof load 300gr. and 3, .540's.

[bob in the woods]

I'm probably way off base, but that reminds me of a gunmaker called John Clark out of Tottenham Ontario who may have been involved in that rifle.

John Clark's business was called " York County Gunworks"  and he did have a semi custom York style rifle " kit"  and of course his Factor's Rifle , along with the Clark lock.  I met John back in 1976 and my friend bought a set of lock castings from him.  He never was able to get them together and functioning.  I believe that the gun shop in Colonial Williamsburg used a couple of his locks on some pistols ? 
His original Clark Factor's rifle was pretty cool.  He passed away sometime during in the Fall of 2018 if I recall correctly