Author Topic: rice gun builders special barrels (Read 3399 times)

martin9 · « **on:** September 30, 2020, 05:29:24 AM »

Anyone ever use these barrels? I was playing around on Rice's site and saw these. They offer them in all contours, the only differences mentioned is they're sanded to 120 grit and have square bottom rifling. I have square bottom and radius groove barrels and really have no preference...they all shoot well. Just curious if anyone has any experience with these since I did a search and found no mention of them.

Dennis Glazener · « **Reply #1 on:** September 30, 2020, 05:48:29 AM »

Yes, almost all of mine have been gun maker specials which are the flat bottomed rifling. The premium are round bottom rifling which are favorites of many but I prefer flat bottomed. I would never hesitate taking the specials versus the premium even if both were the same price. I think the flat bottomed shoot better for me.
Dennis

martin9 · « **Reply #2 on:** September 30, 2020, 05:53:02 AM »

Thank you for the reply...being Rice I was confident they are good barrels. I'm gonna order one soon as I get the rifle on my bench a little further along. The builders special barrels are actually $40 cheaper.

sdilts · « **Reply #3 on:** September 30, 2020, 03:11:20 PM »

Those gun builders barrels are a great deal. I've used several.

BOB HILL · « **Reply #4 on:** September 30, 2020, 03:40:18 PM »

I’ve been using them since they started offering them. Great deal.
Bob

Daryl · « **Reply #5 on:** September 30, 2020, 07:44:48 PM »

This Beck has Rice's gun builder's 44" barrel. It is a good shooting rifle when I do my part.

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #6 on:** September 30, 2020, 07:47:23 PM »

That is correct Daryl...I didn't know you were aware of that fact.

martin9 · « **Reply #7 on:** September 30, 2020, 08:19:58 PM »

That's good to hear. Been itching for another lehigh so I think I'll order one of their Allentown barrels. Oughta make a nicely balanced little rifle.

guido · « **Reply #8 on:** October 01, 2020, 02:32:29 AM »

Love rice barrels. This is 50 cal 38 in at 50 yrds

Joe Schell · « **Reply #9 on:** October 01, 2020, 03:05:23 AM »

Rice square bottom .54 cal at 40 yards

Marcruger · « **Reply #10 on:** October 01, 2020, 07:42:28 PM »

I greatly prefer the flat bottom rifled Rice barrels to the round bottom version.

Ian Pratt · « **Reply #11 on:** October 01, 2020, 08:05:35 PM »

Yes they work ! Top notch barrels

martin9 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 02, 2020, 01:04:00 AM »

I bought a .36 Rice barrel from a member here that has flat bottom rifling.....it's a one hole shooter. If that's the only real difference I guess I had a gun builders special barrel all along:>).

Daryl · « **Reply #13 on:** October 02, 2020, 01:14:49 AM »

I thought the gun builder's barrels were only in .50 or .54 cal. and that they normally made flat bottomed rifling in the smaller
calibres, like my Rice .36. It is not or was not sold as a "gunbuilder's", just a regular straight barrel. I did not find this detail
on their site, however.

flinchrocket · « **Reply #14 on:** October 02, 2020, 01:25:10 AM »

I was thinking the Gunbuilder Special was available in all of their swamped barrels. The straight barrels have square rifling,but you can get round bottom rifling for $20 extra.

martin9 · « **Reply #15 on:** October 02, 2020, 01:30:39 AM »

My .36 is their swamped "transition series" 38" barrel with square bottom rifling

Daryl · « **Reply #16 on:** October 02, 2020, 02:48:07 AM »

I would be quite surprised that you could get round bottomed rifling in a .32 or .35. That rounded, deep rifling just seems excessive when .008" square is all that is needed, and
likely .006" deep would do/shoot just as well.
With even only .012 or .014"" deep rounded rifling, a "properly" patched ball would come out looking like a short piece of rounded both ends, 6 groove drive shaft.

flinchrocket · « **Reply #17 on:** October 02, 2020, 03:13:58 AM »

Straight octagon barrel 3/4" - 15/16" w/out plug, square bottom rifling...$200
With plug installed add...$25
With radius bottom rifling add...$20
(This is from Rices website.)

Dennis Glazener · « **Reply #18 on:** October 02, 2020, 02:29:04 PM »

Quote from: flinchrocket on October 02, 2020, 01:25:10 AM

I was thinking the Gunbuilder Special was available in all of their swamped barrels. The straight barrels have square rifling,but you can get round bottom rifling for $20 extra.

I am not sure about ALL the swamped barrels but I have purchased 25 or 30 of the gun builder specials and all have been swamped barrels. I have used 2 or three of the A profile 32 cal and all came with radius rifling and at least at that time it was the only way they were made. Seems like Jason said it had to do with the small bore size.
Dennis

Dennis Glazener · « **Reply #19 on:** October 02, 2020, 02:36:53 PM »

Quote from: Daryl on October 02, 2020, 02:48:07 AM

I would be quite surprised that you could get round bottomed rifling in a .32 or .35. That rounded, deep rifling just seems excessive when .008" square is all that is needed, and
likely .006" deep would do/shoot just as well.
With even only .012 or .014"" deep rounded rifling, a "properly" patched ball would come out looking like a short piece of rounded both ends, 6 groove drive shaft.

Daryl,
I have never cared for radius rifling but as mentioned above all the A profile 32 cal Rice barrels I have used had radius rifling, was the only kind offered at the time. Only one was for a rifle for me and at 35 yards from a rest I shot several 5 shot one hole groups. Probably the most accurate rifle I have owned. The others were only shot to verify the sights were on target and left for the new owner to zero in to suite himself.
Dennis

sdilts · « **Reply #20 on:** October 02, 2020, 03:22:14 PM »

Just copied this from Rice's website.

RICE RIFLE BARREL now offers a Gun Builders Special! Available in all contours and weights.
Same internal bore quality!
Square bottom rifling only.
All barrel flats are polished to 120 grit.

Marcruger · « **Reply #21 on:** October 02, 2020, 04:01:43 PM »

I have nothing against round bottom grooves, I just dislike DEEP grooves. Some makers seem prone to making round bottom grooves deep. I have shot a few recent Colerain barrels with shallow, round bottom grooves that shot super and were easy to work up a load for. Otherwise, I’ll stick with flat bottom rifling.

RMann · « **Reply #22 on:** October 03, 2020, 04:10:44 AM »

Four months ago I ordered a Rice .32 Reading in A wt., hoping to build a "squirrel gun". As brand new to muzzleloaders, I was reading a lot, and naively believing most of what I read... Some claimed the smaller calibers quickly fouled, and round bottom rifling was advantageous to that tendency. So I was glad Rice's .32 would have round bottom rifling. Anyway, what I read could just have been misplaced and oft repeated false logic.... In time I hope to find out from my own experience. Sorry. I'm wandering off the thread a little... RM

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Author Topic: rice gun builders special barrels (Read 3399 times)