building a replacement barrel

[burch]

O.K. here`s my new idea. I have a 50 cal. GPR and would like to build a drop in smooth bore barrel for it OR have one built if that`s my option. So how hard is it to do this and what all is involved.  I`ve never done anything like this before but have done a lot of my own gunsmithing.

             Burch  

[Captchee]

well first of it would have to be octagon at least to the  end cap . From there she could go round   and an under rib plac4ed on it  to lower the rr thimbles .

 The only issue would be caliber you were looking at ?.
 You could even use a standard rifle barrel   for the gun and just  ream it out

[burch]

So just say for instance I had another 50cal. barrel and had it reamed out. What ga. would I be looking at and what ball dia. ?

[melsdad]

I THINK IF .015 / .020 WERE REAMED OUT OF THE BORE YOU WOULD END UP AROUND A 33 GUAGE.

.550 would be a 28 guage

I am querious myself to hear other responses

[Captchee]

should be able to get a 28 gage out of it  IE bore it out to .540 + or minus

[rollingb]

If it's a 15/16" barrel, I think it could be reamed out (safely) to 28 ga. (.54 calibur).  

[Captchee]

well 28 would be .550
 but  you could possbly talk out  .040 and get to 54 and still be safe . depending on the barrel steel .
im thinking the barrel is 15/16th .
so removing that much to bring the bore to .540 or even .550 should be  ok  without having to worry about reducing  your charges
 but if you only took it to .540 then you would have avalability for    getting 54 cal RB  IE .530 or .535 .  but you go much bigger and you next  jump would be to  go to at least .565  or you would have to have a special ball mould made .  IMO i wouldnt go that much . take her out to .540

[swampman]

Who can ream a barrel?

[rollingb]

Who can ream a barrel?

I'd check around for a good machine shop with a lathe.

[BEAVERMAN]

Who can ream a barrel?

 Send a PM to three hawks, he just had one done for a TC, was 60 bux.

[Three Hawks]

Here's John's Email addy:

john@johntaylormachine.com

He's in Poo-Ya'-Lup, WA about a mile and a half due East of the South Hill Mall.

He does good work, his rates are very reasonable.

I'm nearing completion of my second drop in barrel.  My first was a .30 ML barrel blank from Numrich arms that I breeched up myself, turned a ramrod pipe, made the under rib from a length of key stock, and hacksawed and filed my own wedge key lug and sights.

The one I'm doing now is a Green Mtn. 13/16" .40 cal blank that I had TOW supply and install the breech plug on.  Total cost for that one was about $175 shipped.   I've been busying myself hand cutting dovetails, making sights, wedge key lugs and ramrod pipes.   None of this stuff is rocket science, or even particurlarly difficult.   All you need to do is take chunks of steel and cut off everything that doesn't look like muzzleloader parts.   Nuttin' to it.

Three Hawks

[BEAVERMAN]

were your ears burning Gerry?! that was quick!

[burch]

well 28 would be .550
 but  you could possbly talk out  .040 and get to 54 and still be safe . depending on the barrel steel .
im thinking the barrel is 15/16th .
so removing that much to bring the bore to .540 or even .550 should be  ok  without having to worry about reducing  your charges
 but if you only took it to .540 then you would have avalability for    getting 54 cal RB  IE .530 or .535 .  but you go much bigger and you next  jump would be to  go to at least .565  or you would have to have a special ball mould made .  IMO i wouldnt go that much . take her out to .540

  It is 15/16th.  I have a local guy that does some custom rifle work. I`ll check him out first. Reaming out this barrel should`nt be all that much.  So with a 28ga barrel at 32" what am I looking at for accuracy with shot/round ball ?

[Captchee]

well 28 would be .550
 but  you could possbly talk out  .040 and get to 54 and still be safe . depending on the barrel steel .
im thinking the barrel is 15/16th .
so removing that much to bring the bore to .540 or even .550 should be  ok  without having to worry about reducing  your charges
 but if you only took it to .540 then you would have avalability for    getting 54 cal RB  IE .530 or .535 .  but you go much bigger and you next  jump would be to  go to at least .565  or you would have to have a special ball mould made .  IMO i wouldnt go that much . take her out to .540

  It is 15/16th.  I have a local guy that does some custom rifle work. I`ll check him out first. Reaming out this barrel should`nt be all that much.  So with a 28ga barrel at 32" what am I looking at for accuracy with shot/round ball ?

accracy will depend on your load.
 but you should be no more less accurat then any other shorter barreled smoothbore