Field Hunting Rifle Barrel

[rodwha]

I want a barrel to drop in to my Lyman's Deerstalker stock that I'd put a Malcolm scope on for hunting fields. I don't necessarily need match grade performance, but I'd want as accurate of a barrel as possible for shooting 150-200 yds max. I cannot afford an expensive barrel, and don't have the tools, nor skills, to work on a barrel.

I can order a stainless .50 cal percussion Deerstalker barrel with 1:48" twist and shallow grooves, or a Trade Rifle barrel with 1:48" twist and deeper grooves for $280, and I believe it comes with everything except the ramrod.

Of those two it seems the Deerstalker might make the better barrel as it has shallow grooves for conicals/sabots, though I would prefer a longer barrel.

Are there any custom barrels that aren't overly expensive that do as well, if not better, than a Lyman's barrel? I'd prefer (I think) a faster twist as it would be strictly for conicals/sabots.

The Gun Works is the one place I'm aware of to get what I'm after w/o spending a bunch.
http://www.thegunworks.com/

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Partner,
You might want to define "expensive". You did mention a $280 barrel. Quite frankly, I'd be looking at a .530 patched round ball with a really hefty load of about 140 grains of powder to give you what you want with a low cost.

The problem with the 1:48 traditional twist is while it often works well with some types of conicals, it doesn't do so well usually with sabots. Plus you need a pretty good amount of powder to reach out that far, AND do it while leaving enough elevation adjustments in your scope. (You can do it with adjustable iron sights no doubt, but with a scope the rather curved trajectory of the medium powder loads necessary for a 1:48 twist with the heavy conical might give you fits)

I'd buy a Green Mountain Barrel in 1:70 That will leave you about $120 left over for a breech plug ($50), underlug and key ($10), and a couple of ramrod thimbles, plus installing all that (if you want very pretty the underbarrel rib will probably make the barrel cost around $330). The reallty slow twist rate will allow you to really beef up your powder load.

LD

 

[rodwha]

I want a barrel that will shoot conicals or saboted bullets as it's the wind drift I'd likely have trouble figuring out past 100-125 yds.

I've looked over the Oregon barrels and liked what I saw until taking into consideration that the barrel is $350 in the white and lacking sights, rib/barrels, and ramrod. I'd be happy to pay $350 for a ready to go barrel.

I'm not looking for match grade, but certainly don't want a very poor barrel. I'd assume the Lyman's (Interarms) barrel is fair, and I'd be OK with that, but figure their price is a bit inflated as their rifles are, and that I could likely find something closer to what I have in mind (faster twist and closer to 28" in length) for that cost.

I'm a bit hesitant to use sabots as I've often read of plastic residue, and I'm not sure how one would get that type of fouling out of a side lock barrel where I cannot just push it out of the other end. I am open to trying it though.

From the ballistics I've run with the 80 grn 3F T7 charges and bullets they list it can easily do 150-175 yds, and this is also with a 24" barrel.

The Lyman's barrel states a max charge of 90 grns when using 3F up to medium weight projectiles. Heavier ones would drop it down to 80 grns. I'd certainly prefer a higher max charge.

Rice seems the only other potential option that I've seen other than Bobby Hoyt, though there isn't any info on the internet, and I don't want to bother him with questions to something I'm not prepared to jump on.