GM Golden age swamped 36 cal 42" bbl.

dbutch · Jul 4, 2012

Looking for advice on loads.
A weight GM 42" swamped 36 cal 1 in 48 Golden age barrel..
Started with Hoppe's lube..and have gravitated to a grease lube..bear fat/deer tallow....swabbed.
40 gr. FFF-Goex..018 ticking patch.
concerned about light thin walled barrel heating and warping while shooting in this heat were having..
New barrel so some break in time is also in the picture.
What has worked for any other shooters out there?
Thanks in advance.....dan

Rifleman1776 · Jul 4, 2012

Not sure what your question is.

However, the heat and warping issue is not something to be overly concerned with. If you are in a serious match hunting 'Xs' some cool down between shots might be advisable.
But, a .36 cal. with a light charge should not create any concerns.
Most barrels today are good to go. Shoot and enjoy. Don't fret the break-in thing.

dbutch · Jul 4, 2012

shooting 1.5-1.75" at 55 yards sure this bbl can do better!
My question is what loads have shot the best with this bbl.
so far 3 range sessions.
This is a squirrel rifle(think head shots)50-60 yard limit due to 54.75 year old eyes shooting open sights.

BrownBear · Jul 4, 2012

My 61.5 year old eyes can't even see a squirrel head at 50-60 yards! :rotf:

Can' help you on a load, but I had to pipe up and express my admiration for the rifle. :thumbsup:

Rifleman1776 · Jul 4, 2012

makeumsmoke said:
shooting 1.5-1.75" at 55 yards sure this bbl can do better!
My question is what loads have shot the best with this bbl.
so far 3 range sessions.
This is a squirrel rifle(think head shots)50-60 yard limit due to 54.75 year old eyes shooting open sights.

Every rifle has it's preferences with regards to ball size, patch, lube, load, moon phases, etc.
Use what you have if it loads OK for you. Methinks somewhere in the 30 to 40 grain range will give you best accuracy. This assumes patched round ball of soft lead and real black powder in 3Fg granulation.

CrackStock · Jul 4, 2012

Try using plain water as a patch lube. Less junk in the bore to impede loading and the bore stays in a consistent condition between all shots after the first 2 or 3.

I would drop the charge to 35 grains of 3F for that barrel for a few strings of shots. You might adjust up and down for the sweet spot.

Contrary to popular opinion, I would also try about 40 to 45 grains of 2F for comparison. Don't squawk until you have tried it. I found that this worked in a particular flint .40 years ago and then tried it in a .36 (when out of 3F) but it had a good effect. Some barrels like the slower push that 2F gives.

CS

hanshi · Jul 4, 2012

My SMR .36 x 38" x 3/4" rifle shoots much better than I can. I've fired 50 yard groups as small as 3/4"; that's better than I can shoot....or see :redface: . The loads I've found that work well are 30 grns 3F and 55 grns 3F. Still more testing will be done, however. I lube with Hoppes, mostly with occasional use of Bore Butter.

Heat won't be much of a factor as long as you keep it out of direct sun; that's the only heat source of concern.

dbutch · Jul 6, 2012

Hanshi,Crack,Rifleman..Thanks for the input...2f was a failure in the past.
will give the plain water a shot..this barrel favors 3f Goex 40 gr. volume.
Curly..(ash)the squirrel rifle.

jdkerstetter · Jul 6, 2012

I love that curley ash. I have a short blank in the shop for the boys first gun. Beautiful...but hard as marble and heavy.

Enjoy, J.D.

Dphar · Jul 6, 2012

makeumsmoke said:
Looking for advice on loads.
A weight GM 42" swamped 36 cal 1 in 48 Golden age barrel..
Started with Hoppe's lube..and have gravitated to a grease lube..bear fat/deer tallow....swabbed.
40 gr. FFF-Goex..018 ticking patch.
concerned about light thin walled barrel heating and warping while shooting in this heat were having..
New barrel so some break in time is also in the picture.
What has worked for any other shooters out there?
Thanks in advance.....dan

GMs seem to be well heat treated, annealed actually, I would not be concerned about its "warping" with the heat. Warping would, to me, indicate that the barrel does not have a uniform hardness from end to end or was not properly machined to shape.
If it were to do that it would be a junk barrel and GMs are not junk barrels. They are among the best out there. Far better than some many think are "premium" barrels.
There is no break in unless it needs a little polish with steel wool or fine/extra fine 3M polishing pads, which is possible but doubtful with a GM. Barrel breakin, at least in the world of BP, is an old wives tale.
The modern cartridge shooters have a process they like that seems to reduce copper fouling. But this is not BP shooting and the process is very labor intensive.

Dan

Dphar · Jul 6, 2012

makeumsmoke said:
shooting 1.5-1.75" at 55 yards sure this bbl can do better!
My question is what loads have shot the best with this bbl.
so far 3 range sessions.
This is a squirrel rifle(think head shots)50-60 yard limit due to 54.75 year old eyes shooting open sights.

At this distance it takes very little breeze to make a 1.5" group from a 3/4" group.

Dan

buzz · Jul 6, 2012

that stock WOW your a lucky guy for having sucha sexy smoke pole

dbutch · Jul 7, 2012

jdkerstetter said:
I love that curley ash. I have a short blank in the shop for the boys first gun. Beautiful...but hard as marble and heavy.

Enjoy, J.D.

......................................................................

Prefer Ash to maple.
56.5" long 7.5 lbs. 14" lop. balance point under rear sight.

dbutch · Jul 7, 2012

Dan Phariss said:
makeumsmoke said:

shooting 1.5-1.75" at 55 yards sure this bbl can do better!
My question is what loads have shot the best with this bbl.
so far 3 range sessions.
This is a squirrel rifle(think head shots)50-60 yard limit due to 54.75 year old eyes shooting open sights.

Click to expand...

At this distance it takes very little breeze to make a 1.5" group from a 3/4" group.

Dan

...........................................................

Thanks Dan...Good point! Just used to shooting larger calibers.
Maybe it's time to rethink 50 yard head shots on squirrels. :doh:

first range trip...1 inch squares. didn't touch sights.right to left wind.

dbutch · Jul 7, 2012

Dan Phariss said:
makeumsmoke said:

Looking for advice on loads.
A weight GM 42" swamped 36 cal 1 in 48 Golden age barrel..
Started with Hoppe's lube..and have gravitated to a grease lube..bear fat/deer tallow....swabbed.
40 gr. FFF-Goex..018 ticking patch.
concerned about light thin walled barrel heating and warping while shooting in this heat were having..
New barrel so some break in time is also in the picture.
What has worked for any other shooters out there?
Thanks in advance.....dan

Click to expand...

GMs seem to be well heat treated, annealed actually, I would not be concerned about its "warping" with the heat. Warping would, to me, indicate that the barrel does not have a uniform hardness from end to end or was not properly machined to shape.
If it were to do that it would be a junk barrel and GMs are not junk barrels. They are among the best out there. Far better than some many think are "premium" barrels.
There is no break in unless it needs a little polish with steel wool or fine/extra fine 3M polishing pads, which is possible but doubtful with a GM. Barrel breakin, at least in the world of BP, is an old wives tale.
The modern cartridge shooters have a process they like that seems to reduce copper fouling. But this is not BP shooting and the process is very labor intensive.

Dan

..........................................................

Have had good luck with GM...just surprised at the small size of barrel wall thickness compared to the 15/16,1" barrel I shot in the past.
Probably over analyzed this point.
doing 4 th range trip today..could be the nut behind the butt thing too!
Thanks for your input Dan. :grin:

Fred_Dwyer · Jul 7, 2012

No need to worry about warping, long before you reach that kind of temperature the heat-wavers off the barrel will make near impossible to see the sights so you will slow your rate of fire.

roundball · Jul 7, 2012

Great looking rifle and a shooter too!
:thumbsup:

Plus, I think the dark barrel is a good look...gradually refinished mine to a dark gray

hanshi · Jul 7, 2012

That's a very good looking rifle. I especially like the attention to detail. That stock is something else!

dbutch · Jul 7, 2012

CrackStock said:
Try using plain water as a patch lube. Less junk in the bore to impede loading and the bore stays in a consistent condition between all shots after the first 2 or 3.

.....................................................

Thanks for the kind words Guy's....the wood steals the show on this one.
This rifle will not be sitting in the rack this fall!

CS...Thanks for the plain water idea...I have been stuck in a lube rut
to long :slap:

As of this morning..

40 gr FFF Goex
.018 ticking
.350 rb
water lube
FFFF-Goex prime

50 yards from rest...

Starting to feel better about this barrel...

Time to slot the pin holes on the lugs....It's throwing them to the left as barrel warms up. :shocked2:

dbutch · Jul 10, 2012

Elongated pin holes with diamond dremmel bit..poi stayed the same during the latest range session..20 degrees cooler no sun.

holes out side the group are all me!

GM Golden age swamped 36 cal 42" bbl.

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