.54 to .58

[Bernie Schneider]

Thinking about turning a TC New Englander .54 into a .58. Is it do able? It is a 15/16 barrel, any idea of cost, who does it etc.
Give me your input, also you may ask why?
Just because, also been looking at a Navy Arms Buffalo Hunter, and the Tc looks good and fits well.

 

[roundball]

I feel sure that barrel maker Ed Rayl in Gassaway, West VA. could do it.

The real question will be whether or not there will be enough barrel wall thickness left for it to be safe to do it...both TC and GM use 1" barrels for their .58cals.

But google Ed Rayl up and give him a call.

 

[Bernie Schneider]

Yes I thought about Mr. Rayl having read posts about his work, I also gave consideration to the barrel dia.
The Navy Arms Buffalo Hunter is .938 at the muzzle but is heavier at the breach.
I have also done minor searching for 1" rnd straight barrels, but have found none, just swamped and tapered.
Also asked GM if the they had anything, the reply was "search the web"
I just tossing this idea around, I have come to like the feel of the TC and the Navy Arms, just thought I might combine the 2 in makeing a TC a .58

 

[SimonG]

Maybe TC has some barrels around from their Big Bore 58, been a bit since they made it though. as RB said, they were 1".

I never saw a New England in anything but percussion, have you turned it into a flinter? or is a 58 caliber percussion rifled barrel what we are after?

It's not much of a jump 54 to 58 to really bother about is it? I mean when you add in the bother of the 15/16 barrel channel limitation.

maybe make a new 1" rifle or larger and go with 58.

 

[BrownBear]

At one time GM made 1" 58 cal barrels for the TC, and maybe they'll get back to it someday. Used ones pop up once in awhile. As for 15/16" you'll also find a few older used ones around, but it's my understanding that barrel companies lawyered up when folks started really cranking up their powder charges and switched to 1" for a little more margin of error. That last is all second hand, but it was easy for me to believe it when I heard it.

I've got a tapered 26" 58 cal on a TC Hawken. It's 1 1/8" at the breech and 15/16" at the muzzle. Whoever did the work hogged out a lot of wood at the back, but pulled it off. Gotta say that so much taper in a short barrel has shifted the COG way back between your hands when you hold it in shooting position. Folks that prefer barrel heavy guns won't like it, but I love it. It handles like a very fast shotgun.

Weight is right at 9 pounds, BTW, in spite of its quick handling.

 

[roundball]

At one time GM made 1" 58 cal barrels for the TC, and maybe they'll get back to it someday. Used ones pop up once in awhile. As for 15/16" you'll also find a few older used ones around, but it's my understanding that barrel companies lawyered up when folks started really cranking up their powder charges and switched to 1" for a little more margin of error. That last is all second hand, but it was easy for me to believe it when I heard it.

I've got a tapered 26" 58 cal on a TC Hawken. It's 1 1/8" at the breech and 15/16" at the muzzle. Whoever did the work hogged out a lot of wood at the back, but pulled it off. Gotta say that so much taper in a short barrel has shifted the COG way back between your hands when you hold it in shooting position. Folks that prefer barrel heavy guns won't like it, but I love it. It handles like a very fast shotgun.

Weight is right at 9 pounds, BTW, in spite of its quick handling.

GM still makes the 1" x 33" .58cal drop-in for the large size Hawken stock (fits the Renegade as well)...I have one that I paid them to convert to flint and its a tack driver.

:hmm: Never saw or heard of a .58cal in a 15/16" barrel...wouldn't be much left on the outside of the grooves, eh

 

[tg]

The 1" barrel in .62 is common which it seems would be comparable to a 15/16" in .58 but I don't
recall seeing any around.

 

[BrownBear]

At one time GM made 1" 58 cal barrels for the TC, and maybe they'll get back to it someday. Used ones pop up once in awhile. As for 15/16" you'll also find a few older used ones around, but it's my understanding that barrel companies lawyered up when folks started really cranking up their powder charges and switched to 1" for a little more margin of error. That last is all second hand, but it was easy for me to believe it when I heard it.

I've got a tapered 26" 58 cal on a TC Hawken. It's 1 1/8" at the breech and 15/16" at the muzzle. Whoever did the work hogged out a lot of wood at the back, but pulled it off. Gotta say that so much taper in a short barrel has shifted the COG way back between your hands when you hold it in shooting position. Folks that prefer barrel heavy guns won't like it, but I love it. It handles like a very fast shotgun.

Weight is right at 9 pounds, BTW, in spite of its quick handling.

GM still makes the 1" x 33" .58cal drop-in for the large size Hawken stock (fits the Renegade as well)...I have one that I paid them to convert to flint and its a tack driver.

:hmm: Never saw or heard of a .58cal in a 15/16" barrel...wouldn't be much left on the outside of the grooves, eh

Yeah, the 1" 58 is cataloged. But my hunting bud ordered it, but was told after placing the order that they were out of stock. And a month later he was finally told that they MIGHT get around to making more three or four months out. He finally found one used and cancelled his order.

 

[Bernie Schneider]

1" barrels in octagon are easy to come up with, the round barrels in straight are not.
I have "parts" in my basement,like stock, ramrod,tang. I like the feel of the New Englander. The gun would still be percussion, and yes there is not much differance in the .54 to .58, sometimes you just have to much time on your hands.

 

[BrownBear]

I like the feel of the New Englander. The gun would still be percussion, and yes there is not much differance in the .54 to .58, sometimes you just have to much time on your hands.

My 58 with the 26" barrel has the balance of a New Englander and not that far off from my wife's Lyman Deerstalker 54. Only difference is that it's probably a couple of pounds heavier than either of them.

But I gotta say there sure seems to be more difference in a 54 and a 58 than keyboard ballistics can account for. Man, does it whack a bunch harder. On both ends in spite of the extra weight, as a matter of fact. When I first got the 58 I was anticipating a jump in power kind of like the difference between a 50 and a 54. Hard to say how accurate that comparison is, but you sure know that you lit off a 58 rather than a 54, both when it goes bang and when the ball lands.

I'd say if you want to come up with a "New Englander" in 58 cal, at least style- and balance-wise, it's well worth the effort. Your likely to see me shooting mine more than any other muzzleloader I own, whether at the range or hunting.

 

[Galen Futtrell]

I talked to Ed Rayle about this, he said 15/16 largest is 54 , 1" t/c barrel 62 cal is largest. 1" t/c you can go from any cal, up to 62. hope this helps.