Bobby Hoyt's shop

[Whitworth]

Dropped of the barrel to my newly acquired Harpers Ferry 1842 barrel to be lined and stretched 2 inches back to original length with bayonet lug. I was greeted by the friendly shop dog on the way to the door, once inside you were met with the good manly smell and eye candy of a machine shop. Mr. Hoyt looked over my barrel, said it was in nice shape and well worth doing. Being swamped with work it should be done by late summer which gives me time to get a .69 round ball mold and get busy. I decided to stay with the smooth bore liner for these reasons, I don't own any other smoothbore, launching a 700+ grain Minie ball is a bit much these days, I would need to add a rear sight, have plenty of #00 buckshot on hand to make buck and ball loads and most importantly if I miss I can blame the gun .

 

[hanshi]

Bobby's got one of my barrels to bore out. Hope it doesn't take that long to get it back.

 

[Whitworth]

Bobby's got one of my barrels to bore out. Hope it doesn't take that long to get it back.

I told him I wasn't in a rush, I don't need it to compete, just to enjoy

 

[mooman76]

I was hoping to see pictures.

 

[Eric Krewson]

Mr. Hoyt has done several rebores for me, off hand I don't know of any shop that will fil the void when he decides to retire.

On my first barrel he didn't charge me enough shipping, I could see the amount on the shipping box when I got the barrel back. I put $5 in an envelope and sent it to him to cover the extra even though he had never mentioned it.

I got the second barrel back in record time, I must have hit a lull in shop orders just right.

 

[SOLANCO]

Does Mr. Hoyt finish the barrels he works on? Blueing, etc?

 

[user 36911]

Bobby's got one of my barrels to bore out. Hope it doesn't take that long to get it back.

I was about to send him a barrel. Can you let me know how long it took when you get yours back? Thanks.

 

[Okie Hog]

Will send Mr. Hoyt a Navy Arms Awken barrel later this year. It will be bored to.54 caliber with about 76" twist rate and rounded grooves.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

I’ve had exactly one experience with Bobby Hoyt.

Could he have been friendlier?

NO.

Could the work have been higher quality?

NO.

Was his asking price for the work too much?

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

Bobby Hoyt is an incredible man and helped breathe new life into a 175 year old M1842 Aston horse pistol of mine. I CANNOT GIVE HIGHER PRAISE TO THIS MAN. TOP WORK!!!

 

[Henry Miles]

How difficult would it be to convert his kit to a percussion rifle? Does he offer this option?

 

[user 36911]

How difficult would it be to convert his kit to a percussion rifle? Does he offer this option?

You should ask him.

 

[rickystl]

I agree with other posters here. I can't recommend his work high enough. I have sent him a number of barrels to be worked on. There are jobs he does that no one else can do that I'm aware of. Probably why he is always swamped with work. As mentioned above, for the future of muzzle loading enthusiasts, I hope he trains an apprentice before he decides to retire. I thought to myself that it's probably good he DOESN'T have a website. He would likely be getting inquiries from all over outside the U.S. And it would take forever to get our barrels back. LOL He certainly has a unique set of skills.

Rick

 

[N8Gunner]

I sent my original English P53 (Tower 1862) barrel to him in early March this year. It had been bored to smoothbore sometime in the last 159 years. Just got it back 2 days ago, and the new rifled bore is gorgeous ! I had asked him to do a little bit extra work ( remove broken rear sight and silver solder replacement , repair the rather poor breech plug/ tang etc) He did it all for a very good price and I am very happy with what he sent back to me

 

[Whitworth]

An artist can't be hurried or his art becomes just product to be out the door. The man looked over my 174 year old barrel with the same respectful eye a conservator would evaluate a work of art in need of help. Like I told him, I'm not in a hurry and wasn't going to waste his time talking and left him to get back to getting barrels back to you guys.

 

[vintovka]

I have an original 26" heavily swamped octagon barrel with a rusted out bore of approx .55. German makers name is in gold and looks like a Jaeger with very thick walls. Wonder if it can be re rifled but fear cost of total project may be too much.

 

[Whitworth]

Get

I have an original 26" heavily swamped octagon barrel with a rusted out bore of approx .55. German makers name is in gold and looks like a Jaeger with very thick walls. Wonder if it can be re rifled but fear cost of total project may be too much.

Get it to him while you can, the line will only get longer.

 

[Lippy984]

I had him bore out a Renegade barrel for me to .54 slow twist about a year ago. I haven’t gotten around to finishing this project yet, but I can’t wait to shoot it.
It was interesting though. When I was talking to him, he asked how I heard of him and I said how everyone on here raves about his work. He seemed pretty surprised. Nice guy

 

[brushblind]

I sent him 3 barrels the other day, a New Englander I want rebored to 54 with round bottom rifling and 2 TC barrels for him to keep. He did a Browning Mountain in 50 with an insert back to 50 with round bottom rifling which is one of my favorites. I can shoot it all afternoon without a wipe and the accuracy is just as good or better than original!

 

[vintovka]

Get

Get it to him while you can, the line will only get longer.

I checked and the cost of all the parts to complete it now (if i could get them) is too much. Will list on trader and GB soon. I have my beloved, semi-unmentionable Austriann Wanzel .54 Jaegerstutzen that will have to do. It has a percussion cap insert and ramrod ML loads .54 minie balls easier. FWIW last sale on one of these neared an astounding $3800!!!

 

[Mulebrain]

He did a couple barrels for me, and shipped them back. I didn't even pay him upfront

It's good to know that there is a trust aspect like that still today.

He cleaned up a .40 that had some pitting issues towards the breech, and installed a new .54 liner in my Uberti Hawken.