Boring a barrel to a larger caliber

[Okie Hog]

A New Englander barrel tapers from 1 1/16" to 15/16". Mr. Hoyt did a beautiful re-boring my barrel to .58 caliber with 1/60" twist and rounded grooves. Rifle shoots like a dream using a .570 round ball, drill cloth patch and 90 grains of Black MZ powder.

 

[Magungo1066]

Just to follow-up, @Magungo1066.

I just got back from dropping my barrel off at Mr. Hoyt's shop (I live about 90 minutes away, so it was easier than dealing with shipping). He looked at my barrel and made some observations/suggestions. For context, it is a 15/16" Green River barrel at .50 (for the moment). Initially, he was confident he could safely bore it out to a .58 caliber barrel, which would have made it the lightest possible and left approximately 1/8" of steel thickness on the barrel walls. However, the hang-up was the size of the breech-plug threads. In order to go up that high, it was going to be necessary to ream out the original threads and re-thread for a larger plug. While he had a plug in stock that would fit (and with a tang that was close in width to my original), I really didn't want to go through the hassle of filing, fitting, and finishing a new breech plug. I (very briefly) considered going with a .56 cal, but didn't want to bother with finding a mold for an odd in-between size. Price quoted for reboring and rifling was $125. I didn't ask about final cost if I had gone ahead with a bigger breech plug for .58.

So, as initially planned I'm going with a .54. If my math is correct, I should lose about 1/2 pound of weight and shift the balance point back toward the butt somewhat. I doubt that the difference will be immense, but I think a little change will be good. Additionally, the original rifling was very shallow, so I'm hopeful that new, deeper rifling will be able to handle fouling a little more easily. We shall see. I should have it back by the end of next week. There was only one barrel in front of mine, being worked on while I was there. He should be done by Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning, and I'll figure out a time to drive up again to pick it up. Besides, he's in a gorgeous part of southern PA, and it's a great excuse to see some pretty geography. I'll post a new thread with results once I get it back and get some range time.

Thanks! excited to hear about the results

 

[tnlonghunter]

Also, FWIW, I called Mr. Hoyt back this afternoon to talk back through some thoughts on going to .58 (I'm one of those people who can't make up his mind, even after I've made up my mind). He told me the cost of reaming out the breech threads and re-threading it for a bigger breech plug would be about $50, including the new plug. So, about $175 if you were gonna go with a full rebore and rifling to the point you need a bigger breech plug. Just in case anyone was curious.

And I'm staying with .54 cal. I was just curious and wanted to turn over that last stone.

 

[jager43478]

Just to follow-up, @Magungo1066.

I just got back from dropping my barrel off at Mr. Hoyt's shop (I live about 90 minutes away, so it was easier than dealing with shipping). He looked at my barrel and made some observations/suggestions. For context, it is a 15/16" Green River barrel at .50 (for the moment). Initially, he was confident he could safely bore it out to a .58 caliber barrel, which would have made it the lightest possible and left approximately 1/8" of steel thickness on the barrel walls. However, the hang-up was the size of the breech-plug threads. In order to go up that high, it was going to be necessary to ream out the original threads and re-thread for a larger plug. While he had a plug in stock that would fit (and with a tang that was close in width to my original), I really didn't want to go through the hassle of filing, fitting, and finishing a new breech plug. I (very briefly) considered going with a .56 cal, but didn't want to bother with finding a mold for an odd in-between size. Price quoted for reboring and rifling was $125. I didn't ask about final cost if I had gone ahead with a bigger breech plug for .58.

So, as initially planned I'm going with a .54. If my math is correct, I should lose about 1/2 pound of weight and shift the balance point back toward the butt somewhat. I doubt that the difference will be immense, but I think a little change will be good. Additionally, the original rifling was very shallow, so I'm hopeful that new, deeper rifling will be able to handle fouling a little more easily. We shall see. I should have it back by the end of next week. There was only one barrel in front of mine, being worked on while I was there. He should be done by Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning, and I'll figure out a time to drive up again to pick it up. Besides, he's in a gorgeous part of southern PA, and it's a great excuse to see some pretty geography. I'll post a new thread with results once I get it back and get some range time.

Bobby knows what he is doing he is a round ball shooter. Had s couple of civil war barrels done by him.

 

[MikeJW]

Mr. Hoyt re-bored my TC Hawken 50 to a 54 with 1 in 66. It turned out real nice and shoots well. I drew a muzzleloader doe tag this year. Hoping for good hunting results!!

 

[bigted]

Lets get this correct ... Bobby drills, rifles and finish a barrel to a bigger cal for $125.00 OUT THE DOOR ???

 

[tnlonghunter]

Lets get this correct ... Bobby drills, rifles and finish a barrel to a bigger cal for $125.00 OUT THE DOOR ???

That's what he said. Add in shipping costs if you're not close enough to drive. An additional $50 if I had wanted to go big enough to need a larger breech plug.

No way could you buy and decent barrel, fit and finish it for that when you add in time. Even factoring in 6 hours total drive time (90 minutes each way, twice) I believe I'm coming out ahead.

 

[SDSmlf]

Lets get this correct ... Bobby drills, rifles and finish a barrel to a bigger cal for $125.00 OUT THE DOOR ???

Believe last barrel he did for me was $140 including shipping back to me. Hard to beat deal from a great guy.

 

[Pa-brushbuster71]

I'm planning to take my .50 straight barrel (15/16") to Mr. Hoyt next week. He estimated about $125 to do the job, and that .54 would be the limit on that diameter of barrel. No way could you get a good quality barrrel for that money, plus not having to match the lugs and tang, and finish it. I'll report back when it's done.

Thanks for your his post. I have an old TC Hawken in .50 that will be more interesting as a .54 . I plan on sending it to Mr.Hoyt

 

[gemmer]

Another limiter is breech plug size. If bored out enough there may not be much shoulder left.

If Bobby Hoyt does the rebore, he'll rethread the breech and weld a new plug to the tang.

 

[tnlonghunter]

Thanks for your his post. I have an old TC Hawken in .50 that will be more interesting as a .54 . I plan on sending it to Mr.Hoyt

I'm super happy with it. It shoots much better than it did before.

 

[Winterhawk]

Another option would be to have Mr. Hoyt build a new barrel for you. I had sent him a T-C Pennsylvania Hunter which he bored out to .54; then I asked him if he could make a smooth bore barrel. His answer was an affirmative. I had to send him the rifle without the barrel and a couple of weeks later it arrived in the mail. It was in the white so I had to polish and blue it but the end result was well worth it. Looked somewhat like a NW Trade Gun.

 

[Jim K]

Just to follow-up, @Magungo1066.

I just got back from dropping my barrel off at Mr. Hoyt's shop (I live about 90 minutes away, so it was easier than dealing with shipping). He looked at my barrel and made some observations/suggestions. For context, it is a 15/16" Green River barrel at .50 (for the moment). Initially, he was confident he could safely bore it out to a .58 caliber barrel, which would have made it the lightest possible and left approximately 1/8" of steel thickness on the barrel walls. However, the hang-up was the size of the breech-plug threads. In order to go up that high, it was going to be necessary to ream out the original threads and re-thread for a larger plug. While he had a plug in stock that would fit (and with a tang that was close in width to my original), I really didn't want to go through the hassle of filing, fitting, and finishing a new breech plug. I (very briefly) considered going with a .56 cal, but didn't want to bother with finding a mold for an odd in-between size. Price quoted for reboring and rifling was $125. I didn't ask about final cost if I had gone ahead with a bigger breech plug for .58.

So, as initially planned I'm going with a .54. If my math is correct, I should lose about 1/2 pound of weight and shift the balance point back toward the butt somewhat. I doubt that the difference will be immense, but I think a little change will be good. Additionally, the original rifling was very shallow, so I'm hopeful that new, deeper rifling will be able to handle fouling a little more easily. We shall see. I should have it back by the end of next week. There was only one barrel in front of mine, being worked on while I was there. He should be done by Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning, and I'll figure out a time to drive up again to pick it up. Besides, he's in a gorgeous part of southern PA, and it's a great excuse to see some pretty geography. I'll post a new thread with results once I get it back and get some range time.

Where is he located? I’m in southern Pa too. You’ve got me thinking.

 

[Pa-brushbuster71]

Another option would be to have Mr. Hoyt build a new barrel for you. I had sent him a T-C Pennsylvania Hunter which he bored out to .54; then I asked him if he could make a smooth bore barrel. His answer was an affirmative. I had to send him the rifle without the barrel and a couple of weeks later it arrived in the mail. It was in the white so I had to polish and blue it but the end result was well worth it. Looked somewhat like a NW Trade Gun.

Does Mr. Hoyt need you to send a barrel to make it into a smoothbore ? Or does he have the materials on hand?

 

[ny griz]

Where is located at?

 

[tnlonghunter]

Where is he located? I’m in southern Pa too. You’ve got me thinking.

Here's his address and phone number:

700 Fairfield Station Rd, Fairfield, PA 17320
+1 717-642-6696

He's a one-man shop, so it can be tricky to get him on the phone. He has a Facebook page, but I don't know how much he checks it. Just be persistent in calling. He's very easy to work with.

 

[Winterhawk]

Does Mr. Hoyt need you to send a barrel to make it into a smoothbore ? Or does he have the materials on hand?

No, this was a barrel he made for this gun, so I had both the rifled barrel and the smoothbore. It is octagonal to round, with double wedding band at the transition and a "turtle" front sight. I had to polish and blue it. The bluing was with Laurel Mountain Forge Browning Solution and a PVC tank I made. Directions come with the browning solution to use it for bluing also.