Bulged Barrel Help

[flntlokr]

Take it back to the seller if possible. With the bulge that low down in the barrel, I would guess that someone tried a smokeless or duplex load. I wouldn't trust the barrel as is without an expert examination. I would most likely cut the breech end off and re-fit the plug etc.; the portion above the bulge should be ok. But that's me. Lots of good advice given above.

 

[Hatman/2nd line]

Thanks for the quick reply sir Stock also had a hairline crack around the lock into the wrist. You win some and loose some but buying something as is is always a gamble

If the stock has a "slight" crack near the breech area and wrist be careful as that might have come from the breech becoming bulged and causing the stock to crack. Possibly too much powder or ball not seated on the powder all the way. Might be wise to fix that crack.

 

[Rawhide67]

I'm in the Hoyt camp. Have him look at it and see if he can line the barrel. He does incredible work for reasonable prices.

If the barrel can be lined. Go ahead and fix the stock. You can likely line the barrel for same or less than eBay prices. Then no worries about slight misalignment. That can happen with TC.

No matter what you have invested in this gun, the risk isn't worth it. Maybe nothing happens, then again maybe you lose and eye, or a couple fingers. Or worse. If you like to gamble, take some money to a casino, I'd not gamble my life on this gun.

 

[TFoley]

Thats good info right there Loyalist Dave and i like the drawing too.

Man id be leery about shooting that. Would it be a manufacturing defect or someone over charged the thing?

I'd go along with the second part of your comment.

It would NEVER have passed post-gun proof inspection if had been done during proof firing. Any kind of a bulged barrel is an instant fail on post-proofing inspection.

Addendum. I recall reading here that TC barrels were made in the USA, where you don't have any kind of proof standards except the word of the barrel maker.

 

[Stykbow]

I’d measure the outside first. If no bulge can be detected that way I probably wouldn’t worry about it and just right it off as a loose spot in the bore. If no bulge is found on the outside and you want to sure it’s good you could spend $50 on a bore scope and give it a look for an extra layer of caution. Might be nothing and you’d have a small amount invested to confirm if its actually safe or not. I’d take those steps before I spent the money for a new barrel.

 

[Mogadishu Meanderer]

Can one of the old timers post Mr Hoyt’s phone and address, please? I know it has been posted here before but I believe some one stated that he had moved his shop. I could benefit from it as well. I have a rusted 54 renegade Barrel I want to make a .58 Thank you all, I don’t post much anymore but read all your comments every morning, best forum out there.

 

[hawkeye2]

R. A. (Bobby) Hoyt
Freischutz Shop
2379 Mt Hope Rd.
Fairfield PA 17320-9756
(717) 642-6696

He moved several years ago but it was only a quarter mile or so away from his old location and everyone in town knows him so anything sent to the old address would get to him.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

TFoley,

I agree it would never have passed proof back home, But, barrels that were bulged Could go back to the maker, and have the bulges hammered down and be re-submitted. very often they were fine second time around!
I do not recall if this was from Greener, or Hawker. or an Essay ....
All the best,
Richard.

 

[Scota@4570]

Here is your "easy button" A drop in replacement barrel, in stock now.

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/648/1/GMT-45-C-TC-32-B
This is made by Green Mountain. Apparently they finally did a run of ML barrels! : ) GM has the track record of superior accuracy over the other mass market ML barrels. My experience supports the accuracy reputation. They will sell fast, get one while you can.

 

[TFoley]

TFoley,

I agree it would never have passed proof back home, But, barrels that were bulged Could go back to the maker, and have the bulges hammered down and be re-submitted. very often they were fine second time around!
I do not recall if this was from Greener, or Hawker. or an Essay ....
All the best,
Richard.

Morning, Richard. I agree with you, and I've actually seen a re-proofed pair of barrels on a modern shotgun. However, for all that to be done, the proofing infrastructure has to be there in the first place, and selling a replacement barrel here, or in any of the other CIP signature nations, means that the gun has to be proofed.

I'm certain that NO manufacturer these days would deliberately sell a barrel that was less than sound, but nevertheless, EVERY modern US-made firearm of any kind imported into a CIP-member country has to be subjected to proof - it's the law.

 

[Trooper]

I bought my wife a 50 cal TC Hawken from a second-hand shop in Delta, B.C. a year ago through the internet. Your right, it's a gamble for sure. I checked the outside of the barrel just between the lock and the rear sight and found no bulge using a micrometer. My bulge was about 2" in length and just in front of where the powder charge would sit. We found no appreciable issues with accuracy. I did however replace that rifle with one in better condition.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Fully agree Mr TFoley!
All the best,
Richard.

 

[TFoley]

Fully agree Mr TFoley! All the best, Richard.

Name is tac, an acronym made up of some of my long French/Irish name.........................(best not to ask, really. )

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Tac it is! No questions asked.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Barrel steel should not be bulged.

It’s a sign the metal was stressed far beyond it was designed to safely contain.

Continuing to shoot it is a bad idea in my opinion. It’s just not worth the risk.

 

[M. De Land]

So by the "base" I imagine that you mean the breech, the closed end of the barrel that's next to the lock.
So you want to have the breech checked to make sure that as mentioned above, the breech area is safe to shoot.

IF the bulge is filled by loose powder when the normal powder charge is present, then you likely can simply remember not to use less powder than that "normal" charge, and shoot the rifle. However, IF the bulge is slightly ahead of where the normal powder charge sits..., then you can load a "filler" of something like cornmeal or grits on top of the powder, between the bullet or the patched ball and the powder. This will keep the projectiles from losing contact with the rifling, and you should be able to shoot the rifle with accuracy. I would not do this, however if the bulge is more than 1 inch beyond where the powder sits when the normal powder load is in place.

View attachment 140105

LD

No, if it is truly a bulge from over pressure than the metal is stress fatigued at that point an cannot be trusted unless relined as has been stated.

 

[Ndwilhoit]

R. A. (Bobby) Hoyt
Freischutz Shop
2379 Mt Hope Rd.
Fairfield PA 17320-9756
(717) 642-6696

He moved several years ago but it was only a quarter mile or so away from his old location and everyone in town knows him so anything sent to the old address would get to him.

Thanks for the info !