Green Mountain Replacement Barrels for Thompson Center Hawkens

[G4guns]

Track of the Wold has a (Very), limited supply of Grn Mtn drop in replacement barrels for Thompson Center Hawken Rifles. Link - https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Search.aspx?search=TC barrels (as of 2/10/19)
I have two of the GM 1-70 twist 50 cal barrels. The first one I purchased was in 1983. Sadly after 35 years and approx 10k rounds down range it is pretty well shot out. The barrels from Track are 1-66 twist, NOT 1-70 twist.
I bought one and set it up with aperture sights to test accuracy at 100 yards from a benchrest. Using a .495 ball, .22 patch with Hoppes#9 BP Solvent as a lube, and 70 grains of Goex 3F, I was able to consistently shoot groups of 2". Check the link and look carefully for "in-stock", or "back-ordered" notifications. I suspect that there will never be back orders available again. When they are gone, they are gone.

 

[Alaskan Woodsman]

Hi G4;

I bought one recently from TOW in .54 cal to replace the .50 cal TC barrel I've had in my used TC since 1978. I'm having fun with it, shooting best groups with various patches, ball diameters and powder loads. I think this opportunity is awesome. Thanks to TOW and GM barrels. I now have a real RB gun with a bit more snort at the terminal end for deer etc. in a RB configuration. I suspect you are right, there may never be back orders available again.

 

[8 BORE]

Order them directly from Green Mountain

 

[Nodrama43]

I have seen a few on ebay lately.

 

[necchi]

Order them directly from Green Mountain

The item(s) G4guns refers too is history.
Green Mountain Barrel stopped offering the I.B.S. years ago. (Interchangeable Barrel System)
They still manufacture and market Muzzle loader octagon barrels in many configurations that are still available from many suppliers, but the completed package for purchase we knew as IBS or drop in's for T/C - Investarms are no longer available beyond as new/old stock.
You can still do a GM barrel,, but you have to purchase all the individual components and build it yourself.
Paid labor and parts can easily turn what was under a $300 dollar purchase into close to $600 now-a-days.

 

[longcruise]

As of today TOW is listing several drop ins as "in stock".

$269. Parts to build cost about the same.

 

[necchi]

Parts to build cost about the same.

I guess I haven't really looked in awhile at total cost.
barrel,
breech plug,
underlug,
rail,
front sight,
rear sight,
thimbles,
ramrod,
ramrod ends,
screws for rail, rear sight and thimbles,
drill bit and taps for rail, rear sight and thimble holes,
Now add; time and/or labor for,,
fitting breech plug and shaping,
cutting rail,
cut dovetail for front sight,
cut dovetail for underlug,
drill rail and thimbles.
drill and tap the barrel holes for rail, thimbles and rear sight,
cut ramrod,
fit ramrod ends,
finish ramrod,
file/sand or finish barrel, plug, front sight, rear sight, underlug,thimbles and screws for blueing or brown.

 

[bubba.50]

Yep. Time ya add in all that labor cost you coulda bought a good used custom gun. Or two or three old T/C’s or CVA’s.

 

[Don Steele]

For another option, contact Jason at Rice Barrels. He was started offering "Drop-in" barrels for those with 15/16th's barrel channels the last time I spoke with him at Friendship. He may have other choices available as well, but that's the only one I specifically asked about.

 

[Idaholewis]

The item(s) G4guns refers too is history.
Green Mountain Barrel stopped offering the I.B.S. years ago. (Interchangeable Barrel System)
They still manufacture and market Muzzle loader octagon barrels in many configurations that are still available from many suppliers, but the completed package for purchase we knew as IBS or drop in's for T/C - Investarms are no longer available beyond as new/old stock.
You can still do a GM barrel,, but you have to purchase all the individual components and build it yourself.
Paid labor and parts can easily turn what was under a $300 dollar purchase into close to $600 now-a-days.

I Contacted TOTW 6-8 Months ago about these Roundball Twist “Drop in” I.B.S. Barrels, They had just Sold the last few of these they had at that time, BUT on their Website it showed you could Back Order? So i called Track of the Wolf and Asked them what the deal was? They were waiting on a Shipment of these Barrels From Green Mountain any day. I asked about the LRH (Fast twist) I.B.S. Barrels? That was a “No Go” But they were stil able to Buy the Slow Twist Round Ball I.B.S. Barrels From Green Mountain. So either Green Mountain has/had a Pile of these New Oldstock, or they can Stil turn them out when/if needed?

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/list/Item.aspx/648/1

 

[smo]

Tip Curtis also still has GM barrels listed in Muzzle Blast.
I’m not sure if he still has the drop in replacements , but he carries all the screws, under rib , breech plugs and anything else needed too put one together...615-654-4445

 

[longcruise]

Yep. Time ya add in all that labor cost you coulda bought a good used custom gun. Or two or three old T/C’s or CVA’s.

That may or may not apply to different people. How you going to add in your cost of labor unless you are diverting labor that you would otherwise be paid for?

None of the time I spend working on guns, bags, knives, horns, etc., Is time that I'm giving up payment for my labor.

OTOH, I would be happy to build a drop in for anyone. Total cost would be $625 plus shipping. My labor is only free to me.

 

[Idaholewis]

Tip Curtis also still has GM barrels listed in Muzzle Blast.
I’m not sure if he still has the drop in replacements , but he carries all the screws, under rib , breech plugs and anything else needed too put one together...615-654-4445

I just now got off the Phone with Tip Curtis, He does not have Breech Plugs. I didn’t ask about anything else? Tip said i was about the 5th person this month that has Called about These Breech plugs

 

[smo]

Thanks for the info


FYI Track of the Wolf has a good selection of TC breech plugs in stock , all but 3/4 16 thread ones for 1” barrels.

 

[Idaholewis]

Thanks for the info


FYI Track of the Wolf has a good selection of TC breech plugs in stock , all but 3/4 16 thread ones for 1” barrels.

They don’t have any Breech Plugs in 1” percussion, Nobody in the Country does that i am aware of? I have tried everyone. But i did find one through a friend, so I’m done looking

 

[smo]

They don’t have any Breech Plugs in 1” percussion, Nobody in the Country does that i am aware of? I have tried everyone. But i did find one through a friend, so I’m done looking

Congrats

 

[hinamanra]

For another option, contact Jason at Rice Barrels. He was started offering "Drop-in" barrels for those with 15/16th's barrel channels the last time I spoke with him at Friendship. He may have other choices available as well, but that's the only one I specifically asked about.

I talk to him about a .54 barrel for my T/C hawken a few weeks ago. I was going to build one, he never mentioned anything about a Rice drop in barrel. I don't know what barrel steel he's using but he didn't recommend building a 15/16 .54 barrel, he said that there wasn't enough meat for the under lug and sight dovetails. I was going to solder the under rib.

 

[Zonie]

Clear back in the days of the Civil War, the military ran tests to determine the thickness of the barrel wall at the breech that would be safe for the expected loads the barrels would see.

They came to the conclusion that a barrel wall of .200 inches was needed.

Things haven't changed and generally speaking, .200 is considered to be the minimum barrel wall thickness that should be used on a muzzleloading barrel made out of mild steel.

A 15/16" octagon barrel with a .54 inch bore has a wall thickness of (.9375 minus .54)/2 = .3975/2 = .1988".
While this is just slightly less than .200" and might be considered "close enough", when you subtract the typical .0625 (1/16") depth of the sight dovetail it becomes more like .136".

In the real world one must also subtract the depth of the rifling grooves. If the rifling is .007 deep, that .136 becomes .129".

Perhaps now you can understand why no good barrel maker will bore a 15/16" barrel out to a .54 caliber?

(No. I don't want to hear about some company that has ignored these sound bits of wisdom.)

 

[necchi]

OTOH, I would be happy to build a drop in for anyone. Total cost would be $625 plus shipping. My labor is only free to me.

LOL,
Your absolutely right longcruise,, some can do all that stuff, some cain't.
$625 plus, ain't bad,, offer warranty?

 

[necchi]

(No. I don't want to hear about some company that has ignored these sound bits of wisdom.)

Sorry, but I have a 15/16 GM I.B.S. in 54 mounted in my Cabelas/Investarms Hawken. It's already had several 1000 rounds through it. That barrel was actually one of the heli-coil repairs and I opted for the recall option.