Max SAFE Smoothbore in 15/16th barrel

[wganz]

What is the max smooth bore diameter to ask Bob Hoyt to open an InvestArm Hawken barrel that is 15/16th across the flats?



BTW. Got to introduce myself to Mr Hoyt at the N-SSA National Match. A slight quiet man with sharp blue eyes sparkling with smarts. Quite impressed.

 

[SDSmlf]

What is the max smooth bore diameter to ask Bob Hoyt to open an InvestArm Hawken barrel that is 15/16th across the flats?

It will depend on depth and location of any dovetail slots or screw holes. Mr Hoyt’s (or whoever is doing the rebore) call. Might be easiest to just ask him.

Just for discussion, when I spoke with Mr Hoyt a while back about what he would bore a one inch T/C out to, he told me depending on depth of screw holes, 58 cal rifled, 60 cal smooth bore max. A quick interpolation with your 15/16 barrel says 54 caliber would be it, but one would have to ask.

 

[centershot]

Yes, I would agree with that thought. With the 15/16" barrel, a .54 re-bore would be about all you could safely expect to achieve. Maybe a .56 smoothbore.

 

[wganz]

I would be happy with a .54 which would be a 30 gauge.


Thought about it for about a minute and 32 gauge reloading components are so rare, that it really isn't worth it to step down to a 32 gauge just to use its plastic wads. Not like I haven't researched wads before. Wad research linkage.

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

Why ask a forum full of strangers? You have already talked to Bobby Hoyt, a well known and respected expert. Go no further.

 

[wganz]

Why ask a forum full of strangers? You have already talked to Bobby Hoyt, a well known and respected expert. Go no further.

because there was only time to introduce myself to him at the N-SSA Nationals and not have a drawn out discussion with him.
He had 2 other customers there with Texas pennies in hand and he said to call him in 2 months when the breech plugs for the 1816 H&P musket conversion should have came in to discuss getting that barrel done. To me, getting my original 1853 musket running for N-SSA is a higher priority than getting an extra shotgun barrel for a kit project gun that I don't even have yet. Add on top of that I didn't lose that thought in a COVID brain fog moment after driving 1,359 miles from Winchester, Virginia to Plano, Texas in 2 days.

And, plus, I wanted to sound at least slight smarter than a Neanderthal and not waste his time with totally smooth ignorant questions(i.e. "How much will it cost me to bore this here .50" barrel out to 12GA?") by having done some research on the topic before talking with a man that has forgotten more about barrels than I'll ever know. Just regard it as a personal quirk of mine.

 

[necchi]

I asked him once about a T/C 15/16" barrel,
H said he had a .58 reamer someplace,,
Then he shared,,
"It's really not about the size of the barrel so much as it's about how deep the "factory" drilled the holes for the sights an rail that matter."

So a new 15/16" barrel could probably go .62,, but if ya drill an tap a bunch of holes in it,, that changes the available wall thickness.

 

[Grenadier1758]

@wganz, why not have the barrel bored out to 0.560" or 28 gauge? As long as you are thinking about future options, give yourself some choices.

 

[Brokennock]

Just out of curiosity on my part. Can any factory screw holes and dovetail be welded and filled, thus allowing a slightly larger bore diameter?
Barrel key/pin lugs can be soldered on as can a front sight. A aperture rear sight can be mounted to the barrel tang screw. Some things may be dictated or determined by the intended use of the gun after the work is done.

 

[hanshi]

I pretty much agree with the above posts. Bobby may need to actually look at the barrel to determine the largest smoothbore for your particular 15/16" barrel that would be safe. Call him and ask; plus if you're in no hurry advise him you're sending him the barrel and let him decide.

 

[brushblind]

I wouldn't go any deeper than the grooves, just have the lands removed then polish. Mr. Hoyt can determine what the max is.