Matthew323
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- Feb 15, 2020
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MtMonkey over on the Smokeless Muzzleloading section of the forums, has proposed an intriguing idea for me to consider. Which is shooting .40 caliber bullets out of the light blue Harvester Crush Rib .45 caliber sabots.
Being the contrarian that I am, and what with my first love being flintlocks, I was curious if I could combine the two ideas.
Jason at Rice Muzzleloading Barrels has told me that he will be willing to fabricate a 4140CM steel, octagon-round, 1:14" twist, 0.450" bore diameter, 0.458" groove diameter, fast twist barrel for me for an additional cost over the $375.00 for the Thompson Center drop-in barrels such as Idaholewis has purchased.
If I can get a piece of gun barrel quality 4140CM in sufficient diameter, 1.6"-1.75", then I think I will have Jason make up a 19" long, swamped, triple-taper, octagon-round barrel with a short flared muzzle. The breech will measure 1.434" A.t.F. octagon, tapering to 1.350" A.t.F. octagon at 7" (transition to round).
The barrel will then taper to 0.770" diameter at 11", with a third taper to 0.710" diameter at 16". Then it would flare out to 1.010" in diameter at the muzzle. Total weight approximately 3.25 pounds. For a 6.5-7 pound flintlock rifle when finished.
The reason for such a large diameter breech, is to allow for clearance between the ocular bell of the scope, and the hammer of the lock.
The scope will be mounted to the barrel's, integral, 0.100" deep, Talley, scope ring, dovetail bases, that will be machined into the top flat of the octagonal breech once the length of pull has been established. Dove's Custom Guns. ($500.00) [email protected]
I am curious as to the muzzle velocities that the Fury & Pittman .402 caliber bullets designed for use in the light blue Harvester Crush Rib sabots need to operate at in order to expand properly.
Does anyone posting here think that those bullets will work at black powder velocities in a flintlock? Or, do I need to consider a .402 diameter lead conical in the blue sabot?
Thanks, and remember I'm a contrarian, please don't tell me to go all modern. I know there is a way to combine the old & the new, one just has to think outside the box. Or, eliminate the box altogether.
Being the contrarian that I am, and what with my first love being flintlocks, I was curious if I could combine the two ideas.
Jason at Rice Muzzleloading Barrels has told me that he will be willing to fabricate a 4140CM steel, octagon-round, 1:14" twist, 0.450" bore diameter, 0.458" groove diameter, fast twist barrel for me for an additional cost over the $375.00 for the Thompson Center drop-in barrels such as Idaholewis has purchased.
If I can get a piece of gun barrel quality 4140CM in sufficient diameter, 1.6"-1.75", then I think I will have Jason make up a 19" long, swamped, triple-taper, octagon-round barrel with a short flared muzzle. The breech will measure 1.434" A.t.F. octagon, tapering to 1.350" A.t.F. octagon at 7" (transition to round).
The barrel will then taper to 0.770" diameter at 11", with a third taper to 0.710" diameter at 16". Then it would flare out to 1.010" in diameter at the muzzle. Total weight approximately 3.25 pounds. For a 6.5-7 pound flintlock rifle when finished.
The reason for such a large diameter breech, is to allow for clearance between the ocular bell of the scope, and the hammer of the lock.
The scope will be mounted to the barrel's, integral, 0.100" deep, Talley, scope ring, dovetail bases, that will be machined into the top flat of the octagonal breech once the length of pull has been established. Dove's Custom Guns. ($500.00) [email protected]
I am curious as to the muzzle velocities that the Fury & Pittman .402 caliber bullets designed for use in the light blue Harvester Crush Rib sabots need to operate at in order to expand properly.
Does anyone posting here think that those bullets will work at black powder velocities in a flintlock? Or, do I need to consider a .402 diameter lead conical in the blue sabot?
Thanks, and remember I'm a contrarian, please don't tell me to go all modern. I know there is a way to combine the old & the new, one just has to think outside the box. Or, eliminate the box altogether.