Barska barrel boogyman

[user 23626]

I've been building shallow groove slow twist UHs and quite comfortable with them. HOWEVER I acquired some "donno what" NOS barrels from Mr. Story, well known gunsmith in Casper Wy. All very nice and mint bores. Looking down the bbl some appear to be fast twist so I need a swiveling handle range rod to try and figure out what I have here. A 40 and a 54? have been converted by Pecatonica to conform to the rest of my switch bbl rifles with Colerain bbls. But these boys have very deep grooves and feel like "choked" barrels when trying to seat a projectile. Very tight for the first 8" or so, then easy the rest of the way. These pics are of the one I'm currently trying to find what and how to load. Eight lands, grooves are .530 and lands only .500. Tried it with 70 grs Elephant FFG with card over then couldn't get anything I have to go down the bore, ie: 50 sabot with cast 45 cal, 44 cal SWCs, no go. Finally to discharge the load I put a 40cal RB with a bunch of patching (tight then loose going down) to clear the bore. Barska was a well know BP bbl maker in Montana so the quality is good it's just I don't know JS about fast twist deep groove bbls. Any and all deeply appreciated................. Trader

 

[smokepolehall]

I've been building shallow groove slow twist UHs and quite comfortable with them. HOWEVER I acquired some "donno what" NOS barrels from Mr. Story, well known gunsmith in Casper Wy. All very nice and mint bores. Looking down the bbl some appear to be fast twist so I need a swiveling handle range rod to try and figure out what I have here. A 40 and a 54? have been converted by Pecatonica to conform to the rest of my switch bbl rifles with Colerain bbls. But these boys have very deep grooves and feel like "choked" barrels when trying to seat a projectile. Very tight for the first 8" or so, then easy the rest of the way. These pics are of the one I'm currently trying to find what and how to load. Eight lands, grooves are .530 and lands only .500. Tried it with 70 grs Elephant FFG with card over then couldn't get anything I have to go down the bore, ie: 50 sabot with cast 45 cal, 44 cal SWCs, no go. Finally to discharge the load I put a 40cal RB with a bunch of patching (tight then loose going down) to clear the bore. Barska was a well know BP bbl maker in Montana so the quality is good it's just I don't know JS about fast twist deep groove bbls. Any and all deeply appreciated................. Trader

I am not up on this stuff as i should be. I do know any caliber that the groove depth is over .010 is for prb's. All under can do well using the bullets with sabots if twist rate is ok & the conicals