Traditions Sidelock .50 Barrel issue

[bloodhound]

So about 13 years ago, my son in law bought a "Hunting Rifle" from a friend at work. The friend had quit and needed $$ to move. So my SIL came home with a Traditions sidelock .50 cal with a black synthetic stock. The bore showed some poor care and after heavy cleaning it showed a few pitted sections. But it was "His" and the first ever firearms purchase and he was proud of it...so I took him to the range and we worked up a load and outfitted him with all the items he needed to shoot it.

Well since that day my daughter bought him a centerfire hunting rifle and other guns...but he still has that old muzzleloader and he told me last month that he wants to "Hunt something" with it. Well we have coyotes and I was thinking that would work so he can hunt with "His" first gun.

We went back to the range since he hasn't fired it in almost 5 years...its on target with the load we had worked up out to 50 yards, it opens up some at 75 and that should be fine for the close calling areas I am thinking of.

He hit me up with this question the other night and asked about a new barrel for his ML...I tried to be tactful, and explained that it was not an expensive rifle and that a new barrel was pricey and that in this case wasn't needed. He said that if he hunted coyotes with it that he might want to hunt deer and maybe elk...

I think he is putting the cart before the horse, but I said I would ask...is there a source for reasonably priced barrels for this rifle?

 

[deermanok]

I own and hunt with several Traditions rifles, so I know them pretty well.
Finding a replacement barrel might be a challenge. I rarely see any come up for sale on sites like eBay.
You could contact Traditions in Old Saybrook, Connecticut to inquire about a new barrel. I don't have a guess as to cost but I know you can get a brand new deerhunter rifle for a bit over $ 300.00.
I own an old CVA rifle with a pitted barrel and it shoots fine for me. In fact, I shot a deer with it just last week. That deer didn't seem to mind that the barrel wasn't brand new.

 

[bloodhound]

I am going to try to encourage him to shoot it as is and see that he is likely good to go as is...if he wants something maybe a new/different ML in .45 or .54...

Thanks for you info and help

 

[deermanok]

No problem. Changing a few things like powder charges, patch thickness, ball diameter, can make a big difference.

 

[junkman]

Actually inquired about a barrel from Traditions last week.Dude on the phone said they are not available and even if they were it would cost almost as much as the whole rifle.

 

[Matthew323]

I was going to say that new barrels from any of the Italian or Spanish muzzleoading companies would cost close to, or more than a new rifle.

As long as he decides to go to work each day, and I believe that he is over 80 years old, Bobby Hoyt, who is truly a National Treasure, is the muzzleoading community's go to man for rehabilitating trashed muzzleoading barrels.

If your SIL really wants to rehab the barrel, then I would suggest calling Mr. Hoyt on the phone, to ask for his advice, and a quote. Possibly to reline the barrel, or perhaps to bore it out to the next larger caliber, and re-rifle it.

He only has a landline, and is not on, or connected to, the internet in any fashion that I am aware of.

Robert A. (Bobby) Hoyt
2372 Mt. Hope Rd.
Fairfield, Pennsylvania 17320
1-717-642-6696

Call him early in the morning, as once he starts his machinery, he is nearly impossible to get on the phone, as his hearing is mostly gone due to decades of not wearing any form of hearing protection while running that machinery.

 

[brushblind]

deercreekproducts.net

 

[bloodhound]

Well we went to the range last night and he tried a Buffalo Bore conical and it really shot well for him...I don't know where he picked up that box and he couldn't remember..so now he is on the hunt for bullets and not a barrel...so we are on the right track. Thanks again for the info.

UPDATE:

Well it looks like Buffalo Bullets is out of the biz...so onto Hornady Great Plains as that is touted as the closest thing to the Buffalo Bullets.

 

[deermanok]

You might try some Hornady PA conicals. They shoot really good in my Traditions deerhunter rifle.
Muzzle-Loaders.com has them for about $ 18.00 box of 50.

 

[bloodhound]

Cool...thanks for the heads up

 

[deermanok]

Cool...thanks for the heads up

The Buffalo Bullet company used to make one called the Ballette. I loved those old bullets. The PA conicals are almost identical.

 

[bloodhound]

That looks like what he had last night. I just ordered him some...Thank you

 

[deermanok]

That looks like what he had last night. I just ordered him some...Thank you

I killed a deer with one just last week. Shooting an old CVA Mountain Stalker rifle.

 

[deermanok]

They're a little hard to start. I push them in the barrel as far as I can with my thumb. Then with my short starter, I give em a good smack with the palm of my hand. They go down the barrel easy after that.

 

[Les Harris]

Pa. conicals worked for me. Reasonable in price, grouped well, and available.

 

[UndeadPoet]

I would agree with most everyone else on here that it would probably be more cost effective to pick up a used (or possibly, new) rifle.