.375 Caliber Smooth Bore Rifle.....Possible?.....Accuracy?.....Retarded Idea?

[64Springer]

The Frankenstuffer scratch build now has two barrels. A 16ga smooth bore. And a .45 rifle barrel.

I thought a third barrel in a small caliber would be fun.

Wick's, metal supplier, has 4130 tubing with a .375 I.D. This stuff is finished like a mirror. Epoxying two tubes together gives me a barrel with a .375 I.D. with a 1.00 O.D. Was thinking no more than 24" long.

Has anyone on the forum actually used or built a small caliber smooth bore rifle? If so, what are your thoughts on the idea? Potential accuracy at modest distances of, say, 25 yards or less? AKA Squirrels.

TOTW sells .36 balls.


Many Thanks

 

[Old Hawkeye]

I'll hold your beer while you try that, from about 100 yards away! Don't think that's on the recommended use list for epoxy. Just sayin'.

 

[64Springer]

I'll hold your beer while you try that, from about 100 yards away! Don't think that's on the recommended use list for epoxy. Just sayin'.

If a 16ga held together using a .600 ball and 60 grains of FFF, then a .375 caliber will hold together.

Because there is zero pressure applied to the epoxy.

Under no circumstances will the epoxy fail.

 

[Billy-by-gosh]

The Frankenstuffer scratch build now has two barrels. A 16ga smooth bore. And a .45 rifle barrel.

I thought a third barrel in a small caliber would be fun.

Wick's, metal supplier, has 4130 tubing with a .375 I.D. This stuff is finished like a mirror. Epoxying two tubes together gives me a barrel with a .375 I.D. with a 1.00 O.D. Was thinking no more than 24" long.

Has anyone on the forum actually used or built a small caliber smooth bore rifle? If so, what are your thoughts on the idea? Potential accuracy at modest distances of, say, 25 yards or less? AKA Squirrels.

TOTW sells .36 balls.


Many Thanks

Lots of barrel relines have been done using epoxy in place of solder. The barrel metallurgy will play a large part in determining the longevity of use. Of course your fitment will be the critical factor in safety of the barrel. Project sounds intriguing - keep us posted on it!

 

[64Springer]

Lots of barrel relines have been done using epoxy in place of solder. The barrel metallurgy will play a large part in determining the longevity of use. Of course your fitment will be the critical factor in safety of the barrel. Project sounds intriguing - keep us posted on it!

A kind forum member sent me pictures of his rifle, his target and load data.

That was good enough for me.

Tubing, drum, nipple and balls are on the way.

 

[Sandro_Ventania]

Um gentil membro do fórum me enviou fotos de seu rifle, seu alvo e dados de carga.

Isso foi bom o suficiente para mim.

Tubulação, tambor, niple e bolas estão a caminho.

Please, share the information!

 

[Billy-by-gosh]

A kind forum member sent me pictures of his rifle, his target and load data.

That was good enough for me.

Tubing, drum, nipple and balls are on the way.

@64Springer - did you ever pursue this barrel build? Just curious as to how it would turn out

 

[64Springer]

@64Springer - did you ever pursue this barrel build? Just curious as to how it would turn out

Funny you should ask.

I'm taking her out this morning for trial runs.

 

[64Springer]

The Olympics are not in Frankenstuffer's future. At least with this barrel. This is at 12 yards. As it stands right now, I'm calling this a FAIL.

20 inch barrel. .375 bore. .360 balls. .015 patches. Could definitely go with .018.

The patches were cutting at the muzzle like a lead ring on a cap n ball revolver. Need to break the edge on that chamfer.

Wondering if the balls were shooting past the patch while the ball was still in the bore.

5 shots with 40 grains of 3F Black.

3 shots with 50 grains of 3F Black.

 

[Britsmoothy]

The Olympics are not in Frankenstuffer's future. At least with this barrel. This is at 12 yards. As it stands right now, I'm calling this a FAIL.

20 inch barrel. .375 bore. .360 balls. .015 patches. Could definitely go with .018.

The patches were cutting at the muzzle like a lead ring on a cap n ball revolver. Need to break the edge on that chamfer.

Wondering if the balls were shooting past the patch while the ball was still in the bore.

5 shots with 40 grains of 3F Black.

3 shots with 50 grains of 3F Black.

Try it without a patch. Try it with two balls loaded. Try it with shot too.

 

[Hermit Tim]

Well I'd bet it's a fun project anyway.

 

[64Springer]

Try it without a patch. Try it with two balls loaded. Try it with shot too.

I do have some .375 balls for a revolver.

Had thought about two or even three balls but chickened out.

Shot is a great idea. Hadn't thought of that.

I have a 25 pounds of #6 with antimony in the blend.

 

[Billy-by-gosh]

The Olympics are not in Frankenstuffer's future. At least with this barrel. This is at 12 yards. As it stands right now, I'm calling this a FAIL.

20 inch barrel. .375 bore. .360 balls. .015 patches. Could definitely go with .018.

The patches were cutting at the muzzle like a lead ring on a cap n ball revolver. Need to break the edge on that chamfer.

Wondering if the balls were shooting past the patch while the ball was still in the bore.

5 shots with 40 grains of 3F Black.

3 shots with 50 grains of 3F Black.

Great start! By all means do a light chamfer on the sharp muzzle. Since you're firing a 1" barrel with a smooth smallbore liner, you could possibly go heavier on the powder charge, since higher velocity sometimes helps shrink roundball groups at distance on smoothbores. Keep us posted on progress!

 

[TechMoron]

I thought posts like this were supposed to include LOTS of pictures?

 

[TechMoron]

The Olympics are not in Frankenstuffer's future. At least with this barrel. This is at 12 yards. As it stands right now, I'm calling this a FAIL.

20 inch barrel. .375 bore. .360 balls. .015 patches. Could definitely go with .018.

The patches were cutting at the muzzle like a lead ring on a cap n ball revolver. Need to break the edge on that chamfer.

Wondering if the balls were shooting past the patch while the ball was still in the bore.

5 shots with 40 grains of 3F Black.

3 shots with 50 grains of 3F Black.

Well, you could always send it out to be rifled. Like a tight 40cal.

 

[64Springer]

I thought posts like this were supposed to include LOTS of pictures?

 

[TechMoron]

Woah! I like that high-tech front motor mount.

 

[Britsmoothy]

The HC and pc boys are gonna have a meltdown!

 

[French Colonial]

I always thought that a barrel with a liner in it should be more accurate than a barrel in the same caliber with no liner.

My theory was that the vibration induced when firing would be nullified by the grain structure of the different tubes. I had a couple of barrels relined and neither of them showed any improvement and in fact I was terribly disappointed. I thought I was going to have a secret weapon to defeat my competitors!

 

[4119Bill]

I like it!!! Others won't. A side hammer Frankenstein tactical. A rat rod muzzleloader.

You gave me an idea. I wonder if I could hone that type of barrel out. To make it take .375 balls with a patch.
It would go well with my 1851 navy.

Question??? How smooth is the inside of the tube you are using??