.62cal Smoothbore converstion to rifled?

[roundball]

Can an existing GM 1" x 33" Flint smoothbore barrel be converted to a rifled barrel?

Thinking out loud about how it might be interesting to have a rifled .62cal, but GM doesn't make a rifled version as a 'drop-in' for a TC Hawken.

Are there places that do this with results as good as if it had been rifled from the very start?

I'm assuming the breech plug would be pulled, the bore rifled, plug reinstalled and barrel reblued.

Existing bore diameter shouldn't change...just cut the rifling?

:hmm: :hmm:

 

[Mike Brooks]

Bob Hoyt out of PA could do it.

 

[RC]

ahhhhhhhhhhh, roundball's lookin fer one of them 200 yard shooters!!! :rotf: this could get interestin! :hmm: ya got two smooth 62 barrels (1 fer riflin 1 keepin smooth) roundball? :hmm: RC now, what twist?

 

[Homesteader]

Seems to me the big problem would be the thickness of the barrel itself. My smoothbores all have rather thin metal tubes, especially compared to my rifles, which are all pretty thick. (Comparatively.)

I believe I read somewhere it's because of the pressure differences. A rifle builds up much more than a smoothie. So wouldn't rifling a smoothbore weaken the barrel and increase pressures at the same time?

It'd be interesting, but I wouldn't want to pull the trigger first.

 

[roundball]

Seems to me the big problem would be the thickness of the barrel itself.

"...Can an existing GM 1" x 33" Flint smoothbore barrel be converted to a rifled barrel?..."
Not a problem on this barrel...

 

[faw3]

Ive got a LONG HAMMOCK 1X36" 62 and shoot 150 grs 2f for the last 2 years its no big deal at all no pr because of bore size. Fred :hatsoff: (also have a Zeph barrel that uses 220gr 2f. Fred :hatsoff:

 

[Homesteader]

Hmmmm... Yeah, that 1" part slipped right by me. That's interesting, and it's got me a little confused. My Brown Bess has a paper thin steel tube that's less than an inch all the way across the muzzle. My double barrel 12 gauge cap-lock has similarly thin barrels, and each measure less than an inch across at the muzzle. My .54 Sharps seems to be about 1/8" thick or so but still less than, or maybe just at, an inch all the way across the muzzle. My .45 rifled flinter is much thicker, I notice.

This isn't meant to be contentious at all; I'm genuinely interested in learning. What does "GM 1" x 33" Flint smoothbore barrel" mean? 33" is length, I assume, but what exactly does the 1" represent? And why would a smoothbore be built with such a thick barrel?

The forum has taught me a lot, and the more I learn, the more I learn there's a lot I don't know. I always appreciate all of you who are willing to teach.

BTW: Merry Christmas!

 

[RC]

roundball or others will tell fer sure but i think it's green mountain,(made the barrel) 1 is one inch diameter, and 33 lenght ,it's a "drop in" barrel and the channel is an inch so the barrel ,to fit, must be an inch too...thus the thick walls so rifling can be done..but i'm guessin...did i do good? :hmm: RC

 

[Homesteader]

Ahhhhh!! Now that makes sense to me. Seems like it'd make for a heavy smoothie at the muzzle (hence the short barrel?), but it does explain it for me. Thanks for the insight. (As far as I'm concerned, you did real good!) :bow:

And to Roundball: please keep us posted on how this works out for you. Interesting project.

 

[faw3]

Belive me the 62 smooth or rifled is like a feather at 36" "long and 1" wide a 33 couldnt weigh nothing, less than my 50 cal 20" X 1" underhammer barrel. Or maybe it's the balance, I can carry one all day......unloaded. :rotf: Fred :hatsoff: And they are FUN to shoot all day long.

 

[roundball]

"...Seems like it'd make for a heavy smoothie at the muzzle (hence the short barrel?)..."

Actually, with the large bore drilled into that 1" barrel it's not as heavy as you might[url] thnk...in[/url] fact, I prefer heavy rifles and when using it for deer hunting from a stand I put a solid 3/8" brass ramrod on it to get extra weight out front...really hangs on the target...if I was going to use it for any form of still hunting I'd rezero it with a lighter tubular brass rod in the thimbles.

As far as barrel length, remember that these barrels are 'drop-ins' for a TC Hawken/Renegade both of which are half stocked rifles.
Also, I'm not sure if barrel length beyond 33" does much more for powder burning efficiency...

 

[faw3]

Weve seen this come up maybe 100 times in some spot or other on here, "Also, I'm not sure if barrel length beyond 33" does much more for powder burning efficiency...
I dont know but have seen to test one by SAM F and one in a Lyman book I think it was, and they started off with 44" or so and kept cutting off 5" or so till they got to 24 and except for the 32 + 36 they only lost 150 fps in 50.54 and maybe a bit more in the 45 like 200. So go figure? :hmm: I dont know but seeing how fast it burns in a barrel (the power spike) I cant see a lot of help with a much longer barrel than 28 to 32 except for sights. Fred :hatsoff: