barrel length

[pkarr]

I've got a octagon to round rifled barrel 26" .54 thinking it might make a nice lite rifle. Any thoughts ? Think it's to short?

 

[Col. Batguano]

Straight? Any taper / swamp / swell to the round part? ATF measurement(s)?

Many options depending on the above.

 

[Billnpatti]

I think you could make as dandy rifle with that barrel. 26" is not too short to make a good rifle. Just how light it will be will depend on how heavy the barrel is to begin with and how you design your rifle....half stock would probably be the lightest but with care, you could make a light weight full stock rifle. But, if your barrel is heavy to begin with, you have an uphill battle in making a light weight rifle from it.

 

[LaBonte]

Nope not too short - this a Leman carried by the famed Chief Joseph - barrel length is 23 1/2"

an English half-stock rifle might be another idea especially in a light .54 caliber - parts are available from several sources including Track of the Wolf and Muzzleloader Builder Supply..
can offer examples if desired..

 

[longcruise]

A bit off the subject, but I find the placement of the cap box interesting.

 

[jamesthomas]

Well, I don't know about having a LIGHT rifle in a .54 cal. the recoil could be rather stiff. I would want some weight if I was shooting a .54 myself.

 

[Grumpa]

Not too short, at all. Some Jaeger rifles were that, and shorter. Should make a nice hunting rifle, and accurate, too.

Cap lock, or flint?

 

[bpd303]

Not too short for sure. I have an original German Jaeger 58 caliber with a 22 inch barrel. A joy to carry and shoot.

 

[Walks with fire]

A 26" barrel is about perfect for a thick woods hunting rifle. My .54 Deerstalker is only 24"; 15/16" barrel. Shoots accurate and a joy to carry. Recoil is not bad at all.

 

[AZbpBurner]

Purists malign the Deerstalker as not historically accurate, and a "cheap, entry-level commercial quality blackpowder rifle".

Nevertheless, at 100 yards, I can bust grapefruit all day long with it, and it's comfy to shoot. I could do the same with a custom rifle costing 5 times the Deerstalker price, but I shoot for my own amusement, and often to allow the newer generation of AK/AR kids that yesterday's technology is much more fun than state of the art shooting gear. None of the kids (12 years old to 40 years old) have yet disagreed.

 

[tenngun]

Handy when a horse back or in a conoe. Just dont call it a conoe gun :wink:

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Think it's to short?

Only if you want to call it a longrifle. :grin:

(iirc) Some of the plains rifles were very close to that length, and some had full stocks, plus somebody already mentioned Jaeger rifles being short as well.

LD

 

[rr11]

My main hunting rifle has a Long Hammock 36" barrel, A short barrel is handy in woods or a blind. I believe it would be a great rifle.

 

[M. De Land]

I have an orginal Navy Arm Hawken Hunter designed to shoot heavy conicals for heavy game.
It sports a 26 inch heavy octagon barrel. The conical I made for it weighs 620 grains in .58 cal and is a real kicker with a 150 grains of 2F behind it but accuracy at 100 yards has been superb considering the recoil.
I don't enjoy shooting it with that load but it has made some three shot groups at 100 yards in the two inch range if memory serves me correctly.
The velocity reading on my chronograph was 1400 fps! I'm still skeptical of that reading though although I must say it certainly felt like it and the whole charged looked as though it was being consumed in the 26 inch barrel from what I could detect on the bare ground in front of the muzzle.

 

[pkarr]

Thanks to all for the replies, its a flintlock barrel and tapered
I'll probably go with a tradegun or Fowler type not to worried about pc on this one. Thanks again guys.