Barrel life PRB

[Thekingd93]

I know it's impossible to put an exact number on it but how long will a barrel last when shooting mostly patched round ball before the rifling wears out and accuracy is diminished? Not something im particularly worried about with my BP firearms but just out of curiosity. I heard thompson center barrels are a harder steel than say traditions or CVA barrels.

 

[Sam squanch]

If you shoot every day for a year you may see some falling off of accuracy. I don’t think most of us shoot enough to tell. I think the patch material and lube used would be a factor too…

 

[LME]

I know it's impossible to put an exact number on it but how long will a barrel last when shooting mostly patched round ball before the rifling wears out and accuracy is diminished? Not something im particularly worried about with my BP firearms but just out of curiosity. I heard thompson center barrels are a harder steel than say traditions or CVA barrels.

Barrels are all mild steel. It is unsafe to use hard steel.

 

[tenngun]

Sam Falada stated about 1000 rounds back in the 1970s.
I think multi factors would go in to it, with the level of my shooting ive not seen it

 

[ohio ramrod]

My Douglas barreled target rifle has over 10,000 rounds through it and is still good.My nephew's barrel has probably half again that many through it and he still wins almost every time he shoots in a match. Douglas used leaded steel which is not as hard as T.C. barrels or green mountain. It isn't how many shots but how you clean and oil the barrels that determines the life of a barrel.A dirty ramrod will wear a barrel faster than the patch and ball which is why most target shooters use a bore protecter to protect the crown and first few inches of the barrel.

 

[springfield art]

I know it's impossible to put an exact number on it but how long will a barrel last when shooting mostly patched round ball before the rifling wears out and accuracy is diminished? Not something im particularly worried about with my BP firearms but just out of curiosity. I heard thompson center barrels are a harder steel than say traditions or CVA barrels.

Geez, how many lifetimes do you have?

 

[oldwood]

In the late 1970's , and 1980's , shot paper , and iron targets , offhand. Used a "C' wt. Getz 44 " .50 cal. , .490 ball. . After years of shooting , the Touch hole got enlarged , the patch fit got sloppy , and the muzzle crown became a little oval from the r/r So , re-crowned the muzzle , replaced the touch hole liner, and went to a .495 ball w/ a .005 patch. All was good again.

 

[Billy Boy]

I know it's impossible to put an exact number on it but how long will a barrel last when shooting mostly patched round ball before the rifling wears out and accuracy is diminished? Not something im particularly worried about with my BP firearms but just out of curiosity. I heard thompson center barrels are a harder steel than say traditions or CVA barrels.

It helps to use a cleaning rod made of very hard steel, ( doesn’t get grit imbedded in it and become a lap) and always keep your patches and patch material as clean as possible. Dirty patches act like sandpaper when fired.

 

[nkbj]

I shot out my first, a .45 Japanese made Kentucky.
I probably cleaned it into inaccuracy rather than the actual shooting but I shot a gazillion round ball from that thing.

 

[rich pierce]

10,000 is common as mentioned above.

 

[dave951]

I think how you care for the barrel is more a factor.

 

[Grenadier1758]

10,000 is common as mentioned above.

That is indeed quite possible, but don't expect that kind of life if the shooter is insisting on "seasoning" the barrel.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I have a Bill Large barreled gun that was once a .444 it is now closer to .45, the guy I got it from shot light target loads through it and said he shot up a pound of powder a week. I am the third owner of the rifle, my friend said the barrel had around 50K shots through it, it is still just about a one hole shooter at 50 yards.

Here is the breech after so many shots, I will never wear it out.

 

[LME]

I have a Bill Large barreled gun that was once a .444 it is now closer to .45, the guy I got it from shot light target loads through it and said he shot up a pound of powder a week. I am the third owner of the rifle, my friend said the barrel had around 50K shots through it, it is still just about a one hole shooter at 50 yards.

Here is the breech after so many shots, I will never wear it out.

View attachment 96951

That rifle has had some tender loving care!

 

[roundballman]

I have a 40 cal Douglas barreled Kentucky rifle that I built in 1973. It has had many patched ball rounds through it, don't know how many. Still shoots as good as I can hold it. I agree that patched round balls will not wear out a good barrel in a lifetime as long as good cleaning practices are used.

 

[mooman76]

I have an old original ML from the mid 1800s. It shows lots of use and repairs but the barrel is all original. It is still a tack driver.

 

[user 48679]

Barrels generally last a lifetime, if they're kept from rusting, bending, or being messed with.

There's plenty of 200-year old guns out there with unmolested barrels

 

[J. Paul]

My 79 tc 50 cal kit rifle lasted just over 15,000 rounds before accuracy disappeared. Mine was used to teach 4-H kids and Boy Scouts how to shoot for several years along with my shooting. We had been noting on shooting box number of RB used at each event over about 15 years. Replaced it with a 32" Green Mountain RB barrel that only has about 5,000 through it so far