Boring out to 20ga

[alcessapiens]

Nice, if I do send it off it’ll be to get it sleeved to .32. He’s not talking new work until march. And the nice part is that I can open it up to .550 and if I don’t like it that is still an option. As it stands, I’ll only have $60 into it.

 

[SDSmlf]

perhaps 16 gauge would be better??

Going to 16 gauge would leave even less barrel wall thickness than a 20 gauge???

I have had Mr Hoyt rebore a number of T/C barrels for me. Basically, with the one inch across the flats barrels he would go 58 caliber rifled, 60 caliber smooth bore. Provided there were no holes drilled deeper than normal.

You stated your barrel is 15/16”. Do the math, then call Mr Hoyt yourself for confirmation.

 

[alcessapiens]

Going to 16 gauge would leave even less barrel wall thickness than a 20 gauge???

I have had Mr Hoyt rebore a number of T/C barrels for me. Basically, with the one inch across the flats barrels he would go 58 caliber rifled, 60 caliber smooth bore. Provided there were no holes drilled deeper than normal.

You stated your barrel is 15/16”. Do the math, then call Mr Hoyt yourself for confirmation.

Did the math, that’s why I’m going to .550 or 28ga. Mr Hoyt isn’t taking new work right now. If I don’t like 28 ga I’ll get it sleeved to .32 later on. I originally thought to have it bored 20ga but the sight holes might be a problem. It’ll work out one way or another.

 

[Flint Striker]

There were some factory T/C barrels in .56 smoothbore, so you’re probably on the right track with heading to .55.

 

[Pilgrim]

Following the thread. I'm looking for a mistreated ML for a project gun.

 

[Rawhide67]

Several years ago, I had a cva bobcat 50cal barrel that was beyond cleanable. An acquaintance said he could team it to a smoothbore. It work hardened while he was doing the job. It's now 56ish with a bore full of scary scratches. Surprisingly accurate. Just a huge pain to clean.

 

[alcessapiens]

Several years ago, I had a cvs bobcat 50cal barrel that was beyond cleanable. An acquaintance said he could team it to a smoothbore. It work hardened while he was doing the job. It's now 56ish with a bore full of scary scratches. Surprisingly accurate. Just a huge pain to clean.

Perhaps you could polish them out? Of course, the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it “ aphorism comes to mind.

 

[alcessapiens]

Following the thread. I'm looking for a mistreated ML for a project gun.

At $35 how far wrong could I go? This poor thing was almost at the “put it out of its misery “ stage. I do this a lot with old carbon steel kitchen knives. Sometimes you can’t make them pretty but if the steel is good, the knife will be good.

 

[tallPercshooter]

perhaps 16 gauge would be better??

You realize 16 ga is larger than 20 ga.

 

[alcessapiens]

 

[alcessapiens]

Perma blue cold bluing after major pit removal. Not bad.

 

[alcessapiens]

 

[alcessapiens]

Crap photo but the stock isn’t bad either. The wood/metal fit for the tang was lousy so I’m going to wax it then epoxy it for a good even fit. The barrel may need the same as I removed a bit from the outside to get rid of pits. The wood is dry so I stained with an oil stain and the final finish will be linseed oil (until it stops drinking it in).

 

[TGJaeger]

Really nice looking job!

 

[Urban Coyote]

If it's a New Englander I'm thinking you could go to 12 GA unless the dovetail for the front sight presents a spot on the barrel that might be too thin in that area. I've a 12 GA New Englander I can drop a .50, (or a .54 if I had one), barrel into, same outer barrel dimensions for all three, 12 GA, .50 or .54.

 

[alcessapiens]

It can’t be bored beyond 20 ga, if that far. The barrel would end up too thin where the screw holes for sights and ramrod thimbles are. I want to shoot it, not get shot by it. I’m not done with the barrel, I’ve polished out a fair bit of rifling and coned the muzzle and I think I’ll experiment with a .490 and very thick patch. I doubt it’ll shoot at all well and if it doesn’t then it gets bored to 28ga (.550).

 

[alcessapiens]

 

[alcessapiens]

Going to cut a thin piece of black walnut for a rib and maybe make the tubes out of pieces of pipe. Less than $50 into it including cold bluing. I left shallow rifling in and I’ll see how it shoots. I have a lee RB mold that casts at about .495-.496 (I have a Lyman and a saeco that are spot on at .490). That and a thick greasy patch may be all right.

 

[UndeadPoet]

Al,
I did exactly what you’re talking about. Only difference was my New Englander donor was a .54 cal but in the same kind of shape and I had to pay $70 plus shipping for it. I sent it to Bobby Hoyt to be reamed to .62 and he did a great job, as he always does. He won’t go to 16ga because of the sight screw holes. I had never thought of that being a problem but having them close together it might be possible to rupture the barrel if the metal was cut too thin. Anyway, I slimmed the stock down, bobbed the fore end and put a nice piece of ebony on it, for the tip. Polished some of the metal and rust blued some. Came out kinda purty. Looks a bit like an English sporting gun. Doesn’t handle like one though, too short and heavy. A longer, lighter barrel would help that. But for < $250 I can’t complain.
I have used it in a couple of local mz shotgun shoots and have won them both. Working up loads has been an effort but still fun.

Best of luck!

Pictures, or it never happened… Please, and thank you.

 

[hunter thompson]

Id get it smooth enough inside as to not rip a patch..shoot it as is.It will shoot straight but just not same hole consistently