Bulged Barrel Help

[Ndwilhoit]

I recently bought a used TC Hawkins 50 cal, after receiving and loading for first time I’ve realized the barrell is bulged near the base, other than a new barrel what are some things a guy can do to rectify this problem, and is it safe to shoot Thanks ! *Extreme Newbie to the game*

 

[bubba.50]

May or may not be safe to shoot. Only you can decide this. Personally, I'd replace it or have it lined.

 

[bubba.50]

But first I'd mike the outside to determine if it's actually bulged or just got a loose/slick spot in the bore.

 

[Ndwilhoit]

May or may not be safe to shoot. Only you can decide this. Personally, I'd replace it or have it lined.

Thanks for the quick reply sir Stock also had a hairline crack around the lock into the wrist. You win some and loose some but buying something as is is always a gamble

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I recently bought a used TC Hawkins 50 cal, after receiving and loading for first time I’ve realized the barrell is bulged near the base, other than a new barrel what are some things a guy can do to rectify this problem, and is it safe to shoot Thanks ! *Extreme Newbie to the game*

So by the "base" I imagine that you mean the breech, the closed end of the barrel that's next to the lock.
So you want to have the breech checked to make sure that as mentioned above, the breech area is safe to shoot.

IF the bulge is filled by loose powder when the normal powder charge is present, then you likely can simply remember not to use less powder than that "normal" charge, and shoot the rifle. However, IF the bulge is slightly ahead of where the normal powder charge sits..., then you can load a "filler" of something like cornmeal or grits on top of the powder, between the bullet or the patched ball and the powder. This will keep the projectiles from losing contact with the rifling, and you should be able to shoot the rifle with accuracy. I would not do this, however if the bulge is more than 1 inch beyond where the powder sits when the normal powder load is in place.

LD

 

[Youngblood]

Thats good info right there Loyalist Dave and i like the drawing too.

Man id be leery about shooting that. Would it be a manufacturing defect or someone over charged the thing?

 

[The Crisco Kid]

The club I belong to had a Pedersoli 50 cal that had a bulge somewhere around the middle of the barrel. It was bulged enough to be seen by sighting down the barrel. It shot fine and was an accurate rifle although it did feel a little odd when the ball was rammed through the bulge. As far as safety goes in the OP I would think that as long as there is no gap between the powder and ball it will be safe. That's unless the bulge is really severe like someone shot a smokeless charge. The crack in the wrist may indicate a severe overload or it may just be a coincidence. As mentioned it should definitely be checked out by someone knowledgable.

 

[Ndwilhoit]

So by the "base" I imagine that you mean the breech, the closed end of the barrel that's next to the lock.
So you want to have the breech checked to make sure that as mentioned above, the breech area is safe to shoot.

IF the bulge is filled by loose powder when the normal powder charge is present, then you likely can simply remember not to use less powder than that "normal" charge, and shoot the rifle. However, IF the bulge is slightly ahead of where the normal powder charge sits..., then you can load a "filler" of something like cornmeal or grits on top of the powder, between the bullet or the patched ball and the powder. This will keep the projectiles from losing contact with the rifling, and you should be able to shoot the rifle with accuracy. I would not do this, however if the bulge is more than 1 inch beyond where the powder sits when the normal powder load is in place.

View attachment 140105

LD

Awesome insight LD and thanks for the response , I’ll do some some measuring on the barrel and get an accurate measurement on where the problem is, either way it’s a good learning experience which is important to me. Sometimes learning is expensive ha

 

[Ndwilhoit]

The club I belong to had a Pedersoli 50 cal that had a bulge somewhere around the middle of the barrel. It was bulged enough to be seen by sighting down the barrel. It shot fine and was an accurate rifle although it did feel a little odd when the ball was rammed through the bulge. As far as safety goes in the OP I would think that as long as there is no gap between the powder and ball it will be safe. That's unless the bulge is really severe like someone shot a smokeless charge. The crack in the wrist may indicate a severe overload or it may just be a coincidence. As mentioned it should definitely be checked out by someone knowledgable.

My plan is to break the gun completely down and find someone around central Illinois to give it a good once over before I shoot it again, may turn into a part out gun or a nice conversation piece on the wall. Thanks for your input sir !

 

[hanshi]

Me, I'd likely be more concerned about the crack in the stock and would definitely fix that. The previous posts about the bulge are pretty much spot-on. I had a longrifle years ago that had a slight bulge about the middle of the barrel. Mostly it went unnoticed until a tight patch was pushed in the bore. If the finger was carefully slid along the barrel flat it could be felt. But that rifle was my best off hand shooter and accurate in the extreme.

 

[hawkeye2]

As above and if you can't live with it have Bobby Hoyt bore it out or put a liner in. Both are cheap alternatives to replacing a barrel and you'll end up with a more accurate gun.

 

[SDSmlf]

I’ll jump on the Hoyt bandwagon here. If the bulge bothers you, call him and see if he will evaluate the gun for you if you send it to him. Everyone here is just speculating without actually inspecting the barrel that you don’t seem that confident with.

 

[bang]

Get a barrel.
Cut off just fwd of bulge. New
breach and adjust lug, rib and ram rod. Lots of work.

 

[Ndwilhoit]

Thanks for the input fellas!!, many more options available than I had figured.

 

[Dave Fox]

Hoyt fan here, too. Personally, I'd be reluctant to opine that a flawed firearm is or is not safe to shoot, especially never having seen it, not being a gunsmith, nor holding a degree in metallurgy. From this remove, however, one may be excused for suspecting that with its cracked stock and bulged barrel this rifle was exposed to extreme internal pressure and the bulge isn't just an anomaly that slipped by the manufacturer's inspection. Having perhaps once only partially survived a catastrophe, every time I pulled trigger I'd wonder what reserve it now possesses before it fails dramatically. But that's just me.

 

[oldwood]

It's not if the barrel will fail , but what person will it injure or kill when it does. I vote to fix the barrel, or replace it. Good chance to see what magic Mr. Hoyt will do.

 

[Dave Fox]

Well, yeah. Too close to playing Russian roulette. Spin that cylinder, pull that trigger....

 

[sturmkatze]

Do the gunsmith route first.

 

[ronaldrothb49]

I recently bought a used TC Hawkins 50 cal, after receiving and loading for first time I’ve realized the barrell is bulged near the base, other than a new barrel what are some things a guy can do to rectify this problem, and is it safe to shoot Thanks ! *Extreme Newbie to the game*

If it has a visible bulge that is a sign that the barrel has been subjected to excess pressure. In addition to the bulge there are probably micro cracks in the metal which will drastically affect how much pressure it will be capable of handling. Not something I would consider safe to shoot. Whoever sold you that rifle has shown a total lack of ethics, Personally I would never buy a rifle that I couldn't see first.

 

[R Ellis]

Fix the stock and replace the barrel ebay and Gun Broker both have T/c hawken barrels for sale every day and you have time for inspection if it is not in good condition you can return for full refund