Colerain muzzle

[markdwhite15]

Need opinions of someone smarter than me. Traded for a rifle with a Colerain .50 caliber barrel. Land is .494. Groove is .518. What I'm wondering about is the crown on this barrel. Does it look right? Should it be polished or something?
Thanks

 

[SDSmlf]

What I'm wondering about is the crown on this barrel. Does it look right? Should it be polished or something?

It doesn’t look super pretty, but does it shoot? Does it tear patches when you load it? If it shoots good and isn’t tearing patches, leave it alone. You know, if it isn’t broken….

If you find it needs some work or you can’t help yourself, here is a link to post with some ideas.
Post in thread 'Help Needed for Torn Patches'
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/help-needed-for-torn-patches.184252/post-2683175

 

[Grenadier1758]

With those dimensions I would recommend a ball of 0.485" and 0.018" patch. Lube is your choice.

 

[markdwhite15]

Great minds think alike I just ordered a .485 mold from Larry Callahan

 

[The Crisco Kid]

That's an ugly, unprofessional looking crown if I ever saw one. I'd have it re-crowned or polished just for appearance sake if nothing else, even if it does shoot ok.

 

[ord sgt]

I bought a Colerain barrel for my S .Hawkin build. I have found through testing that a .490 roundball cast from a Lyman mold, a .010 patch with Wonderlube and 40 grs FFFg is bad medicine for targets.
I did nothing to the crown except to smooth the muzzle face with 1000 grit paper.

 

[Antelope Pete]

My rifle has a Colerain barrel and it doesn't look like that. That one is considerably deeper and rougher. Looks like somebody else did that.

 

[markdwhite15]

Wonder if someone tried to cone it, it's a Jackie Brown rifle.

 

[stubshaft]

I'd give it a couple of swipes of 220 followed by 320 to get rid of those tool marks.

 

[deerstalkert]

crown looks good to me. shoot it and go from there.
If it shoots good, and you get comments on the looks, you can always do as i do when shooting my ugliest rifle, wear a bag over your head. if comments are really bad, double bag.

 

[markdwhite15]

I definitely want it to load easier, had to pound in the first load of a .490 ball and .015 lubed patch. Why I measured it, took a lot to get it started too.

 

[Tizzy]

Does it shoot and load easy? If so leave it alone. If it doesn’t or you are worried about its aesthetic or historically correct appearance, use a file to shave it down,(looks like you have a few thousands to work with)then use some sandpaper with your thumb to smooth out the crown.

 

[longwalk]

I would take some 400 and 600 wet / dry sand paper and with your thumb run it around the muzzle about 50 to 100 times. then use some 4/0 steel wool and do the same. Put some cloth in the barrel first below the crown to keep the dirt out. Where in Ohio?

 

[markdwhite15]

Meigs county, about 12 miles north of Pomeroy

 

[markdwhite15]

Meigs county, about 12 miles north of Pomeroy

 

[Grenadier1758]

I definitely want it to load easier, had to pound in the first load of a .490 ball and .015 lubed patch. Why I measured it, took a lot to get it started too.

Smoothing the crown won't hurt and it will give you something to do while waiting on your mold.

 

[flatcreek]

Using sandpaper or a file in my hands to work on the crown of my rifle frightens me. They have tools to smooth and tools to cut the crown of a rifle at Brownells. Also you can use a round head bolt or screw with valve grinding compound. But files and sandpaper on a crown scare me.

 

[Siringo]

All my colaraine barrels required thick patches or the use of a backer patch to prevent patch burnout/blowby. With a thick patch they are difficult to load, so I coned the muzzles. All was well after that.

 

[longcruise]

I would automatically smooth and round that muzzle.