Example pictures & pricing of 'barrel work' by Bobby Hot - PA

[Flint62Smoothie]

Many friends have sent barrels to Mr. Hoyt to have work done. He can do anything (within reason) ...

• Check and bend a barrel to be straight
• Check the integrity of a breech plug or fabricate and install one. Note Bobby reports that he has YET to have a breech plug, even on old originals, that he cannot remove ...
• Convert a smoothbore to be a rifle, by adding cut rifling
• Boring out a smoothbore or shot-out rifle bore and adding a rifled liner (where possible, cut rifling is a less expensive and better alternative than a liner)
• Boring out a rifle to be a smoothbore
• Honing out a sewer pipe smoothbore barrel to be like new
• Lengthen a barrel (RickyStL had one done and you can't even see the joint line!)

And now it was my turn! I recently sent him 2 barrels, as received shown below:

#1, an original 'old' barrel smoothbore, to have the breech plug integrity checked, the existing touch hole welded closed (so I can re-drill a new one, where the old barrel was added to make the arm look complete) and to hone the barrel smooth so as to make it shootable, provided that the breech and barrel proved sound. The work for this barrel cost me $60 and 13.35 for the partial shipping (determined by percentage of the total work price), for a total of $73.35.

We believe this barrel to be an old European musket barrel. It was added to what appears to be a 1500s snapping matchlock, where the lock was unoperable, yet the stock is adorned with horn inlays and such decorations.

#2, a smoothbore Baker barrel to have the breech plug integrity checked, and then have it either rifled or have a liner installed to be a 62-cal rifle bore. The breech was sound, the barrel was straight enough, and the breech and barrel walls were thick enough to rifle ... so she's now a rifle bore of about 1 in 70" twist, not as slow as original Bakers, but hey ... at least I have a 62-cal rifle in the stable to shoot. And a cool one at that! On barrels that aren't straight or can't be straightened, he drills and adds the rifled liner. The work for this barrel cost me $80 and 17.80 for its partial share of the shipping, for a total of $97.80.

I sent them about ~2-months ago and am pleased with the turn-around - as it wasn't until March was over that he was accepting new orders - but I am absolutely THRILLED with the outcome and exceptional work and value for the price charged. Now a caveat - whereas every barrel is DIFFERENT ... so you could allegedly have the same type of work be done and be charged a quite different price, so please be aware of that and that time = money, so if it takes him more time ... youse gotta pay ...

Not the best pictures shown, but I intend to clean them out well of all machining materials and/or fluids using J&B Bore Polishing Compound.

 

[chorizo]

Have had 7 barrels done. Bored out to 58 and 54 cal, carbine cuts, fast twist in a variety of lengths and twists. rifling depth is .010

$150 per barrel, $50 shipping if you send an individual barrel.

Here are pics of 4 of the 54 cal

 

[rickystl]

Hi Flint

Congratulations on both barrels. Mr. Hoyt has a set of skills that I don't believe have been replicated anywhere that I know of. He's simply a genius when it comes to muzzle loading barrels. For the sake of future muzzle loading enthusiasts, I hope he trains an apprentice.
I'm glad Bobby was able to simply check out and burnish that old, original barrel. Sometimes you can get lucky with just a bore refresh. But I have always trusted his judgement foremost. What ever level of work needs to be done to a barrel, I know I can send it to him and get an honest assessment, and fix so the barrel is returned ready for use.
I'm guessing that the new rifling in that Baker barrel will make the gun much more fun to shoot. But at .62......hold on tight!! LOL
And much agree, his pricing is very reasonable.

Rick

 

[springfield art]

Hoyt is a gem and a treasure to the hobby. Such craftsmen are a rarity. Just wish he had an apprentice to "larn th' trade!" If he retired, there would be wailing and gnashing of teeth!

 

[Grimord]

It is my understanding that Mr. Hoyt is indeed training an apprentice as his wok load has increased tremendously. I have had several barrels re-bored to larger calibers with round ball twists. I recently had a sewer pipe Renegade flint barrel lined to .45, and boy does it shoot. I had a .50 Flint long rifle, with 42" barrel, bored out to .54, and I told Mr. Hoyt to make it a tack driver. He re-bored with round bottom grooves with a gain twist of 1:70 to 1:48. Off the bench the gun will put .530 balls on top of one another at 50 yards. I only wish I could shoot so good off my two legs, but alas my eyes are not what they used to be. Dang, I hate getting old.

 

[springfield art]

There was a mis-type, of course it's "Hoyt"

 

[Kentuckyjed]

I see this thread was started in July of this year. I have heard on the forum that his pricing has increased since then, can anyone vouch or lend credence for the increase or is it in limbo. Note that chorizo had a rebore for $150 each plus $50 shipping on single barrel, just trying to figure a $200 plus rebore or a $250 plus brand new barrel.
Thanks

 

[springfield art]

Just the ability we have, of our access to such a specialized technician, knowledgeable and capable of working on ML barrels of all types, his machinist skills, etc., I could go on, but imagine our hobby without the guy! And for what seem very reasonable prices and Turn Around Time, which is always a bugaboo with many highly specialized workers; wait times of months or years; not with Mr. Hoyt apparently. I know someone who dealt with him, haven't used him myself but would not hesitate. JMHO