getting a 62 cal

[faw3]

After thinking about it a few weeks I picked up the phone to order a 62 cal barrel for the H+A, and put it back down. I started to think about the powder and lead it would use, and pain on the body and ...what would I do with it but show it off? No tree around here has ticked me off bad enough I want to blow it in half, got no buffs or eflants to shoot at in Texas, just what would I use it for? As a shotgun it has some use, but anyone want to kick this one around Ive just about talked myself out of it. Any ideas guys. Fred

 

[Birdman]

Fw I got me a 62 smoothie n love it. It doesn't kick any harder then any other gun I have n when used as a shotgun is very versitle. You can use it for squirrel, rabbit, upland birds n just about anything else ya can think of. If your worried about powder consumption DON"T!!. I generally use between 55 n 80 grains depending on what I'm after. Basicly the same as my 50 load wise.IMHO I'd say go for it as ya won't be dissapointed. oh yea mine is a TVM English Fowler. YMHS Birdman :m2c:

 

[faw3]

Let me be a little more clear, I was/is going to put it on a H+A underhammer, and like the zepher shallow grove long twist so it could shoot ball and shotgun loads. Im in a wheelchair most the time so I dont run out and hunt a lot anymore, but Ive got 3 miles of free fire zone in back of the house some woods some heavy brush, and I can every few days see a deer or hog I can pop from the back porch. I was just wondering if it is really any better to shoot than the 54, or the 451 as far as that goes (and the scoped 451 Enfield goes..far. I can see it as a shotgun I just dot need one, can take the turkey down with a 45 ball( again wit scope) fred

 

[Birdman]

hee hee well Fred that do make a bit of a difference fer sure. Smoothies are really a shorter range barrel. useing round ball maybe out to 60 or 70 yards. Granted there are guys that can get them to shoot well a bit farther out but thats about as far as I would feel comfortable. For the use yer looking at, both for the distance n acuracy my guess would be to stick with a rifled barrel. Hope this helps some YMHS Birdman

 

[BrownBear]

Wow! If I had to justify each and every gun in my house, I'd be in DEEP doodoo. I've got more guns of all varieties than a lot of sporting good stores, and I just picked up a couple more. Another due to arrive after the first of the year. Some I let slip through my hands after a while, but others keep hanging around whether I "need" them or not.

I simply can't hunt with all of them or even a part of them. If I had to justify my guns I'd probably only own a 30-06 and a 12 gauge pump- both as cheap as I could get while assuring reliability.

I own so many due to my sense of curiosity about all varieties of guns, and the sheer enjoyment of shooting them and finding out "what they'll do." In a setup like yours I'd probably own even more, simply because of the variety in shooting opportunities, as well as the ability to shoot at home.

C'mon, have some fun! If the 62 turns out to be a clunker for your needs, pass it on and play with something else.

BTW- My wife hasn't divorced me yet, but several friends' wives have threatened to divorce THEM if they didn't quit hanging around with me and letting my thinking into their heads! :front:

 

[faw3]

Thanks, I guess Ill go with it,the 62 is the only easy shotgun barrel I could mount on the H+As, and the barrel man said the long 100 plus twist could take the 200 2F charge (he is not sure why Id want to shoot that much lead and powder when a 54 or 58 could do it better( the drop at 100 yds is big, but its not a target rifle) I will have it made to fit the 48" rifle with the pin change barrel its a bit bigger made than the other H+As, and I can use the tang sight on it.

 

[walruskid1]

fred - if you use 200 grains of powder and a big .62 cal slug you better make sure the brake is set on the wheelchair! better yet have the son stand behind you. damn, that sounds like something that will hurt on both ends.

 

[jimbo15563]

Fred,

You oughta go for it! I'm fascinated by the Zephyr's and a slow-twist .62 is going to be the second barrel for my underhammer. You and I agree on one thing - It's more important that they shoot well than if they are PC or not. Here's an idea:

They port the barrel so the recoil doesn't beat you up and then they use BIG powder charges. The ballistics are very impressive, well past 100 yards.

Jimbo

 

[walruskid1]

remember to cut two large wedges to put behind the wheels. fred and jimbo, thanks now i want one too.

 

[faw3]

Right to everyone thats had some input on this,its like that guy that built the hawken with the A 7 fighters cannon, 82cal 885gr bal-ett, kills trees ,trucks , and will settle any bar room brawl real fast( Id just have to see it to be a memory where I was sitting)/Rifle Shooter mag june 2000/ or the guy that scratch built the 50BMG Sharps /SSE mag/ the question is not why, but why not.Right? Fred.

 

[dandy2fingers]

Fw, lad, there are Buff out there to shoot and eat ! I built a .62 Dimmick and took it out into the Sandhills of Nebraska and hunted Buff with it. 130 yards with a .615 ball (.015 lubed patches), 120g 2F Goex and the ball went through shoulder, lungs, heart and stopped just before it exited the other side almost 3 times the size it went in.... The lads up there were skeptics about muzzleloaders and now they aren't...

I have a .70 cal rifled Hawken that many hate to see at matches.....

Build big, hit big...

D2F

 

[faw3]

The 62 is about ready, how longs your barrel? I was going with 1 1/8 x 28, I got 3 days before he puts the breech plug in Im thinking why not leave it at 36" cost the same,wish Id got a 1" now.

 

[mastadonald]

Howdy, just wanted to add my two centavos. Just returned from a successful bison hunt. My wife used a .62 underhammer, H&A with 32" oregon barrel, 140gr 777 with a .610 ball. One shot at approx 80 yards.

 

[walruskid1]

fred, hows that artillery piece coming along.

 

[faw3]

Mastadon, and how did it work out? Trying to copy the Zephyr barrel wasnt hard but I wish now Id got a 1" not 1 1/8 because of weight. And Im really wanting to see what kind of shotgun it makes with that super slow twist. Hes got a 20" smooth bore barrel he'll throw together for 100, I might get him to just go ahead and do that. Walr all we are waiting on is me the barrel is 36" and I got a day or two to tell him if I want it 30" or 36" then he'll cut off the 6" and breach plug it that will get it out to me by next week. Think I wont be useing more than 100 or so 2F might blow the wheelchair back thru the house I could get the kid to lean me up against a tree..Ouch! For some reason Im not in the rush I was, got a operation comeing up that might get me out of the wheelchair dont want to screw it up now(so I'll pour in about 3" of 2F and hand it to my kid,he always ask "How much"? I always answer "just 60 grs" 100 times later and he still belives me! I got to get someone over to put these pics up for me. have a good day everyone.Fred

 

[BS]

fw, I have a 62 in a 1". It is a hunting gun with a shot barrel. 25" was to have been 27 but sh!t happens! :cursing: It balances really well, and I can just add more powder to make up for it's shortness. My next 62 will have a slow twist and taper from 1 1/8 to 1" and be about 29"s long. If you can't make up your mind, split the difference and go with 33, you can always make them shorter, but it's hard to add lenght later! :winking:

 

[walruskid1]

i hope all goes well and the M.D.'s do get you out of the wheels. my dad just got another hip and i can't believe how fast they got him up. the doc's do work wonders. i'm looking forward to seeing picks of your new rifle and that 48" long underhammer. good luck fred. WK1

 

[faw3]

Hope I didnt wait to long (he said 2 days) no one at the phone and a message that the recorder wont hold anymore messages, well he is just takeing off for a week no big deal. 21 operations ago (12 yrs ago) is how my back got so .....messed up its the pain of 1000s of fishhooks,wasp bites,and nails going thru my feet if I touch ground or try to lay down that gets me, after all these years I just might miss all of it but my kid would love it if I could go do things with him something easy like fishing.Im not going to get my hopes up and Id have to learn to shoot standing up all over again !! fred

 

[gmww]

Mastadon, and how did it work out? Trying to copy the Zephyr barrel wasnt hard but I wish now Id got a 1" not 1 1/8 because of weight. And Im really wanting to see what kind of shotgun it makes with that super slow twist. Hes got a 20" smooth bore barrel he'll throw together for 100, I might get him to just go ahead and do that. Walr all we are waiting on is me the barrel is 36" and I got a day or two to tell him if I want it 30" or 36" then he'll cut off the 6" and breach plug it that will get it out to me by next week. Think I wont be useing more than 100 or so 2F might blow the wheelchair back thru the house I could get the kid to lean me up against a tree..Ouch! For some reason Im not in the rush I was, got a operation comeing up that might get me out of the wheelchair dont want to screw it up now(so I'll pour in about 3" of 2F and hand it to my kid,he always ask "How much"? I always answer "just 60 grs" 100 times later and he still belives me! I got to get someone over to put these pics up for me. have a good day everyone.Fred

Hey Fred who you using to get at shotgun barrel. I'm still interested in getting one for my H and A. Beings you bought the last .45 barrel before I got to it!