Made a new .45 barrel

[homebrew .357]

Hi guys, as I have changed my system to a sort of sine bar rifling and now can get a right hand twist I thought a new improved .45 barrel for my plains Hawken rifle would be a good project. So I have, it`s 28" long, 1" round stock 12/15, bore .450" with .010" deep cut rifling and a twist of 1-48". The barrel is now octagonal and have glued the under ramrod bar in place, clamped up till it sets. I`m hopping this one will be a tack driver or more accurate than my last two. Homebrew.357.

 

[eggwelder]

Do you have any photos of your set up for making these barrels? That’s something i`d like to see.
What are you using to glue the rib on with?

 

[homebrew .357]

Hi, I used J B Weld, it`s a two pot glue and to see how I did this on my lathe go to www, Making a Sharps rifle on my lathe buy Homebrew.357 and also could find my thread on the Hawken build.

 

[homebrew .357]

I humbly apologise for my inderscrsion on mentioning the cartridge rifle, I know its a no no so please forget it and go easy on me with the tar and feathers. The Hawken muzzle loading barrel is going rusty nicely and it`s looking right a soak in baking soda and then a rub with hot lanolin, that should see it right.

 

[homebrew .357]

All is done, the sights are back on the barrel and now the fun job of setting the sights at the range. On checking our range calendar I see there is a black powder and cannon shoot coming up so will be a good time to do it and my wife wants to come along to see us boys play. It`s her first time at the range, could I be looking at making another rifle,

 

[Twowithone]

I humbly apologise for my inderscrsion on mentioning the cartridge rifle, I know its a no no so please forget it and go easy on me with the tar and feathers. The Hawken muzzle loading barrel is going rusty nicely and it`s looking right a soak in baking soda and then a rub with hot lanolin, that should see it right.

What are you using to brown your barrel.

 

[homebrew .357]

This time I used white vinegar, just swabbed it down and let it hang outside, pretty humid down here, after 3/4 days it looked like an 1868 job, so that's it. Cheers, Homebrew.357.

 

[wapiti22]

Who made the rear sight? I like it and need one for my Hawken.

 

[homebrew .357]

Hi Wapiti22, Yes there are a few things I did not make on this rifle, the brass butt plate, ramrod ferule, the four side plates for barrel wedges and the back sight. I have Track of the wolf`s #17 Catalog and this is where I got them from, the back sight is RS-LA 3/8" dovetail, so it`s in your neck of the woods. Cheers, Homebrew.357.

 

[wapiti22]

Thanks, I did find it in their catalog.

 

[homebrew .357]

Test and range report, tried 50gr 3f,.440 thin oxy patch at 50m, five shots, about 3/4" group, so same load but tighter pillow ticking patch ,five shots and three touching, , so happy camper . About 1/2" low so will file down the fore sight a bit to bring it up, I like it an 1" high at 50m`s so a bit of fine tuning should see it coming right.

 

[1861colt]

Oh, lordy. Lanolin? It reeks. I ordered some once to make the magical lube with paraffin, beeswax and Crisco. The moment I got the package and opened the lid I closed it up, gave it away on Craigslist and silently laughed at the lady that picked it up said it was so good for your hair. Yech.
Better to when you wash up the barrel to stop the rusting after the last coat, using a torch to heat it up and watch the moisture band moving away from you as you go, melt carnauba wax onto it so it will also slide in the cracks of dovetails. Leave generously till it is cool. When cool, buff it out with a rag and don't leave any bare spots. Overnight the next day, check for any creeping rust, touch of steel wool, heat up that spot again and relax. This will be a lasting finish to the barrel so long as you keep it waxed, unlike the lanolin that leaves a greasy trail on you and gun ect.

 

[homebrew .357]

Lanolin is one of the main stuff in rust proofing formulas, I made my own with some old sump oil, a goodly dollop of lanolin and candle wax. Heated it all up till melted the some kerosene, have sprayed this in all the holes I could find in my car, when the kero evaporates it`s like a grease. Use this as a rifle and barrel oil as well , no rust. Our sheep are as white as the driven snow and not smelly, although I can't smell much.