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Octagonal barrel

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kje54

62 Cal.
Joined
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Looking for a straight 39" - 42" octagonal barrel with 3/8" flats. Anyone knows who sells that or would it have to be a custom made barrel?
 
A barrel 15/16" across the flats would be close to what you are looking for. Its flats would be 0.388" wide or just 0.013" wider than your 3/8" requirement. Actually, few barrels are made with all flats of a uniform width, so a 15/16" could easily fit within your tolerances.
 
A barrel 15/16" across the flats would be close to what you are looking for. Its flats would be 0.388" wide or just 0.013" wider than your 3/8" requirement. Actually, few barrels are made with all flats of a uniform width, so a 15/16" could easily fit within your tolerances.
Thanks, that's what I needed to know.
Basically I'm doing something "crazy", rebuilding an old Hopkins & Allen Minuteman flintlock I picked up cheap. Just took it apart, it was a kit someone put together in 1979. Not happy with the barrel and thinking about replacing it with something much better. The person who built it drilled the pins through the bottom flat..........
 
If you are going to purchase a barrel , they are sold by measurement from opposing flat to flat,not across an individual flat. This measurement is easily done at the breech or muzzle end of the barrel. Typical sizes are 1" , 15/16" , 7/8" , 13/16" , and 3/4" in a straight octagon barrel . Hope this helps........oldwood
 
The amount of wood on the fore end is heavy, sanding it down now to get the finish off. Where the ramrod channel is I'll probably be taking a good 3/16ths off the bottom and 1/8th off the sides. Ordered some brass ramrod tubes from Track and some steel pins, the Numeric pins are brass.
The existing barrel is a .50 caliber, was hoping for a .36 caliber but that size only comes in a 13/16th. If I decide to change out the barrel I'll probably go with a .45. If I keep the existing barrel I'll cut the brass nose off the fore end then I'll drill & tap for a White Lightning touch hole liner.
 
You can have a barrel insert put in to make it a 36.
I'm just rolling ideas around at this stage. If I was to get a new barrel for it I would want it delivered drop in ready as my least favorite (to put it mildly) aspect of building muzzleloaders is the metal work, all metal work..........
 
FWIW, after seeing some U/H target rifles from the late 1800's, I likewise removed the wooden forend from my .36cal H&A heritage U/H for stand hunting Squills.

I simply hand carried the RR to my stand(s), along with my rifle - and leaned the RR against the tree until I needed it.
 
I'm just rolling ideas around at this stage. If I was to get a new barrel for it I would want it delivered drop in ready as my least favorite (to put it mildly) aspect of building muzzleloaders is the metal work, all metal work..........
Well I was thinking if you didn't like the barrel anyway, have it bore out and a insert put in it. It's already a drop in.
 
Yes, a 7/8" barrel would have flats 0.362" wide or 0.013" under his target 3/8". It might be better to be under size by that little bit if he is fitting an existing stock. We don't really know how accurately he measured the 3/8".
 
The Numrich Arms H & A Minute Man used a 15/16” barrel with a set screw as a breech plug. The tang was the male part that fit into the hex head (Allen head) part of the set screw. Sort of a poor man’s “hook” breech plug. Thus any 15/16 barrel with set screw should mate up with the breech plug. The barrel was 39” long and if it was a .36, it is quite heavy. I had one for in the early 1970s.
 
The Numrich Arms H & A Minute Man used a 15/16” barrel with a set screw as a breech plug. The tang was the male part that fit into the hex head (Allen head) part of the set screw. Sort of a poor man’s “hook” breech plug. Thus any 15/16 barrel with set screw should mate up with the breech plug. The barrel was 39” long and if it was a .36, it is quite heavy. I had one for in the early 1970s.
Yeah, this is a .50 and the barrel is still fairly heavy.
 
What simonbeans says. I had one in 36 back in the day. Very accurate, but very heavy. E-gun parts has green mountain 40 cal. 15/16” barrels, 42”.
 
Thanks, that's what I needed to know.
Basically I'm doing something "crazy", rebuilding an old Hopkins & Allen Minuteman flintlock I picked up cheap. Just took it apart, it was a kit someone put together in 1979. Not happy with the barrel and thinking about replacing it with something much better. The person who built it drilled the pins through the bottom flat..........
Strange you would not be happy with the barrel. Even though H&A/Numerich barrels were very economical they were quite good and very accurate. We have a cabinet filled with medals and awards my wife won shooting a little H&A underhammer Buggy rifle. I would just try it, give it a chance. If results do not please you, then replace.
 
Strange you would not be happy with the barrel. Even though H&A/Numerich barrels were very economical they were quite good and very accurate. We have a cabinet filled with medals and awards my wife won shooting a little H&A underhammer Buggy rifle. I would just try it, give it a chance. If results do not please you, then replace.
Like I told someone else I'm just tossing ideas around. My only real issue with the barrel is it's weight, it's heavy.
 
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