Possible build?

[SwampBilly]

I have a 50 caliber octagon barrel and I was considering cutting perhaps 10 in of it and making a single shot target pistol.

Not sure what would be more simple. An inline type nipple ( think revolver style hammer and trigger ) or a side lock ?

I'm thinking the inline style might be most simple. Perhaps use a revolver trigger and mainspring. It seems like that would be fairly simple. Obviously you would not need the hand or the cylinder bolt stop.

I saw TOW has a threaded type of breech plug with a built-in nipple of the inline style that I believe is from Thompson contender in either 50 or 54 caliber. Do you think it could be tapped in to the back of a cut and cleaned up octagon barrel in 50 caliber? I would like to think I could secure it without welding but welding is an option.

Thoughts?

 

[nick_1]

what is the twist? most target pistols have a 1 in 20 or a 1 in 18 ish

 

[SwampBilly]

what is the twist? most target pistols have a 1 in 20 or a 1 in 18 ish

Not really sure. It came from a beat up old Hawken style rifle.

I'm thinking leaving it as long as practical would be best right?

 

[nick_1]

rifles usually have a one in 48 and pistols 1 in 20. the only pistol I have personally seen made from a rifle barrel the fellow loads it really hot because he said that the best accuracy he gets but he usually does not hit much if anything..

 

[SwampBilly]

rifles usually have a one in 48 and pistols 1 in 20. the only pistol I have personally seen made from a rifle barrel the fellow loads it really hot because he said that the best accuracy he gets but he usually does not hit much if anything..

I considered boring it out to make a shot pistol. Or patched round ball

 

[Jim in Wisconsin]

I built a mule ear pistol out of a 10 inch cut-off 36 caliber rifle barrel. The twist is 1-48 - like Nick says, that not really the right thing for a pistol and the accuracy isn't great.

 

[PathfinderNC]

“Inline” ?

 

[SwampBilly]

“Inline” ?

Inline style versus a side lock. Which design would be more simple to build.

You know, like a cap and ball style where the nipple is directly in front of the hammer and in line behind the load?

 

[Jim in Wisconsin]

That creates a problem with the sights.

 

[dpasek]

Barrels intended for use with patched round ball typically use pretty slow twist. IIRC, my CVA Mountain Rifle has a 1:60 twist. Seems like barrels for mini balls were faster, for the heavier and slower projectile, but I never had one of those. The Ruger Old Army has a 1:16 twist and performs well. A round ball in a pistol will have quite a lower velocity than a rifle, but still probably needs to spin about the same angular velocity for good performance. So, it would seem that you want faster twist for a pistol than for a rifle. I would be hesitant about using a cut down rifle barrel unless you would be happy with the equivalent of smooth bore performance.