Re-line and carbine cut 54 cal arrived

[chorizo]

My barrel I sent to Mr. Bobby Hoyt for re-line and carbine cut arrived today.

I had him bore out and line a rough Renegade 54 cal to 54 cal 1:38 twist, rifling .010 deep and cut to 21 inches. I have it mounted in a reinforced White Mountain Carbine stock. I have some No Excuses 485 grain conical that I plan on shooting out of it.

Unfortunately the weather has gone south today and supposed to stay that way for a week.


But a little look until I get some shooting results

 

[ORBushman]

My barrel I sent to Mr. Bobby Hoyt for re-line and carbine cut arrived today.

I had him bore out and line a rough Renegade 54 cal to 54 cal 1:38 twist, rifling .010 deep and cut to 21 inches. I have it mounted in a reinforced White Mountain Carbine stock. I have some No Excuses 485 grain conical that I plan on shooting out of it.

Unfortunately the weather has gone south today and supposed to stay that way for a week.
View attachment 189877

But a little look until I get some shooting results

That looks really nice but, really short too! Do you do a lot of brush hunting? That should make a great deer/elk gun if that's what you hunt there in Idaho. Very nice! Looking forward to the shooting results and thoughts.

 

[chorizo]

That looks really nice but, really short too! Do you do a lot of brush hunting? That should make a great deer/elk gun if that's what you hunt there in Idaho. Very nice! Looking forward to the shooting results and thoughts.

This will be an Elk gun. With the faster twist and 485 grain conical I am looking to get out to 125 yards accurately with about 1250 ftlbs of retained energy to give me a through and through wound, but the proof is in the shooting!

Just 1 " shorter than the original white mountain carbine. I am going to try 90 to 120 grains of 3f T7 and try to find the accuracy sweet spot with around 1400-1450 fps MV.

I ride an e-bike 2.5 miles in to my kick-off point to hunt and I need something I can sling over my shoulder when I ride in.

 

[deermanok]

Looks nice. Good luck with the new rig.

 

[TScottW99]

Looks nice, looking forward to your range report.

 

[UndeadPoet]

Nice looking carbine! Let us know how she shoots.

 

[Urban Coyote]

Well that ought to be fun to shoot, what a hammer!

Don't forget your hearing protection and a mouth guard.

I too look forward to your range report, as soon as you're able to type it after shooting that little monster.

Good luck.

 

[chorizo]

Well, recoil is like whisky...No such thing as strong drink (or recoil) , just weak people....LOL

All joking aside, yeah recoil is going to be stout if I get to use the loads I want. But this gun is not being made to sit at the range and shoot at targets all day. Once sighted in it will get shot yearly to confirm and once to kill an elk!

Keep in mind that this weighs the same as an off the shelf WMC 54 cal, so really is no different than shooting that, except this has a faster twist and deeper cut rifling. I haven't had much luck getting accurate loads with the higher velocity, heavier bullets in the 1:48 shallow rifling in an off the shelf WMC.

We will see.

A real hammer will be the 58 cal with 1:40 twist with a 24" barrel that I may have him cut...I might go with a 24" in a 54cal since I have several months to think it over as Mr. Hoyt is not taking on anymore work until after March.

I haven't been able to find anyone with actual experience with that combination in 58 cal, and as bullet selection is lacking, thus why I am thinking of having it bored out to 54 cal 1:38 twist with a 24" barrel to use the no excuses 525 grain conical.

I have some much lighter weight CVA 54 cal, and I am using the 375 grain CVA conical out of them. Highly accurate, but not through and through shooters at 100 yards if you hit bone even at 1650 fps mv.

 

[chorizo]

I just trotted down to the local machine shop and had them drill and tap sight mounting holes further back...putting the center of the slide for the ghost ring 2.5" in front of the breech. That gives me an 18" sight radius vice a 13".

Much better. The OEM mounting location on the Renegade is too far forward for effective ghost ring placement and makes for a too short sight radius on the carbine. Now the sight radius is what you would find on a standard Renegade.

 

[TDM]

Very handy size indeed. I like it!

 

[Urban Coyote]

Well, recoil is like whisky...No such thing as strong drink (or recoil) , just weak people....LOL

All joking aside, yeah recoil is going to be stout if I get to use the loads I want. But this gun is not being made to sit at the range and shoot at targets all day. Once sighted in it will get shot yearly to confirm and once to kill an elk!

Keep in mind that this weighs the same as an off the shelf WMC 54 cal, so really is no different than shooting that, except this has a faster twist and deeper cut rifling. I haven't had much luck getting accurate loads with the higher velocity, heavier bullets in the 1:48 shallow rifling in an off the shelf WMC.

We will see.

A real hammer will be the 58 cal with 1:40 twist with a 24" barrel that I may have him cut...I might go with a 24" in a 54cal since I have several months to think it over as Mr. Hoyt is not taking on anymore work until after March.

I haven't been able to find anyone with actual experience with that combination in 58 cal, and as bullet selection is lacking, thus why I am thinking of having it bored out to 54 cal 1:38 twist with a 24" barrel to use the no excuses 525 grain conical.

I have some much lighter weight CVA 54 cal, and I am using the 375 grain CVA conical out of them. Highly accurate, but not through and through shooters at 100 yards if you hit bone even at 1650 fps mv.

Actually it appears to be a pretty cool project, your goals are impressive. I had Mr. Hoytt rebore a trashed, inside, .50 White Mountain Carbine to .54 with a roundball twist. So far it seems to be working really well however I think it has more potential, I've only shot it a couple times. Handy little rig but I figured it would be after shooting a PA Hunter Carbine for years.

I'm curious to know how it works out for you. If your goals are realized it will be an awesome piece of artillery.

Please, keep us posted.

 

[chorizo]

@Urban Coyote said "I'm curious to know how it works out for you. If your goals are realized it will be an awesome piece of artillery. Please, keep us posted."

Will do. Something interesting to try out. I don't think I am treading new ground, but I haven't found anything on the net that replicates what I am trying, so I am giving it a go.

I bet that .50 WMC converted to .54 is nice and light also. As I am going to shoot some stout loads, I wanted the extra steel around the chamber the 1" gives me.

 

[RIDE-RED350R]

I really like that! I maye have to pick up a 'Gade barrel with a rough bore at some point just to make a carbine barrel I can swap into my stock. Kinda like a Win 94 Carbine, just a nice rifle to carry in the woods. Trapper is even better!

 

[chorizo]

Some details on this gun.

The stock is a WMC 54cal (1" ATF) I picked up cheap with all hardware. The stock finish was trashed but the furniture was in great shape. I refinished the stock. As it was an early model with wood screws in the tang, I drilled and tapped the trigger guard, and ran bolts through to securely fix the tang to the trigger guard and the stock. Once complete, I stripped the finish with paint stripper, washed the stock off, and dewhiskered it. I glass bedded the tang, especially the area where it butts up against the stock and the trigger guard. I then hand rubbed linspeed oil into the stock, allowed to sit for 12 hours then rubbed the tacky exterior off. Let sit for 10 more, then handrubbed another coat X5. I let it cure for 4 days when the 5 coats were finished.

The barrel was a 26.5" EARLY Renegade barrel in 54 cal. I had Mr. Hoyt, bore out, line and cut it to 21" and cut 54 cal rifling .010 deep with a 1:38 twist. I specifically sent him the bullet I intend to use. No Excuse 485 grain in .541 diameter. He cut the barrel to .540 across the grooves.

When the barrel arrived, I deburred the outside of the muzzle and gave it a through cleaning, dried and degreased, filed any flaws out then gave it several rub downs with Brownell's Oxypho-blue cold bluing gel using coarse steel wool. I then had the barrel drilled and tapped and a firesight ghost ring rear sight mounted 2.5" forward of the breech along with a firesight front in the dovetail that My. Hoyt cut up front. That gives me a 18" sight radius, about the same as a regular Renegade has. You can see in the sight picture the forward screw hole for the original sight placement. It has a too short plug in it; the rear hole had the top of the plug filed flat. I remounted the underbarrel rib by cutting it off and contouring it to be a inch or so short of the muzzle and remounted it into the original screw holes. It leaves a gap before the stock but with the rib cut short of the muzzle it balances the look. It is a hunting gun, not a show piece anyway. The ramrod is untouched and reflects the original length of the WMC barrel.

At this point, the barrel was a little loose in the hook and stock allowing it to rotate just enough so that the hammer would strike the left side of the nipple if twisted that way. I glass bedded the barrel ensuring the barrel was twisted so the hammer would strike the nipple centered and square and set aside to let cure.

It weighs in at 6lbs 10 ozs. 37.5" OAL with 14.25" LOP. Balances in the hand carrying...balance point just forward of the front edge of the lock.

Here are some more pictures. All of the things I did are well within anybody's skill set.

 

[RIDE-RED350R]

Under 7lbs, she's gonna be a little punchy...I like it!

 

[Bad Karma]

Some details on this gun.

The stock is a WMC 54cal (1" ATF) I picked up cheap with all hardware. The stock finish was trashed but the furniture was in great shape. I refinished the stock. As it was an early model with wood screws in the tang, I drilled and tapped the trigger guard, and ran bolts through to securely fix the tang to the trigger guard and the stock. Once complete, I stripped the finish with paint stripper, washed the stock off, and dewhiskered it. I glass bedded the tang, especially the area where it butts up against the stock and the trigger guard. I then hand rubbed linspeed oil into the stock, allowed to sit for 12 hours then rubbed the tacky exterior off. Let sit for 10 more, then handrubbed another coat X5. I let it cure for 4 days when the 5 coats were finished.

The barrel was a 26.5" EARLY Renegade barrel in 54 cal. I had Mr. Hoyt, bore out, line and cut it to 21" and cut 54 cal rifling .010 deep with a 1:38 twist. I specifically sent him the bullet I intend to use. No Excuse 485 grain in .541 diameter. He cut the barrel to .540 across the grooves.

When the barrel arrived, I deburred the outside of the muzzle and gave it a through cleaning, dried and degreased, filed any flaws out then gave it several rub downs with Brownell's Oxypho-blue cold bluing gel using coarse steel wool. I then had the barrel drilled and tapped and a firesight ghost ring rear sight mounted 2.5" forward of the breech along with a firesight front in the dovetail that My. Hoyt cut up front. That gives me a 18" sight radius, about the same as a regular Renegade has. You can see in the sight picture the forward screw hole for the original sight placement. It has a too short plug in it; the rear hole had the top of the plug filed flat. I remounted the underbarrel rib by cutting it off and contouring it to be a inch or so short of the muzzle and remounted it into the original screw holes. It leaves a gap before the stock but with the rib cut short of the muzzle it balances the look. It is a hunting gun, not a show piece anyway. The ramrod is untouched and reflects the original length of the WMC barrel.

At this point, the barrel was a little loose in the hook and stock allowing it to rotate just enough so that the hammer would strike the left side of the nipple if twisted that way. I glass bedded the barrel ensuring the barrel was twisted so the hammer would strike the nipple centered and square and set aside to let cure.

It weighs in at 6lbs 10 ozs. 37.5" OAL with 14.25" LOP. Balances in the hand carrying...balance point just forward of the front edge of the lock.

Here are some more pictures. All of the things I did are well within anybody's skill set.

View attachment 190279View attachment 190280View attachment 190284

View attachment 190316


View attachment 190285

That’s a beauty of a beast!

 

[Bad Karma]

Some details on this gun.

The stock is a WMC 54cal (1" ATF) I picked up cheap with all hardware. The stock finish was trashed but the furniture was in great shape. I refinished the stock. As it was an early model with wood screws in the tang, I drilled and tapped the trigger guard, and ran bolts through to securely fix the tang to the trigger guard and the stock. Once complete, I stripped the finish with paint stripper, washed the stock off, and dewhiskered it. I glass bedded the tang, especially the area where it butts up against the stock and the trigger guard. I then hand rubbed linspeed oil into the stock, allowed to sit for 12 hours then rubbed the tacky exterior off. Let sit for 10 more, then handrubbed another coat X5. I let it cure for 4 days when the 5 coats were finished.

The barrel was a 26.5" EARLY Renegade barrel in 54 cal. I had Mr. Hoyt, bore out, line and cut it to 21" and cut 54 cal rifling .010 deep with a 1:38 twist. I specifically sent him the bullet I intend to use. No Excuse 485 grain in .541 diameter. He cut the barrel to .540 across the grooves.

When the barrel arrived, I deburred the outside of the muzzle and gave it a through cleaning, dried and degreased, filed any flaws out then gave it several rub downs with Brownell's Oxypho-blue cold bluing gel using coarse steel wool. I then had the barrel drilled and tapped and a firesight ghost ring rear sight mounted 2.5" forward of the breech along with a firesight front in the dovetail that My. Hoyt cut up front. That gives me a 18" sight radius, about the same as a regular Renegade has. You can see in the sight picture the forward screw hole for the original sight placement. It has a too short plug in it; the rear hole had the top of the plug filed flat. I remounted the underbarrel rib by cutting it off and contouring it to be a inch or so short of the muzzle and remounted it into the original screw holes. It leaves a gap before the stock but with the rib cut short of the muzzle it balances the look. It is a hunting gun, not a show piece anyway. The ramrod is untouched and reflects the original length of the WMC barrel.

At this point, the barrel was a little loose in the hook and stock allowing it to rotate just enough so that the hammer would strike the left side of the nipple if twisted that way. I glass bedded the barrel ensuring the barrel was twisted so the hammer would strike the nipple centered and square and set aside to let cure.

It weighs in at 6lbs 10 ozs. 37.5" OAL with 14.25" LOP. Balances in the hand carrying...balance point just forward of the front edge of the lock.

Here are some more pictures. All of the things I did are well within anybody's skill set.

View attachment 190279View attachment 190280View attachment 190284

View attachment 190316


View attachment 190285

I like working guns. And this one is all business. I have to say, every time someone says they “refinished” a TC stock I flinch a bit. Ninety nine times out of a hundred the refinisher rounds over the break at the lock panels leaving it looking muddy and indistinct. You did a nice job of it. Now you need to show us how it shoots!

 

[chorizo]

Thanks. I never sand a gun. Strip the finish, wash it off with water. Steam the dents out and let it dry. I dewhisker it with 400 grit ever so lightly. I then will water stain it with Winchester red (brown red) if I want a darker color, but normally just hit it with linspeed oil. After about 12 hours I wipe the remaining oil of with Terry cloth, let dry for 12 hours and repeat 4 or 5 times, letting it dry for 5 days after the final wipe. That is my normal process. It varies by need. Next week is supposed to be very cold.. So I will wait until it breaks into the 40s to shoot. I will report back. I have a 58 cal 24in 1:38 twist barrel arriving Friday from Mr Hoyt to be mounted in my other wmc stock. Another working gun.

I decided that I wanted the 58 cal 24in 1:38 barrel first.. I will shoot 580 gr maxi balls out of it .... My next barrel bore out will be the 24in 1:38 54 cal for the 525 no excuses conical. It will fit into the same stock so I will have a multi purpose shooter. The 58 cal will be my big bear country medicine when I hunt elk where old Mr. Ephraim lives. Read the story below at the link

Thanks again for the kind words. An all business working gun was exactly my goal. You made my day

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Ephraim

SAFETY WARNING: AFTER WIPING LINSEED/LINSPEED OIL WITH A TERRY CLOTH OR ANY RAG, HANG THE RAG OUTSIDE AWAY FROM COMBUTABLES. THEY WILL SPONTANIOUSLY COMBUST AT TIMES.