Renegade barrel with QLA...what to do ?

[Hunter John]

I just recently purchased a brand new unshot .50 cal Renegade, but it has the QLA at the end of the barrel. Didn't realize it before I purchased. My intention was the shoot RBs exclusively out of it.

Anyway, I've read that the QLA sometimes causes fits when you shoot RBs as the ball partially slips off the patch when seating and/or the QLA could be off center creating unequal pressure around the bore as the ball exits the barrel. My understanding is that RB accuracy is a real tossup with QLA barrels.

Sooooo, what should I do? Sell the barrel? Keep it and accept whatever RB accuracy it delivers? Get it rebored to a .54 or .58 with 1-70 round bottom rifling? Something else?

What would you do? Suggestions?

 

[hawkeye2]

So what is QLA?

 

[BrownBear]

Shoot it.

I have a couple of Big Boar 58 calibers, one with QLA and one without. They're equally accurate.

I don't deal with any patch slipping issues because I cut my patches at the muzzle. If you don't do that, going to one size larger precut should solve your slipping.

Lotta "lore" floating around about QLA, but I don't buy it. Only thing I would consider buying about QLA is the QLA barrels sold at discount prices because the previous owner bought into the lore.

 

[Walks with fire]

I have the QLA on two of my flintlock TC barrels and have no trouble or accuracy issues with them. Centering a patched ball is no problem for me but then I don't use store bought pre-cut patches that may be a bit smaller than the ones I cut.

I would prefer to not have the QLA but I really can't say that it affects performance in a negative way other than an inch less of rifled barrel. Keep your original barrel and shoot it.

 

[bubba.50]

the problems with the QLA are pretty much overblown in my opinion. I've owned several & never saw any real difference between them & barrels without QLA. the best thing to do is forget it's even there & just load & shoot like you would any other barrel. and if it does cause any problems you can cut off an inch of barrel & re-cut the sight dovetail or do any of the other things you mention.

in answer to the other poster : QLA=Quick Load Accuriser.

 

[Daveco]

Hawkeye2-
I'm a newbie, and was seriously scratchin' my head as to what a QLA was too! I did a little google-fu though and see that it is/was a type of muzzle treatment that T/C offered (offers?) that looks to be a short counterbore of about the diameter of the bottom of the grooves for a short distance to help when loading bullets- not round balls.... Like coning on steroids??? Seems to prone to wrecking the barrel's crown from the comments. :idunno:

 

[don hepler]

I have both, and in my opinion, it's easier to load. With the ball starter, you can push it in until it touches the rifling. I've never seen any difference, in accuracy. I precut my own patches, and use .022.........not a problem.

 

[Danny Ross]

I have a round ball barrel 1:66 twist with the QLA. The ONLY problem I have had with it is cutting strip patch at the muzzle. When cutting after seating the ball in the QLA , I have had times, if the Knife wasn't super sharp, it would allow the ball and patching material to be pulled back out of the muzzle. So when shooting the gun that has this barrel on it, I tend to use precut patches and that barrel is very accurate. The QLA allows the ball to be pushed in with your thumb as deep as the nipple on a short starter would start a ball down the barrel. Personally I can take it or leave it for round balls. Just what my barrel came with.

The idea for the QLA was more for conical bullets. Your bullet would get a start down the barrel, straight. The thought was you might get a bullet cocked at a angle one way or the other when being started down the barrel at the muzzle. So the bullets center wouldn't be truly centered in the bore or at least the base would be deformed. So with the QLA it would improve accuracy using a conical bullet because it would always have a straight start into the riflings. DANNY

 

[Hunter John]

Thanks for all feedback guys. Since this is my first barrel with the QLA, I wasn't sure if it had the potential to be a RB shooter or not. From all of your experiences, it sounds like it does. Happy to hear that.

Since I cut patches at the muzzle also, I'll watch for the ball possibly pulling out as the patch is cut. As long as the knife is sharp, doesn't sound like that should be a problem.

Ok, as soon as it breaks 30 degrees it's off to the range.

Will be interesting to see how the new 50 cal QLA Renegade stacks up against my 50 cal InvestArms Hawken with a chrome lined barrel...that thing can throw balls in a 1 inch group at 50 yards if I do my part.

 

[don hepler]

If you want to experiment, you can always cut a few patches, from your regular patching material, and compare the results. I take a fine point marker and trace a round object, then cut out with some tiny, super sharp sissors. Works for me.

 

[Pete44ru]

.


OR, if the QLA is bothersome, the barrel can always be shortened & recrowned to get shut of it. . :surrender:


Front sights can be relocated, if needs be - if there's a will, there's usually a way.

.

 

[azmntman]

InvestArms Hawken with a chrome lined barrel...that thing can throw balls in a 1 inch group at 50 yards if I do my part.

Have 6 (all Cabelas Hawkens) and they sure do shoot good.

 

[oldwolf]

What years was QLA offered?

 

[azmntman]

I dunno? I don't have a gun with one? That said it seems to me another solution (marketing) to a problem that don't exist??

 

[BrownBear]

I seem to recall it came along in the early-ish 1970's.

Dunno about it being a solution for a problem that doesn't exist. There are folks around here that like it so much they pay local smiths to do a version on barrels without it- TC and more. They certainly find value. And BTW- They're all RB shooters.

 

[azmntman]

Maybe, never shot one. If I liked em I would get it done to my "favorites" too. I just seem to keep simple as simple as it is?

 

[BrownBear]

I know a guy who refinished a supremely collectible rifle with modern rustproof metal coatings and plastic finish on the stock cuzz he was worried about rust in our salty climate. I cringe every time I see it but he's happy, and it's his gun. Still gotta be room for personal taste in a world of high fashion.

 

[bubba.50]

I've owned numerous T/C guns both with & without the QLA feature. I've never seen where it made shootin' conicals more accurate or roundballs less accurate. it's just there. don't think about it & it won't affect yer shootin' in any way.

my opinion & yer welcome to it :hatsoff: ,bubba.

 

[Jim C]

"my opinion & yer welcome to it ,bubba."

LOL!

 

[don hepler]

I agree, pretend, it's not there. If you cut the barrel, the front sight will be too close to the muzzle, and look like c**p.