Replacement barrel for custom gun?

[Jay Gardner]

Last fall I bought a beautiful .50 cal Hawkin made by a guy I know in Indiana. He had built the gun back in 1983. Now I am thinking that I would like a .58 cal barrel for it. How much do you think I should have to spend to have one of the local guys here in MI (a VERY reputable builder) fit a .50 barrel and finish it? The guy who built the gun originally is no longer building guns.

Second question - what length/twist rate would you go with? This would be a barrel for hunting with PRB.

Thanks.

 

Well that's a wide open question DuBlr,, most could answer with just a bit more info,,
Does it got's a "snail" type breech,fixed,hook,"paten" breech or drum?

Pin's or wedges and how many? And why??(what school?)Does it got a fixed cap?

And the barrel,,straight,octigon,round,oct. too round??,,Swamper?? How long is the barrel you got?? How wide is the barrel across the flats?? 1 1/4", 1",7/8,15-or-13/16ths?
Sure any good "smith" can drop any number of alot of different barrels in there for the price,,but a little more info will get ya a better quote. ::
We,er here ta help,,and the price fer askin is right,, ::

 

[Flintshooter in Indiana]

One of the only problems I can see would be the width across the flats. If you got, say a 15/16ths 50 cal you could put a 15/16ths 58 in the barrel channel. But if'n it's a tight fit, say a 3/4" 50 then you might have trouble fittin' a 58 in the channel, if they make a 3/4" 58. I don't know what the smallest 58 is you can get. What I'm sayin' is do you have enough wood along the barrel channel to widen it for a larger bore barrel?

 

[swquiro]

DG, If no alteration of the barrel channel is necessary you are probably looking at ballpark $250-300 parts and labor, assuming you go with a GM barrel. Other makes will up your cost.

 

[Jay Gardner]

The barrel is 1" and 35-1/2" to the breech plub, with two keys. It is a hook with a snail. Like I said, I want a barrel for hunting - nothing fancy. Buck horn rear sight and blade up front. I think I would like to keep the barrel length the same (so I can use the same RR). What about twist? How much?

 

[swquiro]

DG, a good twist for PRB is 1 in 70. Muzzleloader Builders Supply offers .58 in 1" x36" for $98.50.

 

[swquiro]

DG, I just noticed that TOTW offers the same GM barrel for $92.50. Also, during the month of May there is free shipping on orders $100 and over.