Herb
54 Cal.
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2004
- Messages
- 1,954
- Reaction score
- 454
I built with a Colerain once, and pulled the fitted breech plug. It lacked about .050" from bottoming, so I had to refit it. I have heard this from others, there has been discussion, I think on this forum, of fitting breech plugs. These are good barrels, but that is one thing to check. I just bore-scoped all of my ML barrels, including a new .54 English Sporter by Colerain, 1 1/8" tapered to 1", 32 inches long, with fitted plug. The bore is very good, but I'm going to pull that plug (English square hooked breech and tang) to see how it is fitted. Can't remember where I got it, must have been a trade.
Rice barrels have perfectly fitted plugs, if you buy them with the plug installed, .50 inches long, perfect for building. Beautiful bores, even under 25X magnification. I have never had a Getz barrel, and my one Long Hammock I traded off. Think I built with a Rayl, but can't remember (I'm in the 40's now (number built) and can't always find my notes). Green Mountain barrels are very good now, better than they used to be. They do not have plugs installed and they are tapped for a .625" long plug. I have cut a lot of them to .50 long, even for Hawken patent breeches, but that makes a much better fit for a flint rifle. The Hawkeye bore scope revealed that several of my Green Mtn barrels are premium, along with the Rice barrels and a couple of Green River barrels I have.
Go to the Gun Builders Bench, my post of 12/25/11 ".50 Flint Lancasters- a Left and a Right". See how that swamped 42" B weight Rice barrel shot at 100 yards. The left-handed Green Mountain barreled rifle would likely have shot that well, too, given the same sights. It had a beautiful bore. I believe a Green Mountain barrel would be a good choice for you, very good and least costly.
Rice barrels have perfectly fitted plugs, if you buy them with the plug installed, .50 inches long, perfect for building. Beautiful bores, even under 25X magnification. I have never had a Getz barrel, and my one Long Hammock I traded off. Think I built with a Rayl, but can't remember (I'm in the 40's now (number built) and can't always find my notes). Green Mountain barrels are very good now, better than they used to be. They do not have plugs installed and they are tapped for a .625" long plug. I have cut a lot of them to .50 long, even for Hawken patent breeches, but that makes a much better fit for a flint rifle. The Hawkeye bore scope revealed that several of my Green Mtn barrels are premium, along with the Rice barrels and a couple of Green River barrels I have.
Go to the Gun Builders Bench, my post of 12/25/11 ".50 Flint Lancasters- a Left and a Right". See how that swamped 42" B weight Rice barrel shot at 100 yards. The left-handed Green Mountain barreled rifle would likely have shot that well, too, given the same sights. It had a beautiful bore. I believe a Green Mountain barrel would be a good choice for you, very good and least costly.