replacement barrel for Muzzleloader ?

[dmdracer]

I have an old Investarms "Hawkins" style 50 cal muzzleloader I purchased when I was around 18 years old.... yeah 49 years ago !

Some years ago I loaned it to a "friend", when returned I asked him if he cleaned it and he said yes just put it in the safe... no problem, well yeah you guessed it, I got it out a couple years ago and discovered the barrel is a sewer pipe !

I blame myself for not checking it when returned.

I have been trying the last couple days to find a replacement barrel and surprisingly to me none exists !

I sent Investarms in Italy an email yesterday, not sure they will reply or not ??

Anyone have any suggestions ? I suppose hang it over the fireplace might be one but I like the darn thing and it would be fun to shoot it again.

The "style" is plenty full in the USA under various names... Lyman, Cabellas and Investarms.

Appreciate your thoughts.

Thanks
Dave

[carbine]

Bobby Hoyt, The Freishutz shop can rebore it to a .54 and you're in business

[dondiego]

Clean it out as best as you can and shoot it. You might be surprised.

[Buckshot Bill]

Clean it out as best as you can and shoot it. You might be surprised.

I second this, I have a few horrid looking bores that still shoot excellent. Reboring is always an option, or watch feeBay the barrels come up on there from time to time.

[Anonym]

If I remember correctly, Thompson Center barrels will interchange.

[rodwha]

Isn't Investarms who makes the Lyman rifles? If so they sell additional barrels for a couple hundred dollars. I'd email/call them and ask if your older model is the same, though from what I've read Bobby Hoyt's excellent work is inexpensive. He could ream it to a new caliber if there's meat enough or line it to a caliber of choice.

[crappie-hunter]

Bobby Hoyt, The Freishutz shop can rebore it to a .54 and you're in business

This is the way to go he has done several for me,excellent results.

[dmdracer]

Morning,

Well, an update, etc.... spent way to much time researching and talking to various "stores/business" but... I have shot it and it flat out will not shoot consistently !

Yes, Cabelas, lyman are made by Investarms in Italy and talking to them they say they have no way to get just a barrel !

However, I did get Bobby Hoyt on the phone this am, nice guy, he can bore larger 54 cal. or put a liner in it, etc.

I'm going to send just the barrel to him with my info and he will "fix" it and return, price is good too.

Thanks all for the replies, I'll post his phone # should anyone wish to have it.

I understand he is a little hard to contact... one man band so I was advised to keep calling

Bobby Hoyt
2379 Mount Hope Rd.
Fairfield, Pa. 17320
717.642.6696

[Maven]

dmd...., You did the right thing and won't be disappointed with Mr. Hoyt's work!

[triggerhappy243]

yes-yes-yes, he is the man. if you want to stay with 50 cal, the liner is the way to go.

[rodwha]

Lyman no longer sells the barrels?

[KCSO]

It is a common 15/16th barrel and a Green Mountain barrel is available. It can be rebarreled and browned easy enough. I have made up several of these in two barrel sets one in 50 or 54 and one in 40. This isn't a rocket science job and if you pay extra Track will drill and tap for the plug and cut the dovetails. The bad news is that a new barrel will cost more than the gun did but it is salvageable. You might check gun parts on E Bay for a barrel too. Barrel plus $50 and we will send it back to you parts installed and ready to brown.

[rodwha]

Not only that but I don't know of a commercial barrel in a 1:48" twist with most being a slow twist. And they all seem to be rather long (over 30" with some over 40"). Not a big deal if you shoot only a PRB or long bullet, but neither seem to shoot the various conicals at all.

I was hoping to purchase a new Lyman barrel to have reamed to 28 ga figuring it cheaper having the tennons and sights, and breech plug installed.

[John Taylor]

I have had Jim Carpenter ( 208-582-2091) make several barrels for me to match what customers wanted. He bought out Orion rifle barrel company almost 20 years ago. I havwe my own rifling machine but I don't have a deep hole drill so he bores barrel blanks for me.

[dmdracer]

Again I thank you all for your thought and I'm sending the barrel to Mr. Hoyt.

Now I started thinking again about twist rate, original was 1 in 60 or 68... not sure but it was a round ball shooter and that was ok with me, however I'm rethinking maybe a 1 in 48 may be a better choice because it might open up shooting a maxi type bullet as well as a PRB.

Asking for thoughts on this, would that compromise accuracy, meaning it will not shoot say RB as good as a 1 in 60 twist or a maxi as good with the 1 in 48 twist ?

Hope that makes sense.

[mooman76]

I have the same gun. Bought it about 25 years ago used so about the same age as yours. If I remember right when I checked the twist the 50 was 1/66 and 58 1/60. Mine was a combo set with two barrels and it is a shooter.