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Thread: .458 Bore Scoped Long Range Left Handed TC New Englander Barrel

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master Good Cheer's Avatar
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    .458 Bore Scoped Long Range Left Handed TC New Englander Barrel

    Asking anybody that interested in such things to weigh in on a design discussion.
    The rifle is left hand and currently enjoys a relined standard length New Englander barrel (.458" diameter bore and 24" twist). The sights are the standard TC tang peep. It works great within the ranges it was designed for.
    Going forward the plan is to use parts from a recently obtained corroded barrel for long range* target shooting. The glass will most likely be a mid-mounted pistol scope but that's not set in stone. The boolits will be such as from various 45-70 type molds and whatever I patch. My push through sizer is .457".
    So what do you think you'd go for?
    Bore Diameter?
    Rifling lands and grooves geometry?
    Groove diameter?
    Number of grooves?
    Width ratio of lands versus grooves?
    Twist?
    Barrel Length?
    Barrel Contour?
    Add barrel band(s) to stock?
    Totally different full length stock?
    What else?

    * That means just as far as I can hit what I'm shootin' at.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    Why not a Malcolm style scope?

    I have something quite similar in mind for hunting. As a longer barrel that’s scoped won’t benefit from any sight radius benefits from a longer barrel I feel something in the lower 30” realm is plenty heavy to help manage recoil (assuming a good charge and heavy projectile) without being burdened too much by the weight and OAL. I suppose if it were REALLY long range (thinking you might be with a 1:24” twist) I’d prefer a bit more barrel. But I’m not a match shooter and I intend to build a rifle box much like a revolver presentation case with several barrels 28” and shorter and my range would be around 200 yds so something in the low 30” would do me quite fine I believe, and this being a blind over a field type gun.

    I’m a bit interested to see what answers you get with your other questions as this barrel would have to be custom with some making to order in some fashion. I don’t know enough about some of these variations (groove/land width or number of them most of all).

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master Good Cheer's Avatar
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    Yo rodwha.
    Yes sir, like you been thinking about a Malcolm.
    And I got to thinking about something else too, something that's just... unholy.
    Click image for larger version. 

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  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master Good Cheer's Avatar
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    And every time I start down this trail of thoughts I keep coming back to a full length stock.
    And learning to do color case hardening.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Good Cheer View Post
    Asking anybody that interested in such things to weigh in on a design discussion.
    The rifle is left hand and currently enjoys a relined standard length New Englander barrel (.458" diameter bore and 24" twist). The sights are the standard TC tang peep. It works great within the ranges it was designed for.
    Going forward the plan is to use parts from a recently obtained corroded barrel for long range* target shooting. The glass will most likely be a mid-mounted pistol scope but that's not set in stone. The boolits will be such as from various 45-70 type molds and whatever I patch. My push through sizer is .457".
    So what do you think you'd go for?
    Bore Diameter?
    Rifling lands and grooves geometry?
    Groove diameter?
    Number of grooves?
    Width ratio of lands versus grooves?
    Twist?
    Barrel Length?
    Barrel Contour?
    Add barrel band(s) to stock?
    Totally different full length stock?
    What else?

    * That means just as far as I can hit what I'm shootin' at.
    Talk to Bob Hoyt ,he can answer most of your questions . I always come away pleased with our chats/Ed

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master Good Cheer's Avatar
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    Spoke with him earlier today about a small game project; hasn't had a chance to open the box.
    Last edited by Good Cheer; 12-03-2019 at 03:50 PM.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    If your current barrel is in good shape it might do the job as is. If you buy .458 bullets then size them to fit the bore, lube them and shoot. At least you would find out how that barrel shoots. You could also do a trial with mounting a scope on it.

    My eyes just are not up to precision shooting with open sights so I put a scope on my Lyman Great Plains Hunter. It is an old T/C 3x LER scope that I kept when I sold off my Contender many years ago. It works well, but, if you plan on longer ranges you may need a 20MOA type scope mount. FWIW, to look 'correct' a Malcom scope is the way to go (and you can add the elevation adj you would need for really long range). If you have not already bought a scope they aren't any more than a decent LER scope. If I did not already have that scope sitting there I probably would have bought one.

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