38 special underhammer...perhaps??

[357maximum]

Hypothetical questions:

Without going full custom on the barrel:

If you wanted to build a small and lightweight small framed underhammer style muzzleloader to launch 38 wadcutters and 38 swaged semi-wadcutters....where would you get the barrel from?

Is there a barrel out there that could be borrowed from another gun?

What barrel length would YOU use?

I am thinking somewhere down the line of building such a beast for rangeplay and maybe zapping a squirrel or other small tasty critter. I cannot afford to build such a thing right now, but thinking/theorizing is almost free.

[waksupi]

Alas, there is no easy way out. As you know, the heart of any muzzleloader, is the quality of the barrel and lock. I would say bite the boolit, and pay a couple hundred to get a breeched barrel from one of the main suppliers, and from that point on, you can go cheap. I assume you are going to make your own underhammer lock.

[357Mag]

.357 Max -

Howdy !

I wonder ifn' a barrel like my 22" .358" calibre SS 1-16 5-groove Red Scherer
barrel might not work ok for you ? Soft enough lead might seal the bore OK ?

It's had SOME use in the "J " world, but was properly broke-in; and has oodles of barrel life left. Coult always have it turned-down to profile you like.

Barrel currently is a bench rest taper, and threaded 1-16 ( Win 7O, Wichita, near Ruger M-77; and some Sakos ).

This barrel sure shot great in .357 AutoMag carbine config.

Let's talk.

With regards,
.357Mag

[FL-Flinter]

Two problems you're going to run into are breeching and bullets. You'll need enough wall thickness to allow for safe breeching and of course to provide structural support for the barrel & handling.

Second issue is making correct size bullets. A .357 mold is going to drop 0.003" - 0.004" smaller in diameter with soft Pb as opposed to harder alloy like WW. You will get some obtrusion on firing with a moderate to heavy load but for light target loads, you need a bullet that fits tight from the start. Thus, if you go with a barrel grooved to 0.357" you'll need to get a custom mold, lap an existing mold or paper patch. The caveat here is that adding just a very small amount of Sn to soft alloy will greatly improve the castability and reduce shrinkage w/o noticably chaning the hardness. Paper patching is a viable option, BTDT running bullets in ML's - just watch your pressures!

[357maximum]

MARK:

A stepped plug that is threaded small and fine for the barrel, yet larger on the reciever end should make it workable I thought....I have thought wrong before...nothing new I spose.

As far as the boolit being FAT enough...I do not see that as a problem. I have a fat and soft .360 wadcutter mould kicking about here someplace.

Ric


If a barrel off say a marlin 1894 for example was cut back and used I do not see a quality issue. All the 1894's I have played with shoot 357 cast just dandy...get rid of the chamber and tadaaaa....was my thinking. As far as lock...I was thinking standard H&A parts in a smaller diameter reciever...say 7/8 or 1 inch. Maybe I am misunderstanding what you are saying.



357MAG...I am currently with little disposable income.....and this sounds like I cannot afford it...too nice a barrel. If you hafta ask....you cannot afford it kinda deal. I was thinking of doing my part to recycle a marlin or similar take-off barrel.....yes I am cheap err frugal...and I am broke.....not a good combo.

[jhrosier]

Gun Parts Corp has barrels for the timberwolf rifle that are 18-1/2" for less than $40.
Item No. 957240

Jack

[rhead]

Have you considered a handi rifle barrel. The chamber could be threaded. cost would be a little over $100 new plus shipping. You would need a receiver for them to fit it to.

They used to make a 36 cal in I am remembering correctly. Mine is a 44.

[JeffinNZ]

The issue is finding a .356-.358 BORE diameter barrel. The other factor to consider is how well are those wad cutters going to fly after 25 yards?

[John Taylor]

Just going to throw a couple ideas out. First, the bore of a 357 will be about .349. Trying to get a full sized 357 bullet down the barrel will be a chore. Second, any cartridge barrel will be strong enough for a ML with black powder or BP substitute.
Under hammers are the simplest to build. If you have a hacksaw, drill and a file you could probably make one.
One trick with using a cartridge barrel and boolets. Save a couple inches of the barrel and use it to make a bullet swedge. This is a job for a machinist.Turn the short piece of barrel down so the wall thickness is around .030" and press it into a tube that has a hole .005" smaller than the od of the barrel piece. This will shrink the bore down and bullet pushed through it will have the rifling engraved and be slightly smaller than your rifle bore which will help in loading. Just turn the bullet till the rifling lines up and slide it in with the ram rod.

[357maximum]

Thanks for the thinkin material.......better go do some more thinkin on my end eh?

[357Mag]

.357Max -

Well... keep me in-mind, if the stainless barrel ends up your choice.

Heck... I'm PO' too ! ( One reason for selling the barrel ).

Merry Christmas to you and yours !


With regards,
.357Mag

[Willbird]

The issue is finding a .356-.358 BORE diameter barrel. The other factor to consider is how well are those wad cutters going to fly after 25 yards?

They used to shoot a lot of wadcutters for record score at 50 yards :-). And I have seen guys shoot them well at 200 yards.

Bill

[Hanshi]

I tried .32 Long HBWC in my .32 Crockett and the results were disappointing. I think if I experiment a little more with that it "might" work. Only one way to see. I've also made up my mind to try .38 HBWC in my flint .36. I have a feeling the right powder charge is the answer. Never thought about building one specifically for HBWC, though.
http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt74/hanshi_photo/PICT0377.jpg

[John Taylor]

I tried .32 Long HBWC in my .32 Crockett and the results were disappointing. I think if I experiment a little more with that it "might" work. Only one way to see. I've also made up my mind to try .38 HBWC in my flint .36. I have a feeling the right powder charge is the answer. Never thought about building one specifically for HBWC, though.
http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt74/hanshi_photo/PICT0377.jpg

Your rifle may have to slow a twist to run a HBWC. It most likely has a twist rate for round ball which is to slow for a boolet. A twist rate around 1 in 20" to 1 in 30" in a rifle should work OK for 150 grain bullets in a 357. The pistols usually run around 1 in 18" but the velocity is lower

[Boz330]

I tried 175gr 38-40 boolits in my 40cal rifle with a 48 twist. I patched the base to get a good seal and got what I considered decent hunting accuracy from it but it would throw a flier in just about every group that was way out. Never could figure out why so I gave up on it.

Bob