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Anyone got any ball park figures? I know high powered bottleneck cases you are into the "few thousand shots" range. 22LR its somewhere closer to infinity. Where does something like 44-40 sit? Assuming for the purpose of the question a diet of cast and occasionally jacketed but at original power levels, aka 1250fps with 200 grain type loads. More than ten thousand? Or closer to bottleneck bolt action type centrefires?
The older original barrels were softer but with any of the modern barrel steels 50K plus should be realistic.
I have seen the barrel of a friends mod 92 and it looks like new after 3 generations of family use, if I was to guess I would put it close to the rimfire life span if used with cast. At the velocity quoted barrel erosion would be almost non existent. Regards Stephen
Another consideration is 'what was the cleaning regimen like.
Not enough = a pitted barrel and permanent damage
Too much = extreme wear at the muzzle where the rod contacted the crown of vintage steel.
Just rite = a shiney oiled bore with no wear at the muzzle. Lasting several lifetimes unless it has been in competition which could mean several thousands of shots ... hopefully all soft lead.
Good morning
We have a Hall flintlock model 1819 breach loader made in 1826. The Hall rifles were counter bored at the muzzle about 5" so if need be could be easily "muzzle loaded" if paper cartridges were not available. Thus there is no steel ramrod wear at the muzzle.
This barrel has excellent rifling. Fired for near 200 years with BP only and soft RB wrapped in paper normally. But we have fired around 100 rounds just by dumping 60-70 grains 2F or 3F Goex into the lever elevated chamber, a thin cereal box wad and thumb pressing a RB down on top with a dobber of beeswax on top.
I have no idea how many rounds were fired but the barrel looks like it will easily shoot well for another 200 years.
Mike in LLama Land
Not many people shoot enough to wear out a rifle barrel or live long enough doing it.
Improper cleaning will wear the barrel quicker than shooting it.
After WWII Parker Hale bought up and converted many Lee Enfield Surplus Rifles to sporting rifles. The two bottom grade rifles were the Standard Grade which was simply a #4 Mk1 or #1 Mk 3 with the wood shortened to Sporter length, Sling Swivels and really nothing else $65 US. These guns had good muzzles because they had not been cleaned to death.
The Deluxe Grade had 3"cut off the barrel which got rid or the worn part of the muzzle, a Parker Hale Ramp Front Sight Sweated on, a reshaped fore end with no hand guard and sling swivels. $75. They were able to come up with a viable way to resurrect guns that had worn barrels by simply cutting the barrels off and re-crowning the muzzle.
Parker Hale was able to stay afloat during the Post War Recession by converting these guns for civilian use and they were very popular here in the US and in Canada.
I have one of each and paid less than $200 for each. Both of mine have had serious revamping. The standard was made to look like an L39 and the Deluxe was re-bored to .35-303 and restocked with a Boyd's Laminate stock and fore end.
So cutting off worn Muzzles is nothing new and gunsmiths have been doing it forever.
But I doubt anyone would live long enough to wear out a .44-40 barrel by shooting it. There would have to be misuse involved to kill one.
Randy
Got to agree. Unless abuse or neglect, you won’t live long enough to wear out low pressure, low velocity guns like the 44 40.
I have been shooting western action with a 44/40 for 30 years and estimate that I have fired over 20,000 rounds in that time. There is no appreciable barrel wear during that time.
I estimate that barrel life with low powered loads would be closer to 100,000 rounds, higher intensity rifle loads should be in the range of 50,000 to 70,000.
I would expect a mechanical failure or wear in the action to be a problem long before any hint of barrel wear. Extractor, ejectors, some springs maybe but unlikely - barrel never. I have a Marlin 336 30-30, broke an extractor after 11,000+ rounds, replaced extractor, still running fine, excellent accuracy and it's a Micro-groove (bought new - 1964). Low pressure with lead bullets does not wear barrels.
So on that note folks, what does wear out on lever actions first. If somone wanted to stock up on spare parts say for an 1892 and an 1873 would there be a recommended list of items to do so?
Monitor headspace. Excess headspace will hammer the locking lugs and stretch the receiver over time.