Joined
·
8,413 Posts
If you want a TC brand barrel, your selections will be extremely limited, like 45 and 50.
However, it isn't rocket science to install a breech plug on a 15/16 barrel and cut a dovetail for a wedge tennon, underrib and thimbles, (especially if I can do it)
TC style breech plugs are available from several sources, including Track of the wolf.
Another alternative would be to buy a used/abused TC barrel on an on line auction. (Three rusty TC barrels recently sold for $40 including shipping on fleabay.) Then have Bobby Hoyt (I think he still calls his shop the Freischutz Shop) in Fairfield PA rebore them for you. Get a 28 ga smoothbore barrel for small game while you are at it. Lyman sold the crap out of 15/16 54 cal barrels. There is no reason why a 50 can't be rebored to that. A 50 could also be lined to a smaller caliber.
There are several black powder smiths who can easily make up drop in barrels for you. Might get a quantity discount.
Small caliber 15/16 barrels can be very heavy, however, some of that weight can be knocked off by turning the barrel round ahead of the nose cap. simply use a higher profile under rib to make up the difference in space. I have filed the corners of the flats off by hand and made a gun that gradually went from octagon to 16 sides to straight tapered round and knocked 5 or 6 oz off the front 2/3 of the barrel.
However, it isn't rocket science to install a breech plug on a 15/16 barrel and cut a dovetail for a wedge tennon, underrib and thimbles, (especially if I can do it)
TC style breech plugs are available from several sources, including Track of the wolf.
Another alternative would be to buy a used/abused TC barrel on an on line auction. (Three rusty TC barrels recently sold for $40 including shipping on fleabay.) Then have Bobby Hoyt (I think he still calls his shop the Freischutz Shop) in Fairfield PA rebore them for you. Get a 28 ga smoothbore barrel for small game while you are at it. Lyman sold the crap out of 15/16 54 cal barrels. There is no reason why a 50 can't be rebored to that. A 50 could also be lined to a smaller caliber.
There are several black powder smiths who can easily make up drop in barrels for you. Might get a quantity discount.
Small caliber 15/16 barrels can be very heavy, however, some of that weight can be knocked off by turning the barrel round ahead of the nose cap. simply use a higher profile under rib to make up the difference in space. I have filed the corners of the flats off by hand and made a gun that gradually went from octagon to 16 sides to straight tapered round and knocked 5 or 6 oz off the front 2/3 of the barrel.