36 cal barrel questions

[troy fairweather]

I am thinking of ordering an 36 barrel so I can fit it to the Hopkins and Allen underhammer I have, this will be for squirrels and other small game plus just for fun.
I don't know what I can find in stock but have some questions id like to ask.

Round or flat bottom rifling, is round really much better for prb. And is rice the only 36 with round bottom.

barrel size, 3/4 or 13/16. To thin any look weird.

barrel length, the longer barrel should help with a better sight radius. But is a 42 or about to front heavy for the very light h&a action.

 

[Fyrstyk]

I have both round and square bottomed rifling in my two .36 rifles. The flinter is a Rice round bottomed rifled barrel, and the Pedersoli has square bottomed. The Rice likes a heavy lubed tight patched ball and a somewhat heavier powder charge to get the best accuracy. I do not have a fouling problem with it, but i do swab the bore after 5-6 shots just out of habit. Don't know if it is typical of all round bottomed rifling. With the Pedersoli a cap lock, a standard lightly lubed patch and ball combo seems to work well for accuracy but I have to swab more frequently otherwise it gets harder to seat a ball. Once again, I don't know if this is typical, but it is for me. Both guns have 42" barrels and 3/4" across the flats. The Pedersoli is nose heavy, but the flint lock( a custom made gun) balances perfectly for me.

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

I thought Colerain made a .36 radius groove barrel. Did you check Track of the Wolf for barrels?

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Does anyone make a .40" barrel? Then you could shoot .375 and .380" balls. Works for me.

I think the difference between round bottom and square cut rifling would be very hard to determine. I'd go small/thin on the barrel, but no you wouldn't want the breech end to be smaller than the receiver, that would look weird. Pretty easy to have a barrel turned half round, or the muzzle end after the foregrip turned smaller on a lathe. You could get a barrel that would be the right diameter for the receiver, then turn the end down right after the fore-end for a lighter not so muzzle heavy barrel. ?

 

[arcticap]

I am thinking of ordering an 36 barrel so I can fit it to the Hopkins and Allen underhammer I have, this will be for squirrels and other small game plus just for fun.
I don't know what I can find in stock but have some questions id like to ask.

Round or flat bottom rifling, is round really much better for prb. And is rice the only 36 with round bottom.

barrel size, 3/4 or 13/16. To thin any look weird.

barrel length, the longer barrel should help with a better sight radius. But is a 42 or about to front heavy for the very light h&a action.

The round bottom rifling may handle fouling better but that may be dependent on comparing the depth of the grooves.
I noticed that Colerain offers both styles for the same price, and may also have the same groove depth of .012".
That seems to indicate that it's personal preference.
IMO round bottom may be more traditional for those who install it on a long rifle.
If I were going to choose I would go with flat bottom for no real reason other than that's what factory barrels have.
I would also consider asking Bob Hoyt to make a barrel since he could probably do the final fitting for it too.

Bob Hoyt 2379 MT Hope Rd Fairfield PA 17320-9407
Phone 717-642-6696 Try to call 7-8:00 AM because he's often too busy to answer the phone when he's working.
He does round bottom rifling too, and will provide advice if you need it.

 

[troy fairweather]

The round bottom rifling may handle fouling better but that may be dependent on comparing the depth of the grooves.
I noticed that Colerain offers both styles for the same price, and may also have the same groove depth of .012".
That seems to indicate that it's personal preference.
IMO round bottom may be more traditional for those who install it on a long rifle.
If I were going to choose I would go with flat bottom for no real reason other than that's what factory barrels have.
I would also consider asking Bob Hoyt to make a barrel since he could probably do the final fitting for it too.

Bob Hoyt 2379 MT Hope Rd Fairfield PA 17320-9407
Phone 717-642-6696 Try to call 7-8:00 AM because he's often too busy to answer the phone when he's working.
He does round bottom rifling too, and will provide advice if you need it.

I've used a good amount of green mountain barrel and never had any problems with there square cut barrel, suck they don't make a 32-36 anymore tho.

I think the round bottom is better when using pillow ticking but could just be round are more often dedper.

Round is supposed to be easier to clean.

I'll have to give Bob a call, I have a older action with the tapered pin so I may drill it out and tap for set screws to make barrel swaps easier. I'll probably have to make the breach plug since it found and it's size I don't think I could use a 3/4 barrel.

but for all his much a new barrel maybe I can get a whole rifle kit from Pecatonica for $500ish.

 

[troy fairweather]

I have both round and square bottomed rifling in my two .36 rifles. The flinter is a Rice round bottomed rifled barrel, and the Pedersoli has square bottomed. The Rice likes a heavy lubed tight patched ball and a somewhat heavier powder charge to get the best accuracy. I do not have a fouling problem with it, but i do swab the bore after 5-6 shots just out of habit. Don't know if it is typical of all round bottomed rifling. With the Pedersoli a cap lock, a standard lightly lubed patch and ball combo seems to work well for accuracy but I have to swab more frequently otherwise it gets harder to seat a ball. Once again, I don't know if this is typical, but it is for me. Both guns have 42" barrels and 3/4" across the flats. The Pedersoli is nose heavy, but the flint lock( a custom made gun) balances perfectly for me.

I don't mind swabing since it seems to be more consistent from first to last shot. But would be nice to get 2-3 shots for when I miss the squirrels lol. I think it will be a pain to make a 3/4 barrel fit, the breach plug is round where it goes into the receiver. SO for a 3/4 barrel the threads maybe smaller then the unthreaded part to go in the receiver.

I don't think this will be a gun for shooting offhand, more likely to rest on a tree waiting for a squirrel to stop.

 

[troy fairweather]

I thought Colerain made a .36 radius groove barrel. Did you check Track of the Wolf for barrels?

Yes looks like they do, there's not much in stock when I looked. Most were the square bottom left.

 

[troy fairweather]

Does anyone make a .40" barrel? Then you could shoot .375 and .380" balls. Works for me.

I think the difference between round bottom and square cut rifling would be very hard to determine. I'd go small/thin on the barrel, but no you wouldn't want the breech end to be smaller than the receiver, that would look weird. Pretty easy to have a barrel turned half round, or the muzzle end after the foregrip turned smaller on a lathe. You could get a barrel that would be the right diameter for the receiver, then turn the end down right after the fore-end for a lighter not so muzzle heavy barrel. ?

Yea you can get 40 but probably overkill for what I'd use, I'd like to try a 40 some day, just I'd go right to 45 since I could use it for deer as well.
I'd get a mold so really doesn't matter much which balls are easier to get.

I'd like to do another barrel to, maybe a . 54.