The Accurate Reloading Forums
4-bore question
20 February 2008, 01:42
The Metalsmith4-bore question
Got a little project going on for a muzzleloading 4-bore. Decided to attempt to create and rifle a barrel of my own. Here's the problem, don't have the means to do cut rifling on the lathes we have now, so who would be able to provide a rifling button or anything similar along those lines? Or would we be stuck on creating a smoothbore, which I am hoping not to go with. Thanks.
"Molotov Cocktails don't leave fingerprints"
-Dr. Ski
20 February 2008, 01:55
MacifejYou can buy a premium quality 4-Bore cut rifled barrel relatively inexpensively.
Krieger Barrels20 February 2008, 03:18
GrandpasezOnly thing is their 4bore don't match Ken
Owen's and our 4bore diameters, or Naval
Ordnance's slugs for diameter.
Theirs is .936"- Ken/ours .998" If you went
smooth which I'm thinking of doing, Naval
makes hollowbase lead slugs also as well
as jkt ones I have here. Both .998".
Now if you went .936 you could stay smooth and
cast HB slugs or use with shot.I think
wads are available for both sizes. Ed.
MZEE WA SIKU
20 February 2008, 03:28
Macifejquote:
Originally posted by hubel458:
Only thing is their 4bore don't match Ken
Owen's and our 4bore diameters, or Naval
Ordnance's slugs for diameter.
Theirs is .936"- Ken/ours .998" If you went
smooth which I'm thinking of doing, Naval
makes hollowbase lead slugs also as well
as jkt ones I have here. Both .998".
Now if you went .936 you could stay smooth and
cast HB slugs or use with shot.I think
wads are available for both sizes. Ed.
What does that have to do with the price of Tea in China??

If he want's to do smooth then he can get one of many deep hole drilling shops to drill any size he wants in any material cheap.
If he want's to cast his slugs they can be any diameter he prefers as moulds are dirt cheap as is lead.
The "correct" size for 4-Bore is 1.052" which no one makes off the rack.
20 February 2008, 03:33
The MetalsmithI suppose it wouldn't matter if it was rifled or not, a friend and I are buildling a modern blackpowder howdah pistol. Don't ask why but got a wild hair up my ass to do it. But I'd really prefer a rifled barrel and feel like manufacturing the barrel myself.
The next project is probably going to be a 1-pounder double barrel muzzleloader. What bore diameter would that be? I'll give reports on how it goes. So far we have a muzzle blank for our howdah pistol, we're doing a single than a double barrel. Currently machining out the breech block and assembly probably tomorrow than gotta figure out what a pounder's gonna be as far as bore diameter. Thanks
"Molotov Cocktails don't leave fingerprints"
-Dr. Ski
20 February 2008, 03:38
Macifej1-Bore is 1.67" diameter. Bad idea to shoulder something that big..........
20 February 2008, 03:42
GrandpasezI been told that if you have right machines
there are plans available to make
your own cut rifling setup. Using a lathe
I think in one setup. Ed
MZEE WA SIKU
20 February 2008, 03:48
MacifejI'm sure it could be done but why spend the money on gear to do it half ass when we have many capable barrel makers in the US?
20 February 2008, 03:50
The MetalsmithMacifej-Still young, I can take it, I guess

It's just going on a whim. They've made a .700 nitro for the same reason, because they wanted bigger. I want bigger, so time to build one. If I don't like it or the recoil there's always SafariKid, know he has a masochistic addiction to recoil.
I've got a HAAS TL-1 Lathe and HAAS-TM1 Mill, as well as a enco lathe. Don't have the correct tooling to do cut riflling though, damn idiots sent our lathes without tailstocks. Trying to do this while maintaining reasonability with our machines currently.
"Molotov Cocktails don't leave fingerprints"
-Dr. Ski
20 February 2008, 03:50
The MetalsmithThanks Macifej for the encouragement. Really appreciate that.
"Molotov Cocktails don't leave fingerprints"
-Dr. Ski