Have half a mind to just head for CPA and have them make another barrel for the 44 1/2 in 32-40. Have contacted Gail and she tells me that can be done for around $700.00. She suggested a 1 in 15 twist in a Douglas XX #4 contour barrel. I'd like to shoot the rifle from the benchrest and some off hand. May even take it to the field to pop a chuck or two. Living less than an hour for Shushan NY, hunting chucks there I'd feel like I was walking in the foot steps of a few famous riflemen that would approve of my outfit. 

Was in Shushan about a year ago and could have sworn I smelled cigars and black powder smoke just outside the village limits.
 
OK Guys help me pick out the barrel and bullet mold I'd need to do the project right the first time. I would be shooting breech seated bullets with smokeless powder and would like to have the rifle chambered in 32-40. I've been told that I should have bullets that weigh around 200 grains. What say you?

The 1 in 16" twist in the factory barrel of my Stevens 44 in 32-40 does not stabilize 200 grain SAECO #762 bullets at all! So do I want a 1 in 15" or a 1 in 14" twist in my new barrel?

                                                Sendaro

BP wrote on Nov 15^th, 2013 at 6:41pm:


Sure, that's correct, but I was referring to the multitude of guns produced before Winchester jumped (belatedly) into the optics game.   

AC Gould is a dear friend and provided you with sound advise John.

JLouis

Back to the drill and tap or not drill and tap question. If the gun is properly drilled and tapped in the original factory location, there is no way to tell after the fact that it was not done in the Stevens factory. The flip side is that a gun is only factory original once. Your gun, your choice. Another barrel is also a perfectly good option.

Westerner,

    Have hunted since I was a kid and all over North America, but chuck and varmint hunting with an accurate rifle has always been my favorite. Have harvested a lot of big game, small game, and birds, but there is just somthing about setting up a long range shot on a small target with an accurate rifle that I've tuned and loaded the ammo for that keeps me coming back. Have been doing it for 50+ years now and still go every year. 

    Plan to take my Stevens 32-40 to the field this year and pop a few chucks with it. However I'm still working out the bugs of a cold bore shot. Firing fouling shots to warm the bore before shooting at live targets just doesn't work out that well. I need to be able to hit a target of 3" in diameter at a distance of 200 yards on the first shot from a cold fouled bore with my 32-40. Then I'll take it to the field. 

                               Sendaro

Sounds like the best plan sendero. You never know what the future may hold! Have fun with her and I'd want the 1/14. Big boolits. 

John

If Stevens d&t the barrel, didn't they put the name and address on the 1 o'clock flat?  I've never been able to d&t an original barrel, to each his own.   

I did much like Kurt did except Steve Earle made a flat piece of steel with the scope blocks screwed to it for me.  I use Accraglas to attach it to the barrel but I use no strap.  To date, I haven't had one come off yet until I wanted it off.
Phil

John I think very highly of the Douglas XX barrels, I currently have two and could not want for more. I have also had more exapensive barrels by highly recommended makers that did not in my opinion shoot as consistenty as good. In our group of shooters all but a very few use Douglas XX barrels and are having the same success as myself and think highly of them. I too like a round barrel of 28 inches in length and the Darr Mould is from the 70's and was made by Barry and has become hard to come by.

JLouis