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Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45 (Read 9570 times)

Merkava Full Member Offline Posts: 112 Joined: Oct 14^th, 2021	Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45 Dec 10^th, 2021 at 5:28pm	Print Post
	Martini Henry Zulu action. 45-70 Govt Chambering Optimum barrel length for complete powder burn. What is commonly used? This will be a hunting rifle

	It's not a good idea to start a fight with an old man. He can't run and he can't fight any more. But there is one thing he will do. He will shoot you. " John Steinbeck"
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Jeff_Schultz ASSRA Board Member Online Posts: 1660 Location: Ransomville, NY Joined: Apr 25^th, 2004	Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45 Reply #1 - Dec 10^th, 2021 at 5:30pm	Print Post
	32 inches

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Merkava Full Member Offline Posts: 112 Joined: Oct 14^th, 2021	Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45 Reply #2 - Dec 10^th, 2021 at 5:38pm	Print Post
	Thanks Jeff. I'm going have the barrel made up at 32" Much Obliged

	It's not a good idea to start a fight with an old man. He can't run and he can't fight any more. But there is one thing he will do. He will shoot you. " John Steinbeck"
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Jeff_Schultz ASSRA Board Member Online Posts: 1660 Location: Ransomville, NY Joined: Apr 25^th, 2004	Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45 Reply #3 - Dec 10^th, 2021 at 5:43pm	Print Post
	You're welcome.

	"We have met the enemy and he is us." Pogo “There is no situation so bad that it cannot be made worse." Confidence- The feeling you get before you fully understand the situation.
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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 18055 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45 Reply #4 - Dec 10^th, 2021 at 5:44pm	Print Post
	I have them in 30"-34", but I only got started into BP loading a couple months ago, so can't say yet that one particular length is an advantage over the other. Both of the guns I've been working up BP loads in are 34" barrels, and seem to be doing as good as they did with my previous smokeless loads. One a Ballard in .45-70, and one a Rolling Block in .44-77 Sharps bottleneck.

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Old-Win Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1827 Location: Minnesota Joined: Nov 24^th, 2005	Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45 Reply #5 - Dec 10^th, 2021 at 6:10pm	Print Post
	It's a moot point. Build your rifle for balance for your huntIng purpose. Every black powder has a different burn rate. Just take one outside at night and see what it looks like when you fire off a cartridge. 3F burns fastest of the rifle powders but each brand is also different. A fire was started at the Quigley this year from unburned powder.


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rkba2nd Frequent Elocutionist Online Posts: 2103 Location: earth Joined: Feb 16^th, 2009	Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45 Reply #6 - Dec 10^th, 2021 at 6:44pm	Print Post
	Build it at the longest you would be comfortable with, you can always shorten it. Darn hard to lengthen it.

	rkba2nd
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Merkava Full Member Offline Posts: 112 Joined: Oct 14^th, 2021	Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45 Reply #7 - Dec 10^th, 2021 at 6:48pm	Print Post
	RK, You certainly have a mighty valid point. Trim to length, I like that

	It's not a good idea to start a fight with an old man. He can't run and he can't fight any more. But there is one thing he will do. He will shoot you. " John Steinbeck"
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westerner Frequent Elocutionist Offline deleted posts and threads record holder. Posts: 12355 Location: Why, out West of course Joined: May 29^th, 2006	Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45 Reply #8 - Dec 10^th, 2021 at 7:19pm	Print Post
	34 inches.

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rkba2nd Frequent Elocutionist Online Posts: 2103 Location: earth Joined: Feb 16^th, 2009	Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45 Reply #9 - Dec 10^th, 2021 at 8:20pm	Print Post
	34 inches might be optimal for burning all the powder, but this being a hunting rifle, no mention was made as to barrel weight, and for some lugging a 34 inch No 4 barrel around in the woods/mountains, even in 45-70, might be a bit much for all but the hale and hardy. Certainly would be for me, although I much preferred the stand /ambush plan, except when hunting timber. This in my younger days.

	rkba2nd
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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 18055 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45 Reply #10 - Dec 10^th, 2021 at 8:27pm	Print Post
	I agree on a hunting rifle not being too heavy, but no reason it needs to be a #4 weight barrel either. Look at all the old muzzleloaders with even longer barrels that weigh under 10 lbs.! And even a 34" Remington or Sharps Creedmoor made the 10 lb. limit, with a half octagon barrel. Make it full round and it might be closer to 9.5 lbs. Since it's likely not going to be shot so quickly it would heat up, you just need it to be accurate for a shot or two, and burn all the powder, or as much as possible.

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Merkava Full Member Offline Posts: 112 Joined: Oct 14^th, 2021	Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45 Reply #11 - Dec 10^th, 2021 at 9:10pm	Print Post
	Mr. Marlin, Your explanation is quite reasonable. On modern hunting rifles I always opted for longer barrels. Makes good sense. Sight selection obviously dictates barrel length. As much as a hex barrel is quite attractive, it adds weight. Were BPCR's of the buffalo gun era long, as in 32-34"?

	It's not a good idea to start a fight with an old man. He can't run and he can't fight any more. But there is one thing he will do. He will shoot you. " John Steinbeck"
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westerner Frequent Elocutionist Offline deleted posts and threads record holder. Posts: 12355 Location: Why, out West of course Joined: May 29^th, 2006	Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45 Reply #12 - Dec 10^th, 2021 at 9:28pm	Print Post
	rkba2nd wrote on Dec 10^th, 2021 at 8:20pm: 34 inches might be optimal for burning all the powder, but this being a hunting rifle, no mention was made as to barrel weight, and for some lugging a 34 inch No 4 barrel around in the woods/mountains, even in 45-70, might be a bit much for all but the hale and hardy. Certainly would be for me, although I much preferred the stand /ambush plan, except when hunting timber. This in my younger days. 26 inches.

	A blind squirrel runs into a tree every once in a while.
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rkba2nd Frequent Elocutionist Online Posts: 2103 Location: earth Joined: Feb 16^th, 2009	Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45 Reply #13 - Dec 10^th, 2021 at 9:30pm	Print Post
	No mention of it needing to be # 4 weight, just that no mention of barrel weight was made, and that would play a part in the decision of length. Neither was it mentioned in the original post that black powder was the chosen propellant. Changing burn rate in smokeless powder would or could solve the complete burn question.

	rkba2nd
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westerner Frequent Elocutionist Offline deleted posts and threads record holder. Posts: 12355 Location: Why, out West of course Joined: May 29^th, 2006	Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45 Reply #14 - Dec 10^th, 2021 at 9:37pm	Print Post
	rkba2nd wrote on Dec 10^th, 2021 at 9:30pm: No mention of it needing to be # 4 weight, just that no mention of barrel weight was made, and that would play a part in the decision of length. Neither was it mentioned in the original post that black powder was the chosen propellant. Changing burn rate in smokeless powder would or could solve the complete burn question. Aha! There is no correct answer!

	A blind squirrel runs into a tree every once in a while.
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