ASSRA Forum › General › General Discussion › Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45
(Moderator Group: Moderator)
‹ Previous Topic | Next Topic ›
Page Index Toggle Pages: [1] 2 3 4 Send TopicPrint
Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45 (Read 9566 times)
Merkava
Full Member
***
Offline



Posts: 112
Joined: Oct 14th, 2021
Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45
Dec 10th, 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"
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Jeff_Schultz
ASSRA Board Member
*****
Offline



Posts: 1660
Location: Ransomville, NY
Joined: Apr 25th, 2004
Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45
Reply #1 - Dec 10th, 2021 at 5:30pm
Print Post  
32 inches
  
"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.
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Merkava
Full Member
***
Offline



Posts: 112
Joined: Oct 14th, 2021
Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45
Reply #2 - Dec 10th, 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"
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Jeff_Schultz
ASSRA Board Member
*****
Offline



Posts: 1660
Location: Ransomville, NY
Joined: Apr 25th, 2004
Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45
Reply #3 - Dec 10th, 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.
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
marlinguy
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Offline


Ballards may be weaker,
but they sure are neater!

Posts: 18055
Location: Oregon
Joined: Feb 2nd, 2009
Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45
Reply #4 - Dec 10th, 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.
  
(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Old-Win
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Offline



Posts: 1827
Location: Minnesota
Joined: Nov 24th, 2005
Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45
Reply #5 - Dec 10th, 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.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
rkba2nd
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Online



Posts: 2103
Location: earth
Joined: Feb 16th, 2009
Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45
Reply #6 - Dec 10th, 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
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Merkava
Full Member
***
Offline



Posts: 112
Joined: Oct 14th, 2021
Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45
Reply #7 - Dec 10th, 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"
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
westerner
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Offline


deleted posts and threads
record holder.

Posts: 12355
Location: Why, out West of course
Joined: May 29th, 2006
Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45
Reply #8 - Dec 10th, 2021 at 7:19pm
Print Post  
34 inches.
  
A blind squirrel runs into a tree every once in a while.
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
rkba2nd
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Online



Posts: 2103
Location: earth
Joined: Feb 16th, 2009
Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45
Reply #9 - Dec 10th, 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
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
marlinguy
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Offline


Ballards may be weaker,
but they sure are neater!

Posts: 18055
Location: Oregon
Joined: Feb 2nd, 2009
Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45
Reply #10 - Dec 10th, 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.
  
(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Merkava
Full Member
***
Offline



Posts: 112
Joined: Oct 14th, 2021
Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45
Reply #11 - Dec 10th, 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"
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
westerner
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Offline


deleted posts and threads
record holder.

Posts: 12355
Location: Why, out West of course
Joined: May 29th, 2006
Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45
Reply #12 - Dec 10th, 2021 at 9:28pm
Print Post  
rkba2nd wrote on Dec 10th, 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.
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
rkba2nd
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Online



Posts: 2103
Location: earth
Joined: Feb 16th, 2009
Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45
Reply #13 - Dec 10th, 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
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
westerner
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Offline


deleted posts and threads
record holder.

Posts: 12355
Location: Why, out West of course
Joined: May 29th, 2006
Re: Barrel length / burn rate of black powder in .45
Reply #14 - Dec 10th, 2021 at 9:37pm
Print Post  
rkba2nd wrote on Dec 10th, 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.
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: [1] 2 3 4
Send TopicPrint
‹ Previous Topic | Next Topic ›
 
  « Board Index ‹ Board Top  

ASSRA Forum » Powered by YaBB 2.6.12!
YaBB Forum Software © 2000-2026. All Rights Reserved.

Valid RSS Valid XHTML Valid CSS Powered by Perl Source Forge

Page completed in 1.2886 seconds.