I am building three muzzleloading rifles, and I have wasted nearly $6000 dollars over the last three years. I need help.
I want three barrels made for muzzleloading. Any bore diameter between .50- and .75-caliber, and lengths between 24 and 34 inches, is acceptable. It makes no difference to me how they are rifled: cut rifled, button rifled, cation eroded, hammer rifled, oval bored, or any other method. Rate of twist, depth of rifling, choke or taper boring, gain twist, and other stuff is barrel maker stuff. So let's not worry about it. Barrels are to be built-to order. This is where I run into trouble. Sounds like no sweat, right?
The difficult part is to have them made in ANY OF THE FOLLOWING options. One possibility includes exotic material from which to make barrel blanks. Other possibilities are to use standard barrel materials and do exotic things to the metal:
1. Barrels made from CC450 or 17-4PH steel. This is my best solution. It is also the least likely to be available, even as "I'll try it, but you have bought it regardless what happens."
2. Standard barrel materials, such as 4140, 4150, and 416BQ, that have IDs TiN'd by a metal finishing company. There are several formulations for titanium nitride. Whatever can be done is acceptable. This is where I hope one of you will offer me a solution.
3. Standard barrel materials, such as 4140, 4150, and 416BQ, that have IDs hard chrome plated. This is available from several mass manufacturers, but their barrels are not otherwise acceptable. I do not know of any plating company, or barrel maker, who offers industrial plating for IDs of custom-built barrels.
I need identification of people and businesses that can do the job. Please don't question my sanity. I want the best and am willing to pay -- that's reason enough!
To reach me directly:
tlancek@fastmail.fm
