extra ML barrel?

[jingle]

Hello,

Great info. in the last thread (carrierless). I've been trying to come up with a small .50 ML for my kids with little luck. I didn't realize ML barrels were still available. I have a little H&R Topper Jr. 410. I called H&R today and they said they can put a .50 on it. The order form lists a 26" blue, or a 24" SS. They are out of the blues and I would rather have the 24" so I guess I can live with stainless. My receiver is blue. My ?s...
1) Is there anything I should watch out for with the accessory barrel?
2) I love the idea of the carrierless plug. Do I need a 5/8" or the 7/8"?
3) Why is that plug absolutely necessary for Blackhorn 209? What exactly is Blackhorn 209?
Thanks and God Bless!

[bubba]

ok let me try here


1 the only thing you will need to watch for accuracy is how accurate the gun is. They are great shooters. Just dont try to over load it. By that I mean 70 to 80 grains of powder will be plenty especially for a child.

2 you will need the 5/8 breech plug. The 7/8 as used up until I believe 2003 then changed to the 5/8. So anything coming from the factory now will be 5/8.

3 Blackhorn 209 is a substitute powder. It is very clean and is the closest thing to smokeless powder you can use in a muzzleloading barrel. It is tougher to ignite than black powder or other replicas such as pyrodex, triple 7, or shockey gold.  A 209 primer is very hot in fact the recommendations are to use the hotter 209 primers with bh 209.  A #11 cap or the 25 acp breech plug will not work with it.  If you are not planning to use bh209, you can also consider the 25 acp breech plug which uses 25 acp brass which can have primers replaced in them. You have a choice of whch primers you use as small rifle and small pistol primers both work.  It also eliminates a lot of the blow back into the action, as will the carrierless breech plug in this post.  Good luck with the new barrel.

If it were I, I would get the 26 inch blued. It is only 2 more inches and will not make a great difference in the weight of the gun.  Or you can look into having it shortened if you want. 

[jingle]

Thanks Bubba!

The problem with the blue barrel is they are out of stock with no projected supply date. She said check back in 6 months or so. After reading about the "reorganization" I'm thinking the new barrels might be from China, etc. The SS barrels in stock are still probably U.S. made. I'll ask first. Thanks and God Bless!

[petemi]

I have a 24 inch stainless barrel on a .50 Huntsman with a blue frame.  It looks beautiful, and with the new 209 carrierless plug, the frame stays spotlessly clean and the stainless barrel cleans easily.  I much prefer stainless in a muzzleloader.  I don't believe, and I seriously hope, that barrel manufacturing isn't going off to China.  Get the stainless....you'll like it 

Pete

[bubba]

Sorry I misunderstood. I thought the 26 blued was in stock.  You better take the stainles as that may be the last ones they have forever.  Good luck

[quickdtoo]

I'm thinking the new barrels might be from China, etc.

Dunno why you would think that, the only firearms H&R makes that come from over seas are the pump and auto shotguns, even they are assembled here. Marlin makes most of their single shot barrels including the Huntsman and Sidekick, they've made a batch of Huntsman barrels recently, but Ilion needs to finish them, the Huntsman barrel is the number one requested accessory barrel, but the closing of Gardner and move to Ilion has slowed things down a bit, see the Modernizing the Huntsman/Sidekick sticky. 

Tim