Author Topic: 209x50 with the QLA cut off (Read 774 times)

upnorth · « **on:** October 20, 2003, 02:41:56 PM »

Need your help folks. Have the opportunity at a like new 209x50, but the guy couldn't get conicals to shoot worth a damn with the QLA on it. he had a gunsmith remove the QLA, and it groups great. Anyone forsee potential problems with this barrel? I shoot strictly saboted bullets.

longwinters · « **Reply #1 on:** October 20, 2003, 02:50:08 PM »

Ok, I am a little dense. What is QLA?

long

Underclocked · « **Reply #2 on:** October 20, 2003, 02:51:46 PM »

Just have to be a bit more careful when first positioning the sabot. What crown did he have put on the bore after removing the QLA? I had a 209x45 QLA cut off in hopes of improving performance Smith put an 11 degree target crown on the barrel, but coning would seem preferable to me. May do that yet and that is something you could do to that .50 if loading sabots is too troubling.

upnorth · « **Reply #3 on:** October 20, 2003, 03:13:22 PM »

do you mean aligning the petals of the sabot with the lands of the barrel?

Underclocked · « **Reply #4 on:** October 20, 2003, 04:14:08 PM »

No, but that is a good practice. It's just a little harder to start a sabot without the QLA to more or less guide it and hold it in near lineup with the bore. With an 11 degree crown, your fingers must do all the alignment. A coned crown would make life easier it seems to me.

I sure wouldn't let that stop me if the rifle is priced right. That QLA couldn't have been aligned correctly anyway if his conicals started performing better.?? QLA is basically a fixed false muzzle and I don't see the "fixed" part as being an advantage, particularly if the thing isn't perfectly aligned with the bore.

And you won't miss the weight.

Anyone have a coning tool for lease? :-)

Bob_K · « **Reply #5 on:** October 20, 2003, 04:27:25 PM »

I suspect the QLA being removed and a proper crown being applied will have no real impact to the barrel. Barrels were made that way for years before the QLA was invented as a marketing ploy.

Bullseye · « **Reply #6 on:** October 20, 2003, 05:45:33 PM »

It won't hurt the accuracy, in this case it helped. Muzzleloaders for years did not have it. My old Renegade shot great without it. Now in my opinion I think it is a great feature for starting the bullet and keeping it straight without a bullet starter. I want it on any of my muzzleloaders in the future but others do not feel that way. Decide if you think it is a worthwhile feature and make your decision purely on personal preference.

Longwinters, QLA is the end of the barrel on T/C's (other brands maybe also) that has the rifling removed so that a bullet can be started into the barrel with your finger.

upnorth · « **Reply #7 on:** October 21, 2003, 04:07:32 AM »

so what was the benefit to the QLA then? was it put on the barrel so you wouldn't need a short starter? Am I safe to assume that without it, the barrel is just like any other barrel, where you keep your sabot straight with your fingers until the short starter gets it going? I have already commited to the rifle with a deposit because the price is just too good!!

Underclocked · « **Reply #8 on:** October 22, 2003, 05:09:35 PM »

Yes, it is/was there for ease of alignment and supposedly eliminated the need of a short starter. I suppose it would do just that with some bullets. No other purpose that I know about.

Graycg · « **Reply #9 on:** October 23, 2003, 06:57:23 AM »

One issue of concern is that it is unlikely that TC will honor any guarantee with the barrel being thus modified. Just a thought.

v.r
graycg