Shortening barrel length on a Savage muzzleloader?

[JohnC]

Hi all.

Currently own a remington 700ML used primarily for deer hunting. with the terrain I hunt, i've found the 24" barrel awkward and the gun muzzle heavy. I'm left handed but right-eye dominant, so I shoot right, but my right arm is noticeably (15%) weaker than my left.

I've been considering buying a Savage muzzleloader and having the barrel cut from 24 to 20 or even 19 inches and recrowned, etc.. my theory is that with smokeless, you can get faster burn rates than with pyrodex so the velocity loss would't be that large. Anybody aware of articles on this topic, or other websites where this might be discussed? I found several articles on velocity vs barrel length, but they all deal either with rimfire or centerfire rifles

Thanks in advance

 

[ben hunchak]

While I have never chronographed the diff. in barrel lengths with a muzzleloader I would imagine that shortening the barrel would make performance suffer alot, black powder or replica B.P. needs barrel length to burn and as you are probably trying to burn 100 or more grains i would think alot more than normal would not burn and vel. would drop off......I don't know if this a good analogy but in my cart. rifles it takes 30" of barrel to get the most of 70-100grs. of black.

 

[JohnC]

I have the same feeling as you with black powder/pyrodex Ben. i was wondering about the Savage 110ML which can use smokeless powder which burns quite a bit faster than black/pyrodex, whether the loss from a shrtened barrel would not be as bad.

 

[d.bala]

I have the savage 10mlbss II (stainless laminate) and it is totally awesome the recoil using smokeless 44grn and a 300 grn xtp is very crisp and short. the powder used is accurate 5477 I'm not sure of the burn rate on this powder but i don't think you would be affected that much by shortening the barrel but the bore is very tight and you may have some trouble starting the bullet unless you recessed the crown somewhat.

 

[BWANA]

Hi John,
I have a Savage 10MLII in SS/Comp and have been wondering the same thing myself.
There is a U.S. site that's big into Savages called Modern Muzzleloader,I'll pm them and see what they think.

 

[snowshoe]

If you are in that tight of stuff why worry about a bit of velocity. I use a traditional style rifle with a 24" barrel, and shoot round balls with it. I get a velosity of 1750 fps, and have put a ball right through a deer's ribs at 100 yards.