Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Preferred Sidelock Barrel Length?

Whether Flintlock or Percussion, Jaeger, Kentucky Longrifle, or Hawken, what barrel length do you prefer? Also, what barrel width do you prefer for your rifle's caliber and do you prefer it swamped?
Finally, what barrel length would you suggest for a wooded, Western mountain environment?

Was just out hunting antelope this morning with my Hawken. 34" barrel, 1 inch across the flats, 54 cal Green Mountain. Shoots round balls quite well. For me hunting in the west, I like the Hawken I have. Have used a T/C Renegade a lot as well. That one has a faster twist Green Mountain and I shoot conicals with it. Think it is 32".

My custom flint rifle has a 46" swamped barrel. LOVE it.

I really like the balance and feel of a swamped barrel. Feels a lot more "lively" than a straight barrel to me.

I dislike the balance and "dead" feeling (to me) of a straight barrel, but I know they have their place and others prefer them.

I'm a taller guy, so I like long barrels to get the muzzle higher when I load. And I much prefer the balance/feel of a swamped barrel.

I have a .54 cal flintlock 44" swamped barrel,I love it great balance.

My .62 smoothie has a 44" swamped barrel. Very nice balance. For a full stock rifle though, I think a 38" swamped barrel is about as good as it gets.

I prefer 26-27 inch barrels on a sidelock. I had a 32" barreled Lyman and disliked the nose-heavy feel and excess length. I wouldn't consider anything past 28". I don't want anything more than 1" at the muzzle and 15/16" is better. Total weight should be about 8-1/2 pounds.

Tom

That's where a swamped barrel comes into play. My 46" barreled rifle is less nose-heavy and easier to carry, despite being a LOT longer and a bit heavier, than my Lyman Great Plains Rifle.

The tapered barrels just feel "alive" compared to straight ones, at least to me.

I have a 28 inch RMC 50 caliber flintlock. the Green mountain barrel is not swamped, buy it is still pretty light to carry. Generally we drive deer in ML season, so light weight and compact is convenient pushing through the brush.