Think I may have a problem...help me out fellas.

[Flatlander.54]

Recently got a .45 T/C Hawken with a brass tube scope in a trade. Tonight I was tinkering around with it and took the scope off the barrel. When I took the screws out of the rear mount for the scope, I thought the screws looked awful long. So, I got the calipers out and measured the barrel wall thickness, then measured the depth of the screw holes with a depth mic.
The barrel wall measures .260, the hole depth of both screws is .175...that leaves only .085 (about 5/64") from the holes being drilled all the way through the barrel wall! Im not too sure this gun is going to be safe to shoot, what do you guys think? Supposedly the work was done by a gunsmith but that just seems awfule deep for the holes I think Help me out here fellas and give me some input. Thanks.

 

[sabotloader]

Flatlander.54

I have not got a good thought on this - but it seems those measurement would concern me also...

Think I might call TC and talk to a tech see what they think, maybe even the folks at Green Mountain might help as they install that type of scope on one of their offerings.

 

[Flatlander.54]

Yeah I may have to do that, been thinkin about it though, I had an Austina nd halleck flint rifle once, it had a removable flash hole liner, so there was a pretty good size hole that was drilled through the side of the barrel. I know Im not dealing with pressures like that of smokless powder here, I just want to be sure the barrel is safe to shoot. Maybe Im over reacting but still...just wanted to get some opinions on the matter, thanks sabotloader.

 

[cayuga]

I would give T/C a call. Something does not sound on the up and up. I am not gunsmith or metal pressure person, so I will not answer whether that is safe to shoot.

 

[Flatlander.54]

All is well, a member of another forum took the time to measure the hole depths and wall thickness on a Green Mountain .54 barrel he is getting ready to brown. He said there is actually only .050 of steel left in the sight screw and underlug holes on his GM barrel. And like him, Im not gonna second guess GM on their hole depths, surely as long as they been makin barrels they know whats safe and whats not.

 

[sabotloader]

Flatlander.54

Good to know - good to go...