TOP SECRET-Barrel diameter of an 1895 cowboy

[ob1coby]

Hello all. I am having a custom Octagonal barrel built for my 1895. I want to build it as large as possible without exceeding the outside diameter of the receiver that it will mount to. Is there anyone who can tell me what the cowboy barrel measures at the receiver and at the muzzle (for taper)? Does the cowboy have the maximum diameter barrel for the receiver? thanks for any help. Also I wonder if there are two measurements, flat to flat or corner to corner of opposing sides.

As a side note, I was surprised when Marlin would not help me with these measurements. After disconnecting me twice, they told me it was secret "proprietary" information and they wouldn't give it to me. This seemed odd to me since anyone who has one can just measure it. I found their lack of help to be particularly distasteful and beneath a company who has made a long life of customers like me who bought their firearms.

[AJMD429]

Strange about Marlin's 'secretiveness' about something easily measured.

Mine isn't 'easily measured' right now as I'm late to bed for an early day; if someone doesn't post it by tomorrow, PM me and I can mine.

(Some of the fellers here on Leverguns probably have the diameter memorized and wouldn't even need to measure... )

[Chuck 100 yd]

Sounds like someone there was having a bad day. There may be lots of those bad days until after the move.
" If I tell ya, I`d have ta kill ya !"

If you don`t get any help by tomorrow, I will measure mine for you.

[COSteve]

As someone who worked 41+ years in the defense industry almost exclusively on 'closed' programs, the really secret stuff carries the caution, "I'll have to kill you before I tell you."

[Rusty]

It looks like they found a new way to say I don't know.

[FWiedner]

I don't see the point in witholding information that is easily available by using a pocket caliper, but I also think it's poor form to bad mouth a company just because they won't bend over to do your light work for you.

[wilko]

maybee they are afraid you will blow yourself up and then sue them for giving you the wrong info...

[Terry Murbach]

NEAR AS I CAN CALL IT FROM HERE YOU DO NOT NEED TO KNOW ONE GODBLESSED THING YOU ASKED FOR AND ANY GUNSMITH WORTH HIS BLADE MICROMETER CAN DO ALL THIS IN HIS SLEEP ON THE WAY TO RE-BARRELING YOUR RIFLE. IT AIN'T NO BIG DEAL !!! THEY MAKE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF NEW BARRELS EVERY DAY AND REBARREL THOUSANDS OF GUNS THAT SAME DAY.
IT IS FLAT-TO-FLAT BY THE WAY...

[ob1coby]

Thanks for the constructive replies. I look foreword to the info when someone has time to measure theirs. Mr. Wiedner; If there is an easier way of getting this info I'd welcome the knowledge. Maybe I'm just too new at this game to know all of my avenues, but I don't have a caliper, I don't have my gun since it is at the smith's, and anyway it's not a cowboy. I've been to every dealer in my city hoping to find one to measure, but no one has had one since Obamapanic started. I borrowed a caliper from a friend and went to two gun shows so far hoping to find one to measure, but the owner would not allow me to measure the only one that I found. So far this hasn't been "light work" at all. Even you would rather spend your time "bad mouthing" me for my post. I didn't know what else to do, so after spending hours on the internet looking in vain for the info, called the Manufacturer. I didn't ask anyone to "bend over",(that's not my lifestyle:) I just asked for a simple specification and yes, I was surprised and disappointed with their lack of help. If this isn't the place to express my disappointment I don't know where it is.

Mr. Murbach, I agree with you and also felt a little surprised that he was asking me to provide this info. I think he was asking because he wants me to be responsible giving him my preferences. That way in the end he can say be built it exactly the way I wanted. I like that, so I don't mind finding the info. I just didn't expect it to be so hard to come by.

[mikld]

Wow! 7 replies and not one answer. And all those levergun experts out there. Amazing...

[J Miller]

I'd be happy to answer the question. I got two calipers, but only an 1894 Cowboy. I don't think the barrels are the same.
The only 1895 Cowboy I've ever seen was about 7 years ago. Haven't seen one since.

ob1coby,
Calipers are fairly inexpensive. Harbor Freight has both dial and digital calipers for less than $20.00. Midway, Brownells, and many other shooting supply places have them. RCBS, Lyman, and other reloading tool companies supply them. They are in my not so humble opinion a necessary tool for shooting and reloading. There is really no excuse for not owning a caliper.

All that said it looks like AJMD429 might be the only one with one to measure. Come on AJMD ......

Joe

[Pete44ru]

Wow! 7 replies and not one answer. And all those levergun experts out there. Amazing...

Jes' trying ta keep ob1coby on the top side of the dirt (secrets, ya know).

.

[Chas.]

OK, I dug mine out from its hiding place. It measures .861" across the flats at the receiver and .687" at the muzzle.

[ob1coby]

Wow! 7 replies and not one answer. And all those levergun experts out there. Amazing...

I guess that is what I get for having two topics in the same post. Naturally the more controversial gets the attention. Should have thought of that before.

[ob1coby]

OK, I dug mine out from its hiding place. It measures .861" across the flats at the receiver and .687" at the muzzle.

Chas, I owe ya a drink. Thanks very much for your time.

[jeepnik]

No answer, but a couple of questions. What type of steel, and who is doing the work? I've thought about the same sort of thing for my GS.

[ob1coby]

I'm having most of the work done by Mic Mcpherson. I'm not sure which barrel he went with, but It's being shaped by a guy in Wy. I'll get some more specifics and post them tomorrow. The barrel will be stainless. Then I'll have the entire gun coated at the nickle place Mic sends his stuff to. I'd like to go with a blue and heat treat the receiver, but I don't know if there is a coating for a SS barrel that will match that kind of receiver, although I'm open for suggestions.