Review of Chattahoochie Arms Colt Rifle?

[jonniereb]

Can anyone offer any advice, review, or experience with the Colt/Hoyt 2 Band Rifle by Chattahoochie Arms that is advertised on page 36 of the most recent Skirmish Line? Anyone seen one? Shot one? Thinking of getting one as a Christmas gift for a new(ish) shooter, but would like to know more about this maker.

Thanks in advance...

[jed10582]

bought one in august shot it right out of box. just some minor adjust. am shooting rcbs .577 with 40gr. goex 3f.

[jonniereb]

Thank you for the quick reply. Based on your comments and private feedback that I've received, I'm going to give it a go.

[Southron Sr.]

Years ago I purchased a repro Amoskeag Special Model 1861 from Chatahoochee. Although the barrel on my Special Model 1861 was Italian made, I was very pleased with the quality of the arm. After I glass bedded it, it was a first class "Tack Driver." So the Chattahoochee Special Model's with the Hoyt barrels should also be exceptional shooters.

I can also give Chattahoochee very high marks in the Customer Service Department.

[jonniereb]

Thank you!

[Ken Hansgen, 11094]

Owner of Chatthoochee Black Powder Arms Co. is Ken Enger. Ken is a skirmisher who has shot with the 20th Georgia in the Deep South Region, he says for over 20 years. I think he'll do right by you.

[jonniereb]

Thank you, Ken. Glad to know it's a fellow skirmisher behind the product.

[P.Altland]

I love my Chattahoochie for the length and weight, but started having lots of cookoffs. Mine had the Italian barrel which shot well, but after pulling the breech plug found out that the plug was short of the back of the breech by almost 1/16". You won't have that problem with the limited edition Hoyt gun though, but if you get the 3 L&G Italian barrel be aware. I have heard from other skirmishers that they wouldn't stand behind them. Can't personally attest to that. Never-the-less, never considered selling the gun. Bought a D.W. barrel for it at fall Nationals and am looking forward to using it at Snowball.

[B. Miller]

I too have a two band version with the Italian barrel and mine is also short breeched. I need at least 50 grains of powder to keep the mini from going past the flash hole. A Hoyt barrel should be an improvment and reliable for quality. Right now my Amoskeg just sits in the gun safe. I'll eventually do something with it. John Dewalt of Northeast Traders told me once he could fix it.
Bruce

[red leg]

Dear Bruce --Please give me a call 770 844 1351 -Ken, Chattahoochee BPA

[RaiderANV]

Paul,,,,,,maybe you ought-ah call him also :wink:

[P.Altland]

Pat - Appreciate the suggestion, but I bought the gun 3 years ago and have put probably 2,000 rounds through it. Interestingly enough the cook-offs didn't start happening until this season. Once the first one happened, I had them every shoot. Made up my mind right away that I was going to replace the barrel with a Whitacre. Didn't realize how short and lite the gun really is until I shot a teamates 2-band '55 for Fall Nationals and Bedford. I don't want to knock Chattahoochie, I love mine and wouldn't sell it.

[J Weber 4114V]

A easy check for a short breech plug it to take a stiff wire hammer end flat like a screwdriver.Then bend a 3/8" L on it.
By using it as a feeler see if you can catch any threads at the breech end of barrel.You should not be able to catch anything with the wire
The short breeched barrels I have seen were counterbored and then threaded too deep.When the breech plug is installed all the way there are threads above the the breech face that can not be cleaned.
In one case with a old Zouave,the threads extended 1/2" above.The vent entered the bore right into threaded area.
This problem has been around for some years.It is a machine operator error/QC error
That Zouave was a 25 year old rifle.

[Jerry Ward]

I'll jump on here.

I bought an Amoskeag 2 bander several years ago. Best money I have spent. The musket prints a cloverleaf off the bench with 40g 3f and the Hogdon minie. Off hand, not so good. -- Not the gun's fault.

The gun feels like a carbine and has the smoothest, slickest 6 lb trigger you will feel. Out of the box great shooter that I have been more than satified with.

Last national I saw Ken was putting custom barrels on them. Honestly, I don't think it would improve mine.

But I may have just gotten a "good" one.

Cheers!

[tony 1st regt]

I also have one 2 band L G & Y that is short breached, I asked Ken to fix it said I had it too long and he wouldn't cover it, I bought one of the first ones around 1997-98. You all might remember my post about the problem a while back. It has been a safe queen for years because of cook-offs. I would like the barrel fixed or replaced and I do not feel it should be done on my nickle...


here is the post from July 2008
http://www.n-ssa.org/phpbb/viewtopic.ph ... highlight= (http://www.n-ssa.org/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=9562&highlight=)

tony, 1st regt engr

[RaiderANV]

Join the crowd Tony,,,same thing happened to me. I guess ya gotta start having cook-offs before you knowthere a problem. :roll:

[tony 1st regt]

personally, having a dog in this fight, I believe the correct thing to do is stand behind the product and fix them, it is not something that happened from use, but from defective workmanship from the get-go. From the previous post on the other board, I understand the point that it is old and even a vehicle has limits to warranty, but just got a recall on my 2002 explorer to fix a speed control switch that can cause a fire and if parked in a garage burn your house, SO even the big guys will fix a dangerous situtation long after 36 mo/ 36K..AND what is the libality if a cook-off caused by this problem results in serious injury..

[John Holland]

Tony -

You're right!

And, coincidentally, I just received a recall notice on my 1995 Windstar. I'm glad to see Ford Motor Co. standing behind its products 14 years later. I'm also glad Ford DID NOT take any $$$$$ from the Federal Government. Unfortunately General Motors did, and has now become "Government Motors". And that ain't funny!

JDH

[artillerybuff]

Can anyone offer any advice, review, or experience with the Colt/Hoyt 2 Band Rifle by Chattahoochie Arms that is advertised on page 36 of the most recent Skirmish Line? Anyone seen one? Shot one? Thinking of getting one as a Christmas gift for a new(ish) shooter, but would like to know more about this maker.

Thanks in advance...

It should be noted this is NOT a Hoyt manufactured barrel. According to Bob Hoyt it started life as a .50 caliber barrel that he machined out to .577 with a 7 groove 1:60 twist. While it should be an excellent shooter, Bob wanted it made clear this is not one of his custom made barrels.

Anthony Variz

[RaiderANV]

It should be noted this is NOT a Hoyt manufactured barrel. According to Bob Hoyt it started life as a .50 caliber barrel that he machined out to .577 with a 7 groove 1:60 twist. While it should be an excellent shooter, Bob wanted it made clear this is not one of his custom made barrels.

Anthony Variz

Then where would the problem has occured and why wasn't it noticed during the lining process :?:

[P.Altland]

I think he's talking about the new Limited Edition barrels being rifled by Hoyt, not the 3L&G Italian barrels

[William H. Shuey]

those barrels that was threaded too deep. In addition to cook offs, it would pull cleaning patches off in the bottom of the barrel and they could be a B---- to get out. Mine was an Amoskeag 2 bander. Bobby Hoyt fixed it with his re-line process and it shoots very well now. I am noticing that it appears to be mainly 2 banders barrels that were the culprits. Anybody have a 3 bander with this problem??

Bill Shuey
1st Maine Hvy. Art.

[artillerybuff]

I think he's talking about the new Limited Edition barrels being rifled by Hoyt, not the 3L&G Italian barrels

I am talking about the specific rifled musket that started this thread. I spoke to Mr. Hoyt myself and this is what he told me.

I went ahead and purchased one of those barrels from Ken to try out on my Colt and it arrived in the mail today. Bore looks great. It also has a very tall dove-tail mounted front sight. As soon as I get some bullets cast I'll give it a try.

Anthony Variz