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Win. 1873 overbore question
yonson
Member Posts: 904 ✭✭✭
My well-worn 1873 in 38-40 has a belled-out bore at muzzle (.006 or so extending several inches in) and is now a scattergun. Am considering having it rebored to 44-40. Redman's turned it down for relining as barrel diameter at muzzle is insufficient. Can anyone recommend a gunsmith for the job? Thanks guys.
Comments
The hourly rate for a competent gunsmith, able to rebore a 38-40 to 44-40. Even if possible? Might approach the value of a "well-worn 1873".
Call Dan at Classic Barrels and Gunsworks:
http://www.cutrifle.com/reboring.html
This is a routine question for him since a large part of his business is reboring.
Best.
Does yours reduce beyond two inches in from the muzzle?
I'd drive a 44 or 45 lead ball or bullet in from the muzzle to the breech to be sure. Use a soft mallet and brass rod.
If it's as I suspect. you may need to load oversized bullets.
I found both a Colt 38-40 New Service revolver and Lightning rifle had oversized bores.If I recall, the 1860 Army .44 (actually .45) measured about .460.
Black powder bumped bullets up to size.
No pilot necessary. As long as the reamer has a lead in chamfer, it will follow the existing bore fine.
Grab a 7/16" chucking reamer, ream 1" deep, then shoot for accuracy. If it still won't shoot, go 1" deeper, and so on.
You will not affect the ability to line the barrel at a later date.
I have slugged the barrel about 2 inches deep on muzzle end & bore gets smaller from there. Have not investigated further. I assume someone in the distant past got overzealous with "scrubbing" the bore clean. Rufe may have the most practical solution, will have to know more about the bore before I proceed. Wondering what options are available for counterboring.
Need a reamer, with a pilot that is bore diameter. Should be approximately, .400 for a .38-40. The actual cutting diameter behind the pilot should be large enough to clean out all the rifling. 7/16 would be the closest fractional dimension, and easiests reamer to come by.
http://www.redmansrifling.com/relining.htm