Inspecting a muzzleloader

A scope- or inspection camera - will let you determine if there are pits. In the absence of pits, a bore gauge will let you know if there are any bulges and if the gun is still in proof, meaning the bore(s) have not been honed excessively and therefore the gun should withstand the pressures it was designed for. Also with the inside diameter known you can make assumptions about wall thickness after measuring outside diameter. By assumption I mean that you have to assume the bore is concentric and accept that you cannot measure the diameter where the rib is in the way. Wall thickness is not considered for proof but 30 thou is nice to see. And it depends where. I'm pretty tolerant of thin walls toward the muzzle where stresses are much less.
For a one-off, I would take it to a gunsmith. If going down the vintage smoothbore rabbit hole I would recommend a person buy a bore gauge, for instance a Stan Baker or Skeeters if you can find one.
 
I am coming to think you should take the barrel out of the stock and check the bottom flat near the bridge to make sure it has not been deactivated. I have run across a couple, over the years, that have had a slot milled in the bottom of the barrel. I also have an "original" gun made from parts in which someone had ground down the threads of the breach plug so that it could be installed on an old barrel apparently missing the plug

cheers mooncoon
 
Pic that I took in a .62 gun with an Amazon $44 endoscope. It could also make videos.

jf00LSC.jpg
 
mooncoon said:
I am coming to think you should take the barrel out of the stock and check the bottom flat near the bridge to make sure it has not been deactivated. I have run across a couple, over the years, that have had a slot milled in the bottom of the barrel. I also have an "original" gun made from parts in which someone had ground down the threads of the breach plug so that it could be installed on an old barrel apparently missing the plug

cheers mooncoon
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Good info what im wanting is a shooter. With the price of everything the way it is seems I can get an original in decent shape for less then a Pedersoli.
 
I to have been on and off again searching for a smoothbores muzzleloader. I've checked out close to 20 and haven't found one in good enough condition or at least one I was capable of fixing myself. Good luck with the search
 
brybenn said:
I to have been on and off again searching for a smoothbores muzzleloader. I've checked out close to 20 and haven't found one in good enough condition or at least one I was capable of fixing myself. Good luck with the search
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My biggest problem is there’s not a whole lot local few on gun post now and then locally but most look like they were dug up.

Might end up just building a trade gun.
 
mooncoon said:
I am coming to think you should take the barrel out of the stock and check the bottom flat near the bridge to make sure it has not been deactivated. I have run across a couple, over the years, that have had a slot milled in the bottom of the barrel. I also have an "original" gun made from parts in which someone had ground down the threads of the breach plug so that it could be installed on an old barrel apparently missing the plug

cheers mooncoon
Click to expand...

anything that is threaded into the barrel should be removed and inspected if you are at all suspicious. gasses and fouling get into the threads and start corroding things ... The breech plug may be the least likely point of failure ... but if it does, it will be the most catastrophic failure.
 
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