Unregistering Question.

[trevj]

So. I now own a Rolling Block. The barrel bore is 8mm.
8x58R Danish, to be precise, with an 1872 birthdate.

What is the requirements to have it unregistered.

Will running a reamer through the bore to open it up beyond 8.3mm do it? That would leave it smoothbore, but over the bore size limit.

Do I need to have this verified? If so, how does the verification take place? Anyone done it? I'd like to hear how it all went.

I would figure that, if a verification is required, there would be a standard measuring method, such as a 8.3 mm pin to drop through the bore to assure that it is over that size, or some other method that would amount to cheap and fool proof. Slugging the bore is probably a decent method, but still relies on the guy doing the measuring, to be able to do so accurately.

I am also contemplating paying for a rebore of the original barrel to, say, .375, and then working out a load for it using the original (or pretty close to) brass with a neck up, and perhaps a bit shortened OAL to be able to use available brass.
I have been in touch with a barrel maker, and a blank is a possibility as well.

Another option is a pure reline, although the liners are near to the OD of the muzzle end of the barrel. Still a reasonable route. Possible at least, anyway.

Opinions?

If I do the rebarrel, it'll either be a 47-70, or a 40-65. Still very much a planning and plotting stages thing at this point.

Cheers
Trev

 

[mooncoon]

My own experience has been that if you remove the barrel, it will be registered as a frame only of an unrestricted firearm. You have to show proof of rebarreling for it to be de registered. I also think that you would probably be farther ahead in the long run to have the gun rebarreled rather than to sleeve the existing barrel. That allows you to have a nice 1/2 octagon barrel in say 40-60.

cheers mooncoon

 

[DEZ]

Yes you will need it verified call the CFC ask for the ph # of the nearest Verifier in you area. once you have installed a new barrel or have had it reamed out and re-chambered to maybe 38-55 or some thing

 

[trevj]

Yeah. Long term plan is to rebarrel. In the short term, though, I am pondering what it would take...

I suppose the best bet is going to be to see what the verifiers have to say.

I really want to know if just whacking out the bore size with a reamer would do it.

If I can reline the original, I think I will, and have a couple barrel choices available to use. Maybe a 38-55 or such on a reline, and a 45-70 on a new barrel.

Or the old barrel ends up tucked in the back corner of the gun locker until a better use for it appears.

Gotta do a chamber cast and see what the dimensions of the original chamber will allow for in the event that the bore is recut. If that looks like a non-starter, examine all other options.

Cheers
Trev

 

[Smokepole]

Irony is, that most of these guns were originaly made in the 11 or 12mm calibers and would be legal antiques except for a later refitting of the smaller caliber barrels. Now you want to reverse it.
Of course another option would be to have the barrel lined and recambered for a .17 rimfire or one of the allowable .22 calibers.

 

[trevj]

Nah!

Too many calibers out there that are WAY better suited to the firearm in question, to be muckin' about puttin' a miniature bore into.

'Sides that, if I wanted a nice singleshot smallbore, there are a lot of nice suitable actions that I would have been looking for.

This one is going to be a big(ger) bore, cast bullet shooter. Possibly a BPCR candidate, but I would still like to be able to hunt with it, so more than one barrel is an option.

It would sure make for a long heavy gun with a 17 or 22 liner in it, though.
Not where I want to go, though.

Cheers
Trev

 

[mooncoon]

If you merely drilled the barrel out, you would actually have a specialized shotgun. It is no longer a rifle because it is not rifled. The handy thing is that the exemptions for pre 1898 shotguns are basically that they are not one of the modern common guages. The base diameter of 8x58 Danish is listed as .500 so you could declare the gun as a sort of super .410 for grouse using 45-70 brass loaded with shot (45-70 base is .502). The base of a .410 is .470 so the gun is not chambered for that shell.

cheers mooncoon

 

[trevj]

Now, this is picking fine hairs here, but If it's not one of the list of standard shotgun gauges, and it's bore size is over 8.3mm, it should be covered, either way.

Didn't we used to have a copy of the current definitions for "antique" firearms as stickies?

Anyways, a quick shot through google searcing for "prescribed antique" gets this:
A rifle manufactured before 1898 that is capable of discharging centre-fire cartridges, whether with a smooth or rifled bore, having a bore diameter of 8.3 mm or greater, measured from land to land in the case of a rifled bore, with the exception of a repeating firearm fed by any type of cartridge magazine.

Unless I got a version that is outdated (this is the 1998 Gazette at http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partII/1998/19980930/html/sor464-e.html )
I don't think that violates the hotlink policy. Not exactly a supplier of anything...
Is there a later version with any pertinent changes?

I guess the next real step is getting the skinny on how and IF the verification process is to carried out.

Ponderponderponderponderponder......

Cheers
Trev