Just a thought. I believe you stated that the rifling is clean and sharp as far as you can see from the breech and that only the last third seems affected. Is there a possibility that the last third is badly leaded rather than shot out or rusted out? Plug the bore with a wood plug, fill it with mercury and let it stand muzzle down for a couple days. Then carefully drain the mercury off and either thump the muzzle on a block of wood or use a dry bronze bore brush and brush out the lead/mercury amalgum. Or, if you have access, use one of the fancy electronic lead removing gizmos)
John Wells in PA
Peabody's and Peabody-Martini's wanted
Also shoot a 10-PDR Parrott Rifle in competition
Thanks for the thought John but it's already off the the gunsmith for a re-bore and reline. I scrubbed the muzzle end "vigerously" and the appearance of almost no rifling remained the same.
Dave
That’s a beautiful rifle, please keep us informed of your progress.
"Experience is a series of non-fatal mistakes"
Disarming is a mistake free people only get to make once...
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |