Trapdoor barrel opinions

[Jason]

Hi,

I've got an 1888 Ramrod Bayonet trapdoor, today I stuck a borescope down the barrel and saw this just in front of the breech.

I live in the UK, so these rifles have to be proof fired (which this one has), so it took a one time overcharge to do that.

However, this looks a heck of a lot like a crack, plus a lot of pitting just in front of the breech.

Images show from the muzzle, pointing at the closed breech block.

I'm thinking this needs to be relegated to a wall hanger, anyone else seen one in this state?

I can take it to a gunsmith, but to me this looks fairly terminal.

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[Dick Hosmer]

That's an unusual way of taking a bore photo. Not saying it is bad or good, just different. You might want to remove the breech plug (not really hard to do) and take another shot from the rear, and maybe even make a chamber cast. The throat/leade certainly shows severe erosion if nothing else. I can see why proofing would be attractive to the government, but it seems a shame to inflict what amounts to abuse on an antique - I suppose the metal is stamped as well? In all honesty, that does not appear to be the greatest bore for shooting, so you might not be losing much, but, TDs can't be common in the UK, so your choices must be somewhat limited. I cannot say if the condition is unsafe, but I'd surely recommend caution.

[Jason]

Thanks Dick,

They are rare in the UK, Martini Henry's are more popular. Unfortunately, I think this one is a lemon. It's spraying everywhere at 100, so I think I'm going to retire it.

If you buy or sell a rifle here, it has to be proofed, the metal is stamped in an unobtrusive location, but it is abusive. I don't agree with it, but that is the law.

I've got a nice one from Al Frasca on the way here. As it's a personal import and I'm not selling it, it doesn't need proof. So that one will be my shooter.

Thanks,
Jason

[Dick Hosmer]

That sounds good - and, you will be happy with anything that you buy from Al.

[Jason]

Just a thought, but would getting the barrel relined be a option? The rifle isn't of historical interest, so nothing lost there, and this would get it back into firing order. If so, I'd probably want to outsource it to a US gunsmith, in particular one with trapdoor experience. Do you know of, or have, any recommendations?

[Dick Hosmer]

Bobby Hoyt, in Pennsylvania - hands down, THE go-to guy for antique relining. If there has ever been a complaint about his work, I've not heard it. Caveat, he often has a good-sized backlog, and, what is a mild nuisance here - but would be a larger problem for you - he does NOT do email, AND can be hard to reach on the phone, because he's almost always in his shop!! The good news is that he can do TDs in his sleep and there would not have to be much, if any, back-and-forth chit chat.

Robert A. Hoyt
700 Fairfield Station Road
Fairfield, PA 17320
(717) 642-6696

[k arga]

Bob did a carbine for me a few years ago very well done.