Longbranch question on muzzle

[Ben Cartwright]

I have 2 No 4's, used to have 3 but gave one to my middle son. I have a Longbranch that I was going to do a bore slug, well cerrosafe, to see what the bore diameter is before I order some hard cast bullets. I haven't shot this in several years and cannot remember how it grouped when I did.
Anyhow, I was looking at it trying to decide whether to case from the chamber or the muzzle and noticed the muzzle appears flat (flatish) no real crown to it. I guess I will have to shoot it to see how it groups.

The question I have, and it may seem like a dumb one, can it be recrowned? Although if it groups fine then I wouldn't but won't know until the snow goes down a bit.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[browningautorifle]

I would just shoot it and see. I'll bet it shoots fine. Recrowning IS an option but it can be a problem too. If it's gunned, you might even find an as new one around here for sale cheap...

[Ben Cartwright]

I have to clean the cosmoline out of the Maltby I got from SOG (Southern Ohio Gun) a couple years ago, been busy, in fact I just cleaned up my Webley-Scott I got at the same time.

What is an acceptable group size at 100 yards? 50 yards? so I have something to compare to.

[Ben Cartwright]

Oops it is a Savage, US Property Marked


Oh and another question, I noticed that the finish is black, looks like baked on black paint as I have seen on #5's. Could this be a bubba job or did some come black?

[Peter Laidler]

The British Army phosphated and painted all their rifles undergoing the FTR programme and late production too so yours could be an ex British Army black painted rifle. ON the other hand, if that is a big black ugly screw tip I can see, just below the breeching ring, then it is .............. anyway it's probably from India

[browningautorifle]

I don't think that's a screw Peter maybe a flaw in the wood...if it's a Savage, they were a bit different than the Longbranch models. Two groove barrels for one thing. I doubt there's anything really wrong with the rifle. Shoot it and see.

[Brian Dick]

I had the same thought as Peter. I think it is the ground off tip of the big wood screw. Maybe Ben can elaborate? If it's an SOG or TGI import, the chances of it coming back from India are great. The batch brought in about 10 year ago from Ankara, Turkey by Century Arms is pretty much dried up. Most of the Savage rifles imported from Turkey were original and unaltered. My money's on India with this one.

[Mag Fed]

Looks like a wood blemish. Aren't the Isshy screws typically further forward (to the muzzle end) about 1 - 1 1/2 inches, or so ? Certainly, the few Savages / Long Branches I have with the screw situated slightly more 'to the right', so to speak.

[browningautorifle]

Aren't the Isshy screws typically further forward

That's what I thought too...

[Peter Laidler]

As an Armourer, while I SHOULD, I would NEVER rely on a cast of the barrel or gauges to determine its accuracy. It might determine its WEAR but that's not necessarily a sign that the rifle ain't accurate. The only test for accuracy is the Armourers test range.

Sniper rifles were a good example. What looked like a shot out knackered barrel would shoot perfectly and bring howls of anguish from the sniper if you said that it was going in for a new barrel. By the same token, a seemingly perfect barrel would shoot like a stuck pig. Let the sniper sight it, using his own set-aside batch of ammo on on the Enfield rest in the confines of the sterile test range. That's the test