boring out zouave

[Treestalker]

Is it possible to bore out a Remington contract rifle from .58 caliber to .69 cal? How about .62? Thanks Geo.

 

[Britsmoothy]

All I know is that Zoli and there reproduction did smoothbore versions in .58 smooth, 12g and 8g.
You can find versions of this on guntrader UK right now and gunstar UK.

 

[Rat]

I would think .62" would be reasonable, or even .66" maybe...I have a feeling that most barrel smiths will balk at .69". I have a Miroku 1863 Remington Contract Rifle that I'd like to bore to .62", as the bore is "lumpy"...reamer was obviously stated and stopped numerous times when it was originally bored.

A Remington contract rifle would be cool indeed, bored to .62" and rifled for round ball.

 

[Stantheman86]

.69? No way, not enough meat on that barrel.

.60 is more reasonable maybe .62 to make it "Fowler" caliber.

 

[Treestalker]

Thank you gentlemen. I read somewhere years go that many of the original Zouaves were bored smooth to 20ga and sold to African tribesmen, read also that one villager shot a cape buffalo in the craw with a recycled battery post!

 

[Treestalker]

Thanks guys! My Zoli has plenty of meat, thick at the muzzle it's cut down to 26" I'd think a 16 ga or 69cal (14ga?) would work, and still have PRB capability. If not a .62 cal 20ga would do, as long as the Cape buffalo stay on the other side of the pond! Brit, did you say 8ga? Holy cow!

 

[Billy-by-gosh]

Personally, I want a minimum .045 inch of wall thickness for a rifled bore, just to be on the safe side. There are some folks that would accept wall thickness to finish out just over .040" per side (or greater than 1MM / each). I would most definitely have the barrel examined by a reputable gunsmith, and probably someone other than the person to do the work.

 

[Rat]

Forgot we are in smooth bore world. For a smooth bore I guess one can go a little further than with a rifled bore. I think you could go 20ga/.62" for sure, and perhaps a bit more, maybe .65"? Don't see .69" in my crystal ball.

 

[Britsmoothy]

https://www.guntrader.uk/Guns-For-Sale/results/969c-aa3d-bb49-76ad

 

[Stantheman86]

Many Zouave rifles (Original) were bored to 28 Shotguns by Bannermans in the 1900s to use as cheap bird guns.

Honestly if you want a shorty .69 , if you don't believe the hype about Indian muskets, to get one of Loyalist or Veteran Arms 1847 Dragoon Carbines.

 

[Rat]

On that 8-bore, I'm guessing it uses a different barrel, and not just a bored out .58". However, I actually have no idea.

 

[Rat]

Many Zouave rifles (Original) were bored to 28 Shotguns by Bannermans in the 1900s to use as cheap bird guns.

Honestly if you want a shorty .69 , if you don't believe the hype about Indian muskets, to get one of Loyalist or Veteran Arms 1847 Dragoon Carbines.

Or forget a tiny little pipsqueek .69", get a Brown Bess carbine. .75"!!! YEAH BABY!!!!!!

 

[Britsmoothy]

On that 8-bore, I'm guessing it uses a different barrel, and not just a bored out .58". However, I actually have no idea.

Not sure, good question.

 

[Stantheman86]

When I get home I'll take a pic of my Mississippi rifle (same barrel as a repro Zouave) next to my .69 muzzle.

In fact the barrel of a Zouave might even fit inside a .69 bore.

 

[Stantheman86]

.54 Mississippi on left, same barrel diameter as a .58 Zouave.

.69 musket on right. There is no physical way to bore the Zouave to .69.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Looks like Zoli use different barrels then.
Thanks.

 

[Treestalker]

Or forget a tiny little pipsqueek .69", get a Brown Bess carbine. .75"!!! YEAH BABY!!!!!!

Next on my list!

View attachment 17737
.54 Mississippi on left, same barrel diameter as a .58 Zouave.

.69 musket on right. There is no physical way to bore the Zouave to .69.

Well, I B. Had no Idea. Are you sure that isn't an 8 guage musket? LOL Thanks, Geo.

 

[Treestalker]

Or forget a tiny little pipsqueek .69", get a Brown Bess carbine. .75"!!! YEAH BABY!!!!!!

Next on my list!

 

[Grenadier1758]

On that 8-bore, I'm guessing it uses a different barrel, and not just a bored out .58". However, I actually have no idea.

An 8 bore will have an 0.835" diameter. It must use a different barrel.

 

[Artificer]

View attachment 17737
.54 Mississippi on left, same barrel diameter as a .58 Zouave.

.69 musket on right. There is no physical way to bore the Zouave to .69.

Something else that might prove to be a problem would be if the diameter of the threaded breech plug would be too small to bore it out to some gauges and still have enough of a thread diameter to safely seal the breech. If not, then one would need new breech plug with a larger diameter threaded end. To me, the cost of a new breech plug would kill such a project.

Gus