Thread: What to do

I have an old late 1800’s double barrel hammer gun (nitro proof Damascus)
She shoots awsome with black powder which is what i use it for the pain in the arse is being an English gun it’s got 2.5 inch chambers
So loading for it is a very slow painful process it takes me well over an hour to load 25 shots
And sometimes I can shoot 80 odd in a day
I have a mec press but that will only load 2-3/4 ammo I have also tried a lee loader no good
So im currently useing the primitive nail and doul method

Im thinking of getting the rifle reamed to 2-3/4 so i can load with the mec as its way quicker

There is factory 2.5 inch like falcon cowboy which I’ve shot and probably still will but loading black powder for her needs to be done as alot of shoots don’t allow smokeless

The gun only owes me $200 but is in fantastic condition so is it worth doing or do i keep busting my arse loading 2.5’s while keeping an eye out for a 2-3/4 gun

Anyone know how much it would cost and who would do it

@Pointer ill tag you because you know shit loads about older shottys

https://youtu.be/amBveFBnVgY Don’t look hard if you have the reamer

Ream her out. From memory reamers came from either Pacific tool and gauge or brownells, I forget, it's been a while.

Ok will look into getting it done I don’t think it would be good use of money to buy a reamer for a one off
Hopefully a gunsmith here in nz has reamers

something rings a bell in my memory about cheating this a little. Are you using roll or star crimps?
The niggling memory thing says that a 2 3/4 chamber has enough room for the star crimp to come out and fill out.
Therefore a 2 1/2 chamber maybe long enough to let a roll crimp on a 2 3/4 loose and still not jam up the bore so to speak.
any more thought anyone?

Dont ream it roll crimp 2 3/4. I have a similar gun, not nitro proofed like yours, I cut the crimp off 2 3/4s load through a mec and roll crimp. I run 50 or so through the press than card over and run in the roll crimper can easily do a couple of hundred an hour. If only bp was cheaper sigh

Cheers @Marty Henry
I don't have one so only going off the data banks. I'm a bugger for stuff like that.

Cheers guys
ill think about the options i can get it sorted for arround $100 had a chat to arthur cleland today as long as there’s enough meat in the barrel

https://youtu.be/Tv9bWmShsPk
Found this while Berg was typing.
First 10 sec,note the spacer.