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Lead lapping a Baker Fusil Barrel


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Gentlemen I have been working up a mates little Baker Fusil, I actually suspect it is an English sporting rifle with a Baker Rifled barrel. It has a ver slow twist 1 in 110 .62. The bore is somewhat pitted so when I shot it the other day I used a greased hard felt wad over 2 1/2 drams of FFg goes, .61 ball and a heavy greased denim patch. 50 yards off had after the first 5 shots it settled down and put the last 6 nicely in the black.  I did put over 30 rounds through and the greased felt wad did a great job of keeping the fouling in order and easy loading. But !! the ball and patch feels somewhat rough going down so I thought a trip to the smithy and a lead lapping would be the go.  I used linotype which I melted over a kero primus, I keep lead away from my forge ! wrapped a cloth around a .303 cleaning rod at the join where the brass jag goes. I pre heated the muzzle on the lip of the pot , set the barrel vertical in the post vice ( lead slippers over the jaws) and poured the lap. I drove it half way out carefully and cut it a bit shorter then rubbed a little coarse valve grind paste on . I had to tap the lap up and down the barrel with a long rod and hammer a few times to and a little WD 40 to get the lap to the point where I could push it back and forth with the cleaning rod . I did not get rid of all the pitting but got rid of a rough constriction about half way down the bore. Before I replaced the breech plug I passed a patched ball down the bore and it feels nice and smooth inspite of the remaining pits. I will still use a greased felt over powder wad as the pits will still pick up to much fouling if I don't. I will see with interest next Sunday how the rifle goes at 50yds bench rested. 

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That is a good looking Fusil no doubt.

I have resurrected several old barrels using this same method. My last was an original German 56 caliber Jaeger that I restored. I did a final polish by fire lapping the bore, after about 20 rounds most of the pitting was gone.

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/jaeger-project-rifle.93808/

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I am curious why it has a two piece stock, I assume upon reflection that it does not have a false breech?  I have a mates .54 jaeger which I have got shooting, it is a cap lock conversion and the bore is really good. You did a nice job of sorting out the new for end. 

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I asked the guy I bought it from and he said his father served in Germany during WWII and he cut the stock so it would fit in his duffel bag upon returning home. He called it a war trophy and over the years the original piece was lost. Your mates Jaeger is sure a handsome piece ( I love Jaeger's). There is not a false breech.

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