My 16 bore muzzle-loader J.C. Reilly SN 5512 arrived today. It's 1847 with both the 316 High Holborn and 502 New Oxford Street addresses on the rib as pointed out in the Reilly line.
I want to recondition the stock. The wood looks really interesting. The checkering is almost worn off. I'll redo the finish following the internet but how do you redo the checkering?
-- For starters, how do I check out the bores of a muzzleloader? I've beamed a military rifle light down them....they look decent. But how to know? How do you clean a muzzle loader to start with? I want to shoot this gun but 170 year old barrels need examination. Who do you recommend?
-- And....can I rebrown these barrels myself or do they need to be sent out and checked out? To whom?
Nice looking gun....
Its quite sad that after 170 years it has crossed paths with a shade tree gunsmurfer.
I bet ol'Reilly is rolling over in his grave about now.
