Re conversion question

[Molly]

If a gun were converted from cap lock back to flint lock would any signs of that be evident in the bore?  I saw a rifle last year which had been "stretched".  The outside was a near perfect match and only the most well trained eye could tell.  However when a bore scope was used it was very obvious that the inside did not match.  I'm thinking a re conversion would also show some evidence at the breech??

[wormey]

Yes. A bore scope will show a "plug" where the percussion drum was removed.  Actually the most foolproof way to tell. wormey

[Mattox Forge]

If a gun were converted from cap lock back to flint lock would any signs of that be evident in the bore?  I saw a rifle last year which had been "stretched".  The outside was a near perfect match and only the most well trained eye could tell.  However when a bore scope was used it was very obvious that the inside did not match.  I'm thinking a re conversion would also show some evidence at the breech??

Here's what my Deringer looks like:





Mike

PS. I bought it like this.

[JTR]

Here's what the outside of the reconversion of the Ferree rifle I did not long ago looks like. The somewhat rough pitted area is original, where the lock plate fits up against the barrel.



However if you pull the breech plug, or use a bore scope, the work will be quite visible. To me, doing this sort of work is not to make the gun look like it was never converted to percussion, instead, just that it has been put back to what it likely looked like originally.
You only need to look, and the tele-tale is there. 

John

[120RIR]

I can personally attest to John's work on the Ferree.  From the outside even the most discerning eye wouldn't be able to tell for sure...suspect maybe, but that's about it.  However, with the technology that's readily available (i.e., x-ray, bore scopes, etc.) I would think it's virtually impossible to 100% erase indications of reconversion at the breech or barrel stretching.