General discussion > Black Powder Shooting

Shortening a drum bolster

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BrownBear:
I recently picked up a used custom gun, which turns out to have the inner edge of the bolster protruding far enough into the barrel to interfere with cleaning.

Any reason I can't back it out and take enough off the inner end to bring it back to flush with the inside of the bore?

Roger Fisher:
Are you talking about a drum on the side flat of a 'sissy gun'??  Now don't get all upset with that term cause I do shoot one such and 'hear' about it a lot ;D

In other words the drum that holds the nipple??

If you are you could use a smaller dia. jag that passes that drum stickin in the bore; but you would still not be able to clean perfectly.  A good soakin etc might get most of that rock fouling outta there.  Did I say 'might'??

Suggest you back the drum out measure the depth to the bore cut her back (not too far now) turn her back in tight (best use a witness mark) and hope for the best.

Absolute better way is to pull the breech plug, eyeball the end of the drum via the bore from breech end.  Pull the drum cut her back most the way needed turn her in to witness mark, Go in with a rat tail (safe on the end) and shape the end of the drum from inside the breech til she is flush and smooth with the shape of the bore.

Go in with the jagged, w patch on rod to insure she passes the problem area without binding and tearing.  Put her back together and your free to 'go'!

Probably better ways to do it; but $#*!, I'm usually swimming upstream ::)

Long John:
I would do it like Roger suggested.  Pull the breech plug and file it down from the inside.

Best Regards,

John Cholin

northmn:
Roger's way is Ok, but I would like to add that it doesnt hurt to check the threads on the drum and the breech and then when you reposition the drum to use a lower temp silver solder to keep it in place.

DP

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