Muzzle "coning" question

[Mattox Forge]

Photo of an 1803 Harpers Ferry rifle muzzle made in 1818. The grooves seem to have been filed out at the muzzle.




Mike

[Daryl]

Without some sort of 'relieving' of the lands AND grooves, a snug enough load to produce any sort of accuracy would be impossible.
That is was done is well known.

[Rich]

Maybe in the old days, the bore of the barrel was coned prior to being rifled. It might allow the grooves to remain a constant depth to the lands. It would also make it easier to start the rifling cutter at the bore. Just a thought with no evidence.

[Daryl]

Don't know one way or the other.  The huge book on Jaegers that Taylor bought through this forum some years ago, has wonderful pictures of the muzzles of MANY Jaeger rifles.
Virtually ALL of them are filed out in both lands and grooves to aid in loading. They are not coned, unless you want to call all muzzle treatment of enlargement, coning.