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[Powder Burn]

This is the first forum I have ever joined. Kinda new to Muzzle loading, back in the late 90"s I owned a left hand flintlock in 50 cal.
Yesterday I traded for a Old Percussion ML that was marked C. Meissner #232 on the barrel it is an octagon to round with no wedding rings at the transition point a very small front sight and no rear sight, Fowler?
The gun was built in Zanesville Oh. between 1856 to 1880 the gunsmith that built the gun only built 300 according to a 1959 newspaper article I found on line. In 2011 it was auctioned at Rock Island Auction sight. That is all I know about this gun. My question is it a smoothbore .54 caliber or a 28 gauge fowler. I would like to shoot this old gun it is in very good shape. thanks for all your help.

 

[Old Hawkeye]

Do you have the gun in hand? If it has no rifling I guess you can call it either, but the lack of a rear sight makes me think it's a fowler. No pics makes it hard to tell.

 

[Powder Burn]

Here are the pictures you asked about. Also the bolster clean out screw size is unknown. When it was auction in 2011 it was missing then. There is a ball in the bottom of the barrel.

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

You might be able to get the ball out with compressed air. You’ll also have to find or make a proper screw for the clean out in the drum.
You could also use a ball puller to get the ball out. I would get a piece of brass or copper tubing smaller than the bore, but wide enough to slip the ball pulling tip on a metal rod through. The tubing will protect the bore if you slip off the ball.
I would also squirt some WD-40 or something similar through the clean out screw hole to soak any powder that might be inside the barrel behind the ball.