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How to "slug" a barrel for an P-1837 Brunswick Rifle ?

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Joined
Dec 4, 2020
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Location
Millersville, Maryland
Call me stupid but I had to do it. A local gunshop had one of the Nepalese P1837 Brunswick Rifles for sale in really good condition and its was only $350. Well now I have found out that every rifle is different and the mould must be made specific to your rifle. That being said I contacted Jeff Tanner of Round Ball Moulds in the UK and he said I must slug my bore. Apparently this has something to do with pouring molten lead down into your bore and then mailing it to him so he can make a belted ball mould. My question is how would this be done without getting the lead stuck inside of your rifle ? Has anyone ever done something like this before here on the forum ? Thanks to all replies, im sure the answer is simple Im jusy kinda slow lol.
 
Like you, I saw a lot of references to slugging the bore with molten lead but no one gave clear instructions. Here’s what I came up with, and anyone can criticize or comment.

I made a plug out of aluminum foil by just wadding it up into a tight ball a little larger than the bore and driving it into place a couple of inches past the muzzle with a wood dowel and hammer. I wanted it tight enough to stay put on its own when I poured lead on top of it. But I first dropped three or four undersized round balls down the bore so that I would have something to drive out my plug if it got stuck. A couple of shakes with the rifle upside down easily dislodged my plug. Then I poured in the hot lead to make my slug. It easily fell out of the muzzle the four or five times I’ve done this.

Good luck!
 
Use Cerrosafe instead of lead, and not only use the newspaper down the bore trick, but a piece of bent wire coat-hanger sticking out to have something to grab on to pull the resulting cast.
 
Slugging aside the very variable bores of these Nepaules Brunswick are as oft not remotley servicable ,Some better than others for sure. But all generally badly done . You might be thinking to recut/fresh out. And the best of luck . But they don't compare with the British Brunswicks in terms of quality standards . Get a good light down the barrel you might be lucky & I hope you are .
Rudyard
 
IF the rifling is in decent shape, get a couple of plug gauges from Amazon and go from there. If the rifling looks suspect, send it to Bobby Hoyt and have it rerifled and then you'll know what you need.
 
I modified a Lee 12Ga. slug mold for mine. It seems to do OK. I remade the hollow base part so there is no key slot, thus making it produce something akin to a Pritchet bullet or a Foster slug. I then cut two slots in the sides 180 deg. apart for the rifling grooves. The Russians and Confederate Army both produced molds that had Minie type bullets with wings on them for the Brunswick. Try this if you like, it won't cost much.
 

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