Has anyone recrowned an 1866 trapdoor?

[Billy-Mac]

I have a 1866 trapdoor with a great bore but the crown has some pretty bad dents. I have not been able to get this gun to group so I'm thinking of a recrown. Has anyone tried to recrown an 1866?

[Jim]

Not a M’66, but I did recrown a M’88 RRB . .
This rifle must have been in service (unlike some) ‘cause it was actually fired very little (GREAT BORE) . . . .BUT CLEANED A LOT!!! (National Guard???)
The rifling at the muzzle was GONE!! (Steel Rod grating against rifling)

So-o-o-o . . .
I chucked it in a lathe and VERY CAREFULLY cut back the muzzle crown a few thousandths to get back to the rifling . . . .VAST IMPROVEMENT in accuracy!
Viewing muzzle from the side, one can see NO DIFFERENCE in the over-all length of barrel.

[Billy-Mac]

I'm concerned due to the 1866 having a sleeved barrel. I'm worried the sleeve may come lose if I recrown the barrel.

[Dick Hosmer]

Talk's cheap, but I think there's a LOT more solder in that joint than just a tiny ring at the muzzle. Also, recall that there are NO records of wholesale liner failure - in fact, just the opposite is true. I'd try it, with care.

[Tony Beck]

The sleeves in 1866s are tapered. There is an Ordnance report that describes the process. The musket barrels were bored out with a slight taper from breech to muzzle and the tapered sleeve was driven into place. The way the report reads, it was a fairly violent operation. Once pounded home, barrels were brazed at the breech and muzzle. The '66 short rifles were made from regular 3 banders that had burst at the muzzle. When they were cut back there was no mention of the sleeves having started, or of rebrazing the muzzles once they were shortened. I have one and had to recrown it to get it to shoot. There is no brass showing at the muzzle and it shoots just fine. You shouldn't have any problem recrowning.