Tim how much did the regulation cost you? I buy a few double rifles and might need the service. Please post a photo of the peep. I'm going to need one with my eyes. Thanks
Mike,
You regulate an old double rifle by experimentation with bullet weight and powder charge. Markings on the rifle or data from the manufacturers records (if they exist) are a starting point.
It's highly unlikely that modern ammo will match the ballistics of the ammunition used to regulate an old double rifle 50, 100 or even 125 years old.
There are perhaps a dozen men in the world who are skilled enough to take your rifle barrels, remove the ribs and re-regulate the barrels by the adjustments used during original manufacture. The cost would be astronomical as well, certainly you would be looking at a four figure sum, and not a small four figure sum at that.
Experimentation to try and duplicate the original ammunition can be fun, if somewhat frustrating. (Been there, done that, etc.
Harry
Not to be contrarian, but this just isn't true.
Sure, you start out with a load that duplicates the original, and that usually works. However, it's a fact of life that some double rifles get out of regulation over time.
Regulation, or re-regulation, is conducted with fully finished barrels. Indeed, any loose ribs must be stripped off and relaid before regulation can proceed. That's the only reason to remove a rib before re-regulation and is, of course, not the norm. The only difference between regulation at the factory and re-regulation later is that is that the former is done before the barrels are blacked, and the latter can require reblacking, but only if something goes wrong. I can't imagine why someone would think that ribs need to be removed in order to re-regulate a double rifle.
Re-regulation isn't a big deal. J. J. quotes $600 for re-regulation, and you supply the ammo. If he supplies it, he charges for it, of course. He warns that the need for re-blacking runs 50-50, but I think he's just being cautious there. Of the 6-8 he's done for me and friends of mine, none have required re-blacking and there's no cosmetic evidence of the work at all. All have shot great. I recommend J. J.'s re-regulation work highly.
