Right now, what doesn't work is the following:
- soft-lead ball fitting
- shot expensive
- breachblock sensitive
- percussion caps expensive
We can either refit the old rifle to use some of this (as fillipk said), or we can try to fix the most important stuff (like Aseaheru proposed).
Right now, I'd propose we fix the Imperial Rifle. Right now, the most problematic thing is the breachblock, so we should fix that first. We can just cut the percussion caps and use the Brown Bess' flintlock mechanism. Fixing the shot to make it less expensive would be nice, too.
Imperial Rifle Mk. I Mod B
Fixing the problems with the (theoretical) Mod A, the Mod B introduces the following fixes:
- The breachblock is strengthened to resist more damage. This includes its own makeup and the fixtures.
- The percussion-cap based system is removed, and instead a flintlock system similar to the Brown Bess is introduced.
- Experiment with the depths of the groves, trying to find a way for cheaper balls to grip them.
- Introduce a modified manufacturing process for casting the balls: A two-pronged, nutcracker-like mold for the bullets for our soldiers in the field. The bullet is cast point downwards, the hot lead poured in through a hole in the top. Then, a plug is inserted in this hole, making a hollow room in the bullet itself and closing the whole thing to cool off. Once cooled off, the two prongs are opened and the bullet removed. Almost as easy as casting musket balls.
- For industrial production, a similar system is used, with the molds encompassing not one but several bullets.