Many thanks for your positive comments and advice

Huvius - I was so excited about unwrapping it that I missed the crack completely (brain failure due to age!)

The good news is that it did not penetrate far or into the lock mortise
I got some epoxy very hot and injected it into the crack with a hypodermic syringe which seems to have worked

My intention was always to shoot my rifles if possible, but you are correct about the difficulties in the UK
I have a .577 and a .450 on certificate and can put others temporarily on a dealer's certificate for 'testing'

I also have a .450 x 3 1/4" Alexander Henry single shot with cases and dies which has been shot
(posted here somewhere)

I never gave it a thought that standard cases would not fit, not having handled it previously

I have tried a .450/400 x 2 3/8" (same parent case) which will chamber but not let the action close Note the recesses in the breech faces (see pic 5) this may be a factor [I have not seen this before on a DR - comments?)

The ideal solution would be to recut the chambers but I do not know anyone in the UK who could do this (at a reasonable cost) and whether it would have to be reproofed which could take it out of the "antique" list

Without the ability to get custom dies unfortunately it look like a collection piece only although I would love to see her have a couple of last "warbles" [lovely word 9.3]

Tony