If any of you all still have a copy of 2004 Gun Digest there is a 13 page article "The truth about the 1903 Palma". A couple of the photos of Pope were contributed by Michael Petrov. Pope cut the grooves shallower on the barrels to a .00275 uniform depth. That is 5 decimal places! It is hard to hold 5 decimal places on a outside diameter today, much less on 8 points on a bore diameter.

Today ballistic coefficient is figured on smooth bullets. After bullets travel through the bore and have grooves formed in them the coefficient is less than advertised. Popes 8 shallower grooves would have had less loss of velocity plus the higher initial velocity mentioned.

Evidentially the British had 2 private companies building service arms at the time. Kind of like the pot calling the kettle black.