Larger gun bores and thinner liners

Could larger-bore guns be fitted by changing the liners and making small modifications to the shell hoists?

The change would affect performance, barrel proportions, liner strength and wear, so a similar shell weight would not make it a straightforward upgrade.

The proposed modification treats the wider bore and altered shell hoists as relatively small changes. Enlarging the bore reduces the barrel's length relative to its diameter, which affects the gun's performance and range. Thinning the liner also reduces its strength. Faster wear would require more frequent liner replacement, adding a maintenance consequence to the proposed increase in calibre.