Main suggestion I have would be to try 3uTools, which might be able to downgrade the iOS version.
I've used it with a cheap corporate-locked iPhone 6, I managed to get cheap on ebay a few years ago, and was able to remove the lock and use the phone without issue. downgrading the iOS version is another of their alleged features. You should just be able to Flash the firmware you want directly- You'll have to find the firmware file for the version you want, of course.
You can also use it for data transfer- could be more reliable than the method you are already using the copy?
I do not know if updating the firmware in this way will reset the user data.