Reboring a rusty barrel

Nor Cal Mikie said:

rust will be gone but the PITS will still be there!!
Got a rifle/barrel/kit that I picked up long ago. Someone kinda put it together,
fired it , DIDN'T clean it, stood it in the corner for who knows how long.
I got it for a song.
Did the electrolysis thing. Set it up and let it cook for a couple of days. Barrel bore looked like a lave tube. When I got done, still looked like a country roads map but NO rust.
Picked up a drop in from Green Mountain in .32. Not made anymore.
I DID get after it with a type of hone. (scotch brite pads and lots of oil.
Got rid of the pits but it still could use more smoothing out. Outside of the barrel is maybe 60%+ with sights. A little re blue and it should be good to go. Can't see throwing it out if I can clean it up. Got nothing to loose but time.
My plan is to smooth out the bore with crocus cloth, long cleaning rod, battery drill lots of oil and time. The spirit just hasn't moved me yet.

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Keep us posted on your endeavor! I know electrolysis works but as of yet heven't done a barrel? Electrolysis doesn;t take rust of and the reust is gone it just makes it turn loose. This has been my experience. I haven't tried different powers or anything but soda desolved in the water and an el-cheapo battery charger.

LME said:

Keep us posted on your endeavor! I know electrolysis works but as of yet heven't done a barrel? Electrolysis doesn;t take rust of and the reust is gone it just makes it turn loose. This has been my experience. I haven't tried different powers or anything but soda desolved in the water and an el-cheapo battery charger.

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Whatever works for you. I got into it years back when I started the BP thing.
This kit was worthless but I couldn't resist. Think it may have been a CVA kit.
Nobody wanted to touch it so I did some digging, found the drop in and went from there. Had a couple of things that needed help so I got in the middle of them and ended up learning a BUNCH!!
Saw a video on the electrolysis thing so I had nothing to lose. Standard auto shop battery charger, barrel in a tank of water cooking while I worked. When you get bubbles, it's working.

Nor Cal Mikie said:

Whatever works for you. I got into it years back when I started the BP thing.
This kit was worthless but I couldn't resist. Think it may have been a CVA kit.
Nobody wanted to touch it so I did some digging, found the drop in and went from there. Had a couple of things that needed help so I got in the middle of them and ended up learning a BUNCH!!
Saw a video on the electrolysis thing so I had nothing to lose. Standard auto shop battery charger, barrel in a tank of water cooking while I worked. When you get bubbles, it's working.

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I have shall we say re rifled an 1830 •600 bore barrel . A cape rifle to be exact, You do need some sort of riffling to start, and the bigger bore helps I made a tube with a brass 1/2” long lug soldered to it . So it would run up and down the rusty worn out groves twisting the tube as it went. A second tube with a cutter went inside . I could adjust the cutter with screw via a nut soldered to the end . Two hold the second tube in place I drilled an 1/8” hole and pinned them together I did not remove the breach plug. I used a colbolt like lathe cut off tool which I ground to shape. It impossible to drill. , but I used eBay diamond engraving bits in my Dremmil. And after half an hour grinding I had a pivot hole in the cutter bit. The rest is history but it tuned up the rifling beyond expectations I had a look and my bits are long gone so no
Photos. But I can send drawings

Yrs it’s a bit challenging. But once set up the outer tube ran up and down twisting well with a little grease, whilst the cutter scraped away , it was all done in a day . It took longer to polish than the cutting

However with a smaller bore just use the outer tube or rod . And grinding paste . Then a tiny brass lug , soldered on , will refresh the rifling, I have done this too but it took hours of work

I wish you well

IanH said:

Iron rod all the way down the barrel with a rubber tip and rubber o-rings to prevent it grounding out.

Evapo-Rust is easier and also works wonders to totally kill all rust so it doesn't keep going on the back side into the pits.

The whole bore will be frosted after using either method, so give it about 50-75 hard strokes afterward with a steel cleaning rod, muzzle protector, and bronze brush wraped tightly with coarse steel wool. Do it dry, no oil. One-ought or two-ought.

If there are any lands left and it doesn't tear up cloth patches, it will shoot. It will lead some with conicals and be a little more difficult to get completely clean.

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I know that high strength steel can suffer from hydrogen embrittlement. I expect antique guns to not be made from what might be called high strength steel, but what about modern reproductions? Has anyone looked into alloys, metal condition (temper), and electrolysis embrittlement? If it was a risk you would need to bake immediately after process.

Richard$58 said:

I know that high strength steel can suffer from hydrogen embrittlement. I expect antique guns to not be made from what might be called high strength steel, but what about modern reproductions? Has anyone looked into alloys, metal condition (temper), and electrolysis embrittlement? If it was a risk you would need to bake immediately after process.

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I'm sure the folks that produce and market the Outers Foul Out system looked into it.

Richard$58 said:

I know that high strength steel can suffer from hydrogen embrittlement. I expect antique guns to not be made from what might be called high strength steel, but what about modern reproductions? Has anyone looked into alloys, metal condition (temper), and electrolysis embrittlement? If it was a risk you would need to bake immediately after process.

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A rifle barrel is mild steel!

I found that one should follow Joe's instructions to the letter when coning a barrel, I did at first and actually had better accuracy out of my coned barrel. I decided to go further to the point that I could cut a patch with a thumb started ball, my accuracy went to pot and the ball doesn't transition from the cone to the rifling without a heavy smack on a long starter. The barrel is a rebore with loose spots that I never liked, even though it shot very well before I over-coned it. Further testing may solve the problem, I could cut the barrel off a couple inches and start over but I would have to reposition the ramrod pipes, underlugs and move the nose cap back. I can do these things and make it look like it was never touched but I would have to think about it long and hard before I did anything.