Inspecting the bore: how?

[richl]

Gang, I have been reading and lurking here for a long time. No stranger to firearms, but new to blackpowder, and having a lot of fun. (great site)

I have been holding off on this one, because it's so basic, but how the heck do you inspect the bore of a muzzleloader?? (I hear the veterans laughing out there)

I can't shine a light from the back end, can't shine down the muzzle and see anything..

Are you dropping a light down the barrel first?
if so, what kind of light?
I'm laughing while I type, because I can't believe I actually have to ask this one, but there you have it!
Thanks,
Rich

 

[poordevil]

Mag-light makes a very small key chain light that can drop down , while on to shine light. Also some of the gun dealers like track or the wolf sell drop down bore lights

P.

 

[renovato]

There's a couple of ways. Some folks drop something shiny down the bore and shine a light down from the muzzle to reflect off it. I haven't tried that but it seems a bit clumsy. I bought a drop down bore light from possibleshop.com. It's a great way to inspect the bore. They don't cost much.

 

[richl]

Guys, that's the info I was looking for, thanks so much!

 

[RJR]

I use a small light made by Coach. It's about 3/16 in. diameter and uses a single LED. Bright enough to shine from the muzzle and see the breech plug. It uses two micro batteries. I've even used it on a 32 cal.

Rick

 

[SCATTERSHOT]

If you can't readily lay hands on a dropdown light, you can use a nickel plated cartridge case, and then shine a bright light down the bore.

 

[RonT]

I saw a light at the Log Cabin Shop that was ~1/8" in dia. x 1 1/2" long. My decision to buy was...maybe...a second. When I heard about the exposed threads on the Colt Signature 1851's I made a "tickler" wire for the ramrod to see if mine had em', nada.
Twenty five years in the steel tube biz paid off... :grin:
R

 

[jtmattison]

I have a little bore light marketed by CVA.

HD

 

[Shootn]

I drop a shiney .38 special case down the bore of my .50 and use a mini-mag light. Not perfect, but most times good enough.

 

[Len Graves]

Sometimes the light method doesn't tell the whole story. Although the drop down light is probably the quickest and possibly the best method, there are times when you have to resort to the "old timy" methods. If you take a jag on a rod with a patch of fairly soft material (flannel for instance) and run it down the bore dry, on withdrawing the patch you find "fuzzys" hanging off the patch it may show rough spots, or places that will catch the patch. Not a terminal condition, your barrel may need further work such as polishing or lapping. Some lights are so bright as to hide these conditions. Of course a light will immediately tell you of an unacceptable barrel condition such as a dark bore, rust,Etc. Hope I didn't confuse. Good luck Len

 

[mathews4ever]

Get one of them lights for the lighted bobbers, turn it on and drop it down. $3 and it last long enough to check a god awful amount of bores.

 

[Birddog6]

Get one of the lil L.E.D. lights & drop it in the bore. Then take a White cotton patch or two & a jag so it is a snug fit, spray the H out of it with WD-40 or Ballistol & swab the bore, look at what comes out with the patch. Clean it Well 5-6 times, then dry swab it & then look down the bore with the lil light in it again & see if it is pitted.
Don't look at the bore with it wet with oil as the oil will hide allot of pits & rust & make it appear slick & shiney.

And this is Especially true on smoothbores & shotguns. I have looked at MANY a shotgun barrel the seller claimed to have No Rust and after you swab it good & dry it & the rust & pits are very obvious then.......

All that being said, it is best to take someone with you that Knows ML's and how to inspect a barrel on one, at leasst for the first time anyway. IMHO

:thumbsup:

 

[Raider2000]

OK I'm a Auto Mechanic/Tech & I'm a bit cheap in this respect, I use my Bore Scope that I have for work to inspect the bore of my rifles, I've never missed a spot.

I would probably get one of those drop in bore lights if I didn't have my scope.

 

[Birddog6]

We're not talking about checking the rifles you own, we are talking about a guy who Doesn't know how to check the barrel on a ML & has no means of doing so....... :wink:

 

[jerem0621]

I drop one of the small glow sticks down the bore after I crack it and get the light going. Around halloween they sell small glow sticks that people tend to put in their mouth or bobbie pin to their shirt etc. It puts off a very soft light that really allows you to see the inside of the bore from the breach plug all the way to the muzzle. Not perfect, but it works for me.

Jeremiah

 

[cowpoke1955]

I use a AAA single cell mag light I bought at Target. Works great in my .54s, but a little too big for my .45.

 

[shmrck1]

Rich,
As others have stated there are barrel lights
available to check the condition of a barrel and they can and are very useful.IHO there is nothing
that can tell you more than running a clean dry
cotton patch down the barrel and drawing out very slowly. You and the patch will feel every little nick in the barrel.
Next run a patch with your favorite cleaning
solution.(I use Hoppe's #9 plus) Make sure you get all the way to the breech area.
My thought is if after doing this a couple times
if the patch comes out a very,very light brown,probably substitute powders been used in that particular barrel.If darker than a very light brown,I think you may have a rust problem
and need to check further.IMHO
snake-eyes

 

[Juggernaut]

Here is a link that has the CVA Bore light.

http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0006754210289a.shtml

It emits a green light that took some getting used to.. It is designed for .50 cal but if you take the ring off it will also slide in a .45cal just fine. Good Luck and I hope this link helps!

The "Juggernaut"

 

[Birddog6]

I have one like that I keep in the shooting vest I wear at the gun shows that has allot of pockets in it for odds & ends.
I filed the brass smooth all around & it will go into a 40 cal now. But couple of shows ago I was there & some guy had lil L.E.D. lights about 1/8 "dia for $1. each, you just push in on the bulb & it lights & pull out to turn it off, so got a couple of them.

 

[RJR]

Here's the one I have. It's made by Coast, not Coach like I said earlier. It's a model V16. http://www.lightsandknives.com/productid/526/16/1.html

Rick