kit build help please

[Willoughby]

I mentioned to my neighbor about going Muzzleloader hunting and he says I have a Muzzleloader and when he presents it it is a TC Hawken kit rifle POORLY "assembled" with wrong screws and has never been blued -he says its just a wall hanger and has never been fired -he lost the screws and Tg that came in the kit before he "assembled" it . he was able to order another TG but thought regular steel hardware store screws would suffice -long story short he sold it to me -Now I can fit the wood to the metal and refinish the wood and I have already blued the barrel and metal parts - my question is DO I BLUE INSIDE THE BORE OF THE BARREL ? or leave it as it is ? I did check inside the bore with a tight patched jag and I'm sure its never been fired .absolutely no fouling on patch and firm even contact breech to muzzle = this is my 1st NEW barrel and 1st Kit gun so any insight much appreciated

 

[longwalk]

NO do not blue the bore! Get a light and check the bore for any rust or pitting.

 

[Eric Krewson]

Original TC barrels were blued inside and out, I suspect for doing a bunch at a time. My TC kit barrel was in the white with no bluing on it at all, later kits had blued barrels. Bluing the inside of the barrel served no purpose as the bluing wears away after the rifle was shot and cleaned a bunch.

 

[Willoughby]

seems like it would be better to start off blued maybe not i dunno- dont think it would hurt any

 

[TechMoron]

See no need to blue the inside but, it's yours, do as you see fit. And a whole lot of whether it protects or harms the bore will depend on bluing used and your skills with same. Poorly blued with cold blue it's liable to become a rust magnet.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

seems like it would be better to start off blued maybe not i dunno- dont think it would hurt any

Waste of time and bluing material. Just do a stellar job on the outside of the barrel!
Larry

 

[user 34300]

The factory barrels were blued inside because it is easier. Hot caustic blue was used, like modern guns. IF you plug the barrel the plug may pop out under pressure and spray 300* lye solution around. Since the process does not etch the steel it does not harm the bore.

 

[Daveboone]

most all bluing/browning solutions have specific instructions to plug the barrel.
You shouldnt have any problem finding compatible screws. I am sure you should be able to find a schematic for the rifle online showing the screw size, then order them up from any of the suppliers/amazon. You may want to plug and redrill the holes if he used the wrong size previously.

 

[rp77469]

This is a bit off subject, but all the talk of blue vs in the white triggered an old memory. Well into my Geezerhood now, so all y'all get to hear it, cause this barrel was brown...kinda.

I stumbled across the only Deal I ever got From Collector's Firearms of Houston. It was 1988. TC Hawken kit, .50 caliber percussion, sitting on the counter, somewhat assembled. Obviously put together by a kid or demented adult as the hammer would not hit the nipple, the stock never saw a bit of sandpaper, and the barrel was beautifully browned using Minwax walnut varnish. That Minwax was the only thing well done. Shined like a star. I walked out of the store with it for $35, a big grin on my face. Had to make a new ramrod for it, replace the brass screws, stripped the paint and browned the barrel. What was cool was the display of the same kits on the back counter priced at $195.99. My younger son got the completed, refurbished and still unfired rifle for his 15th birthday. He proved it to be very accurate.