Need advice on rusty barrel.

[sduve]

I purchased a 50 cal Renegade barrel with a rusted bore a few months back on Ebay and I knew of barrel's condition. What is the best technique for making this one a shooter, if possible? Thanks.

 

[Rebel]

How bad is it rusted. If it is mostly surface rust you can use some steel wool and a maybe something like LIquid Wrench or some other rust remover to scrub it good. As long as it isn't pitted too bad it may still shoot alright.

 

[musketman]

You can always have T/C replace it, they have a lifetime warrentee...

Otherwise, lap the bore with a mild abrasive on a cleaning patch a few hundred strokes...
(gets the kids involved)

 

[Russianblood]

You can always have T/C replace it, they have a lifetime warrentee...

Otherwise, lap the bore with a mild abrasive on a cleaning patch a few hundred strokes...
(gets the kids involved)

I don't think T/C will replace a barrel that has been damaged by neglect.

 

[Pork Chop]

How bad is the rust? I bought a Hawken once that although it was a 50 cal, a 30 cal round would not hit bottom if dropped. (I doubt that a 22 would have!) I used up a few bronze bore brushes scrubbing it out. Got it to the point that a patch on a 50 cal jag would go through it. At that point, I ended up getting another barrel through a trade and sold the one with the cleaned up bore...

 

[BLAHMAN]

You'd be surprised....that barrel may shoot pretty good....all's it gotta do is impart a spin on the roundball....

It is a roundball barrel isn't it?

 

[Lone Carabiner]

I had good luck on a .45 barrel using a .40 cal jag and 'scotch-brite' pad used as 'cleaning patch', then used fine valve grinding compound to finish. This was a pistol barrel tho, but still took less than 100 or so in-outs. This was after ruinning a bronze brush in-out few dozen times.
Cleaned it up and it shot as well as my .50 pistol with PRB.

 

[CrackStock]

There was a discussion on another on-line resource and a friend of mine mentioned that Brownells has:
[url] http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=1084&title=STEEL+WHITE[/url]

PVC pipe capped on one end should do the trick for a soak tank.

Sadly, the rust remover will also remove your blue or brown finish completely, but this is a kill it or cure it situation in my view.

I have not tried it, but I value Dave's opinion greatly since he has never steared me wrong in the past 8 or so years that I have corresponded with him.

If you use it, be ready to preserve right after cleaning the surfaces.

CS

 

[bwhoffman]

Sduve,
as an idea, you could have have it drilledout to 54 or 56 smoothbore if its pitted much.

idea only,

Brett

 

[sduve]

I do like the thought of a .56 smoothbore but I would still like to have a .50 to compliment my set of .32, .40, and .54 on the Renegade. I believe the bore is pitted and when I put a patch down it, the rust was really grabbing the cloth. I've never done this "lapping" thing before. I would at least like to try and make this barrel a shooter before having it rebored to a larger diameter.

 

[Lone Carabiner]

Try the 3M pad- ultrafine with Rem Clean after U give it a good brushing. Can't hurt anything. :thumbsup: