New (to me) T/C Seneca, bore questions...

[e.estern]

I just bought the rifle below. I don't have a bore scope, but I dropped something reflective down the barrel, after running a few dozen patches with Balistol through it. Impossible to photograph, but the bore was bright and clean looking all the way down, except for a few bright orange rust spots in the last 3" towards the muzzle. They almost look like dust. Is there a way to get rid of this kind of rust? Is it a big detriment to accuracy or cause other issues? Other than that the rifle looks very nice, low 4 digit serial number, if that matters, and a Maltese cross stamped on the underside of the barrel.

 

[deermanok]

You could try some 0000 steel wool wrapped around a cleaning jag.
Beyond that, I think any small spots would probably just shoot out after a while.
I have a gun barrel or 2 that are way worse and they shoot just fine.

 

[kelljp]

Nice,
Senacas are a pleasure to hold and shoot.
What caliber is it ?
The cross is common in early Thompson Center gun barrels. There are all kind of story's associated with the marking. Find one you like and repeat it. They have a tendency to get a crack on the lock bolt side of the stock. I think people over tightening the screw sometimes or shoot an excessive amount of powder.
Enjoy, they are addictive!

 

[Phil Coffins]

Looks like nice rifle, any rust spot can be rubbed down but that won’t stop it. I wouldn’t worry about any tiny spots effecting how it shoots. If it really bothered me I‘d remove the rear sight, under rib and nipple then degrease the barrel with warm soapy water. Then place it in a long tank of boiling water for ten minutes. That changes the red rust to a black oxide which is blueing. Oil the insides and out with a oil like Barricade and when cool reassemble. I use oils that don’t mix with water rather then Ballistol. Rust and water are friends.

 

[e.estern]

Nice,
Senacas are a pleasure to hold and shoot.
What caliber is it ?
The cross is common in early Thompson Center gun barrels. There are all kind of story's associated with the marking. Find one you like and repeat it. They have a tendency to get a crack on the lock bolt side of the stock. I think people over tightening the screw sometimes or shoot an excessive amount of powder.
Enjoy, they are addictive!

It's a .45. I'll be shooting it in offhand matches for practice, but I got it for deer hunting. I have .440 round balls and also Ox Yoke Originals 220 grain Maxi Balls. I'm not sure which I'll end up hunting with, I guess I have to see how it shoots. I have the TC recommendations for Seneca loads and I'll be staying on the conservative side. I briefly owned another Seneca that wasn't as nice to look at, but it taught me that these rifles are just about a perfect fit for me.

 

[nit wit]

use a AAA battery down the bore, shine a light on it. find a smaller jag than .45 and use a piece of scotch pad.
Nit Wit

 

[e.estern]

Scotch-Brite? Won’t that make scratches?

 

[Phil Coffins]

Scotch-Brite will remove what bluing is left in the bore, try it on the under side of the barrel to see.

 

[Kansas Jake]

I used a piece of a copper pot scrubber on a bore brush and PB Blaster on a slightly rusted barrel with good success. Just make sure the bore brush is a good one that won’t pull apart and get stuck in the barrel. Also, many of the “copper” scrubbers in discount stores are copper plated steel wool. Look for the all copper ones. I got mine at an Ace hardware store.

 

[granth]

Grab a .40 cal jag and get a small piece of green Scotch Brite and run that up and down the bore until the rust comes out. There might be a couple spots that the Scotch Brite couldn't reach but those spots usually come out after some shooting.

 

[SDSmlf]

Scotch-Brite? Won’t that make scratches?

I started using Scotch-Brite after speaking to Don Getz (Getz Barrel) years ago before he passed, and he recommended using the green (600 grit) Scotch-Brite for smoothing up barrels that were cutting patches. Said it wouldn’t hurt the barrel. May not cure your issue, but won’t hurt. There are other options, but this is a good place to start.

 

[e.estern]

I’ll try the Scotch-Brite, since I happen to have some. I got a bore light the other day and thr bore really doesn’t look too bad. Couple of specks near the muzzle and one tiny patch about halfway down which I can feel with a jag and patch, if I move it just right. Otherwise it’s like a mirror.

I'm going to try and shoot it today.

 

[rusticbob]

I have the same gun, sweet shooter with light loads and round balls.

 

[e.estern]

I have not to a ton of experimentation, but with 70gr of 2F Schutzen over a rest with PRBs I can put 3 shots into about an inch @50yds.

 

[Rifleman1776]

You could try some 0000 steel wool wrapped around a cleaning jag.

Yep. Nice rifle, you will enjoy.

 

[user 31257]

Seneca’s are my favorite T/C rifle, I’ve never tried patched balls for hunting but I’ve killed a few deer with maxi hunters.

 

[rodinal220]

Bronze wool


https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-...brasives/metal-wool/bronze-wool-prod7391.aspx

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

If T/C would bring back the Seneca in .45... maybe with a maple stock and a half-round barrel, they would not be able to keep them in stock anywhere. Sadly, this is not likely to happen.