New to you used guns

[NJStricker]

Hey guys,

What is your ritual for cleaning up a new-to-you used BP gun?

I recently picked up a used TC Renegade for a pretty good price--$80. I stripped down the stock (it had been painted camo) and just finished putting on several coats of Danish oil into the good walnut.

While that's drying, I'm about to work on the barrel. I don't have a bore light, and the rifling looks worn at the muzzle but no red rust from what I can see, just lots of crud built up in the grooves. Before I take brush and hot water to it, I'm thinking of getting something in there to start softening things up--either Hoppes #9 or Kroil.

What do you guys use on these old used guns?

 

[Muskeg Stomper]

You didn't mention whether it's a percussion or flint gun. If percussion, I'd pull the nipple and if flint, the vent liner (if so equipped). then I'd have a go at it with just water with maybe a little dish soap or Simple Green in it.

 

[Walks with fire]

Once the vent liner/nipple is out shine a light in there and look down the barrel and see what ya might be sticking a jag into. You don't want to get it stuck in there and they can hang up easy with a dirty bore. Anyway; scrub it out and then get a snug fitting cleaning patch oiled up and check for any swells; pits etc. by how the rod slides. You will be able to feel anything not smooth in there.

 

[NJStricker]

Yep, it's percussion.

Judging by the depth at which the ramrod sinks, I don't need to worry about a forgotten charge, but shining a light from the nipple hole is a good idea.

 

[William O.]

I'd let the bore soak a while with some good penetrating oil, then use an appropriate size bore brush. I highly recommend JB's bore cleaner, a non-embedding paste for polishing everything after brushing out the larger bits of crud and rust.

 

[2172]

when the bore rust is pretty bad,I've both run a Naval Jelly soaked patch down, and used a bronze brush a half hour later, and run a patch down and not used the brush until the next day. The Jelly will take off bluing, so I don't do it unless I really have to..the first one I did, I got shiny lands, and pitted grooves,but the gun shoots well. I've now acquired 4 rifles at pawnshops, and feel each has been worth what I paid..the really rusty one cost about $25...Hank

 

[Zonie]

Personally, I would avoid the use of Naval Jelly in a bore unless it was extremely rusted.

Although it works well it has a tendency to pit the surface leaving a slightly frosted look and to my thinking that is not the kind of finish one would want in the bore.

A frosted surface is hard to clean and will abrade the patches when the gun is fired.

Steel wool on the other hand will remove rust without worsening the general condition of the unrusted areas in the bore.

At least that's my opinion.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I had a friend who never could realize the importance of cleaning black powder guns. So I got to be very experienced at cleaning up poor condition guns. My procedure was a three step one. First the old hot soapy water and a bronze bore brush, check with bore light, If all looks good oil well. If things look like they need more cleaning the old Alcohol /peroxide/ murphys oil soap to "bubble out" the crud. check with bore light, if looks good oil, If it still looks bad a bronze bore brush and some automotive rubbing coumpound. (Make sure to use a disposable rod for this as the rubbing coumpound will embed into the rod ). Clean very throughly with a lot of soapy water, wipe with a wd 40 soaked patch check for clean, should be clean . If not think about new barrel. Oil to store ,wd 40 is only for water removale not storage.

 

[NJStricker]

Naval jelly is essentially phosphoric acid, so I doubt I'll go that route.

I tore into it last night. Tried the light in the nipple aperture, but couldn't see any light from the muzzle. I filled the barrel with warm water, and it held. Tried a few plunges with a patch on the cleaning rod and the crud finally broke free, so the vent is now clear.

No rust deposits came out, which is good. Just lots of burned powder. I didn't have a lot of time to spend on it, so I dried the barrel out and oiled it with some Hoppes. The lands look good--well, shiny anyway, from what I can see, though shallow. Not sure yet if the lands are worn or if the grooves are just that filled with burned powder residue. This is my first .54, so I need to get a correct size brush before cleaning the barrel out any more.

Once the barrel was good and wet I tried a tight patch on the rod, and couldn't feel anywhere that it was catching. The brush might be a different story, but so far so good.

 

[Robert58]

Standard 1 in 48" twist TC barrels have shallow rifling, .005" deep. So you can also shoot conical bullets. Sounds like you bought a winner.

I bought the rifle in my signature picture in a Pawn Shop for $100.00 out the door. I refinished the stock, modified the trigger guard and installed primitive sights on it. I love Pawn Shops.

Robert

 

[ZERMATT7]

Since you dont have a bore light, get one of the little brass cva bore light and some extra button cell batteries. I love mine !
Just make sure to get the green light and not the red one. :nono: Cant see bupkus with the red one...

 

[paulvallandigham]

O'Reilly's Auto Parts store sells a thin, long flashlite, that will fit down any barrel 30 cal. or greater, for about $10.00. It uses two small, thin, lithium batter, and puts out a nice white/blue light from its face, and for our purposes, light on a series of holes around the trunk of the flashlight to let you see the lands and grooves as the flashlite is slid down the barrel. It comes with a pocket clip, to hold it to your shirt Pocket, but that clip slides off the flashlight, and can be put back on after you are through looking at a bore.

 

[nightwolf1974]

first i usually have to replace the nipple(s) because of stupid people dry firing them.

then if the bore is rusty, i use those 3M green scubby pads on a jig. learned that one when dealing with some old Lee Enfield #1 MK3s i bought back in the day.

if the bore is really bad i spray some PB Blaster on the pad and scrub it then was it in a tub of water outside.

 

[NJStricker]

Well, I got this one cleaned up as best as I could. I have yet to shoot it. The lands were shiny, but very worn (no more crisp edges on the rifling) and the grooves are still dark. I did get a lot of gunk out of the barrel.

I stripped the paint off of the stock and gave it 5 or 6 coats of Danish oil. The walnut looks great now (better than green camo paint!)

One of these days I'll get it out to the range and try it out. I would have shot it yesterday had I known the range was open on the holiday, and if the squirrels weren't calling my name. . .