Preventing rust on a pinned barrel

[walter lynn]

Building a TOW kit. Barrel will be pinned.(obviously) Will probably not remove barrel after every shooting to clean. Any advise on preventing rust on the bottom half of the barrel? Thanks.

 

[Rebel]

Wax the barrel channel real good and then wax or grease the bottom of the barrel before installing.

 

[Swampman]

And don't remove the barrel for any reason.

 

[Okwaho]

Try using axle grease

 

[riarcher]

I agree with the wax. Butches Wax or Bee's wax.
After it's all reassembled, seal all barrel to wood / metal with warm and soft wax.
Tried grease once and found that over time it does dry out (lighter oils absorbed by the wood?)

 

[CrackStock]

I also have had some builders recommend axle grease under the buttplate. Do you suggest this also?

CS

 

[Swampman]

Axle grease has a strong odor. I wouldn't use it.

 

[jmckenney]

After you brown the metal and finish the stock, rub bees wax in the barrel channel, then slightly heat the barrel until pure bees wax will melt when applied, while still warm place the barrel into the channel and pin it in place. Once the barrel has cooled take a piece of burlap and work off the wax on the top surfaces of the barrel. While working the wax off fill in the gap between the barrel and wood with the excess wax your removing from the metal. If you don't get a good seal with this process, then take some slightly warm wax, not melted and work it into the gap with your fingers then rub it in with a piece of felt.

 

[Stophel]

Please, please, please do NOT put axle grease or any other non drying oil on the gun. It soaks into the wood making it soft and funky. Put wax on the bottom of the barrel or even better, varnish it.

 

[BLAHMAN]

I get a tiolet bowl beeswax ring and sloober the wax into the barrel channel, then put the barrel back in, squeeze out the excess and let it be.

I figure if that toilet bowl ring can withstand my big arse, well, it can work wonders in a barrel channel!

 

[CrackStock]

Actually, a friend and I have glass bedded under my barrels and use Rig on the underside. Not PC, but it works quite nicely. He had built a lot of sporting rifles from '03 and Mauser actions, so he was fond of glass. Been thinking of doing the same under the buttplate to secure it better.

I was just wondering about the axle grease as I have heard about using it before and wanted to understand the reasoning.

CS

 

[CrackStock]

I think that most toilet bowl seals are no longer made of real wax. Not that this will not work, but it is not to be confused with wax for other purposes.

CS

 

[Okwaho]

I got that idea from a builder friend and in addition it keeps water out of the channel. He swore by it and he's been at it a long time.

 

[walter lynn]

Great ideas!! Thanks very much. Keep em coming.

 

[oldarmy]

if you want you can just pin it.. Take'her' out and shoot 'her' for a while.It takes few rounds to figure out what works best anyway,
have some fun with your creation. :hatsoff: Let everthing settle in and then do the sealing.
They all shift a little when new :rotf:
Even centerfire weapons need a few shoots fired after taking the stock off to settle back in place.
I don't see a need to rush it right away. it isn't going to rust out overnight

 

[tg]

I like to lay a good coat of stock finnish(turp,spar varn, linseed oil, mix, with some bees wax melted in in the channel and do the same to the bottom of the barrel then wipe off excess afterwards. I have heard good and bad about grease on wood, so not knowing have stayed away from it.

 

[CrackStock]

I understand the concerns, but I do not think that axle grease is thin enough to be absorbed and damage the wood. Respected builders have endorsed the practice -- in my case under the buttplate. I just happen to like glass.

CS

 

I like to lay a good coat of stock finnish(turp,spar varn, linseed oil, mix, with some bees wax melted in in the channel and do the same to the bottom of the barrel then wipe off excess afterwards.

I asked Gary Brumfield what was used in the barrel channel on the old ones and, if memory serves, he told me few, if any, old guns had stain OR finish in the barrel channel. To be PC, the barrel channel would have to be left raw. I DO like the idea of the hot wax treatment on the bottom of the barrel. However, I just spray it with BC "sheath" and have not had rust issues. I also wax my rifles fairly often and this does seal the barrel to the stock well.

Cody

P.S. again, if memory serves, I believe Hershel House uses axle grease under the BP

 

[Darkhorse]

In his video "building a kentucky rifle", Hershel House recommends and demonstrates really slathering on the thick axle grease. I was never really comfortable with that.
I'm also not real impressed by his demonstration of gun cleaning.
I am, however, impressed by his ability as a master gunbuilder.

After browning I put on a couple of real good coats of good old Johnsons paste wax. I have yet to pull a barrel and find rust. Though I will admit it is an accident if mine are rained on to any great degree. But water still gets under the barrel at the muzzle during cleaning and it doesn't rust there either.
I like the Chambers oil finish and when finishing the stock I put several good coats under the buttplate, in the lock mortice, the barrel channel, and anywhere else moisture might cause wood to swell. Especially any exposed end grain.
I really don't care if it wasn't done that way in the old days. I don't want swelled wood causing problems when I'm in the woods.

 

[Protrucker]

Maybe I'm missing something. Somebody help me out here.....Wax melts when heated. The traditional way to clean a gun was to use hot water.(I boil water & pour it down the bore) Hot water heats the barrel which will melt the wax that you are all talking about sealing the barrel channel with. How many cleanings will it take before the barrel channel isn't sufficiently sealed any more? Will just rubbing more wax into the gap between the barrel & stock keep it sealed good enough?
Is this a dumb question? :hmm: