Rusty Bore....What to do?

[Jim C]

?????What the hay is THAT supposed to mean????

 

[kaintuck]

Just pack it up with a enclosed envelope and a 125.00 money order, mail it bobby Hoyt.... :hatsoff:
It'll come back in a few weeks, perfect, ready to shoot accurately.....

Marc tomtom

 

[J.G. Terry]

I was downsizing and had accumulated several T/C's including a Seneca. Put three or four on "Gun broker". Might check out Gun Broker for a current price on T/C's. T/C's don't go for $75.00 any longer. I have cleaned out some bad looking bores by leaving the them soak in Kroil. After further cleaning, fire a few shots. You may have a pleasant surprise.

 

[wrichi]

Sand blast,using fine dry sand ?

 

[Billnpatti]

:hmm: :hmm: Say Whaaaat? :idunno:

 

[Jim C]

LOL! Typing while intoxicated maybe? :idunno: either! :haha:

 

[nhmoose]

No it means no instant solution. Soak it then clean with a brush and other. A lot of you guys are great to jump and be funny but that ain't help.

Everyone wants the secret now formula there is none To BAD Jerks

 

[nhmoose]

Funny not help dude

 

[Bruce M]

Rusted barrels.I take off stock wrap barrel in cloth put in vise.take wire brush wrapped with steel wool.I like it tight to bore.just keep running it in and out.it will slowly polish rust off.the high spots of the rust is what effects how well a gun will shot accurate. You can get a neglected rusted barrel to shoot fairly good.I also have used Birchwood casey rust remover.I tape muzzle because it takes blueing off if it gets on it.nipple should be facing up or it will leak out on blueing.try steel wool method first. You may never get all of the rust out, but can make them shoot better by polishing bore.it's a shame that so many BP rifles are not cleaned good by previous owners.good luck

 

[Jim C]

The reason I asked for advice is because I've never dealt with a really rusty bore before. I didn't expect anyone to tell me some magic word to say over it and snap my fingers and watch it disappear.

 

[don hepler]

A ruff bore will still shoot fairly accurate. The problem is, the ruff bore causes the fowling to become more of an issue. I was about to give up on a rusty bore, when I decided to try some powder called Black MZ. This powder leaves very little residue. Now the rifle shoots as well as another rifle, that I have, that has a perfect bore. The bore is pitted, and looks bad, but the rust is gone, and it shoots just fine with the Black MZ powder, and that saved me the cost of rebore.

 

[Bruce M]

After you clean it really good try conicals and patch and ball see which shoots better.Sometimes shooting can help in cleaning process.Rust may tear patches some. Pick up patches see how there condition is.I have one 54 cal. that was really pitted bad,it shoots good but deforms patches.Let us know how you make out.

 

[Bruce M]

I have bought many bp with rusted barrels.The ones that have not been cleaned and put away dirty were they are exposed to moisture are some projects.Little elbow grease and patients can be good barrels.You may have to clean real good after shooting and run clean patches through between shots cause of barrel fouling.Once you get them cleaned up you have to keep an eye on those rifles.Some guys use lapping paste and various methods to clean up rifling.

 

[Jim C]

I finally got that barrel cleaned up but it's so rough you can't even see the lands and grooves except for about a 6 or 8 inch section near the muzzle. Will be sending it off to be relined soon. Thanks to all for all of your interest and suggestions.

 

[Tinker2]

If you have it as clean as you can, then shoot it and see.

I have some guns that you would have to have a good imagination to see any rifling.
A number of them can shoot better than most people can hold them.

Just a thought, have fun, be safe


William Alexander

 

[Sure Shot 2]

Now a-days to much emphasis has been placed on these old replica period rifles concerning one's rusty bore discovery. Unlike a modern rifle bore. Where its accuracy highly depends on its Spick & Span condition. Period weaponry not so much. They were designed to operate with the short comings B/P brings with its use. If you give it some thought the consequences of corrosion seldom bothered those old timers. As not every pioneer cleaned his rifles bore religiously after its firing nor bought, changed out or bored his rifles barrel do to some corrosion seen. Just clean the barrels bore as best you can than just go out a shoot it. Enjoy what your doing that day. "Shooting when many can't or aren't!" My suggestion to remove a little rust scale. A (copper) Chore Boy pad & dish detergent.

 

[shdwlkr]

I picked up a TC Big Boar that is in some rough shape as someone let it get wet and didn't take care of it.
The bore seems ok and it shoots just fine now that the nipple to bore has been cleaned out.
Looks in BP rifles is not anything like a smokeless bore. As has been said the good old boys never took care of them the way we are used to taking care of our modern firearms.

 

[Jim C]

I finally got around to shooting it the other day and it shoots okay I guess, 3-4 inch 50 yd groups but that's not acceptable to me. I want it to drive tacks and light matches :haha: ! I'll probably have it re lined at some point in the near future.

 

[Zonie]

Out of curiosity, how many different powder and patch loads did you try?

How many different granulation's of powder did you try? (2Fg, 3Fg ???)

Different ball sizes? (.530, .535)

Any of these things can and will change the accuracy of a muzzleloading rifle.

Were you shooting from a rest or were you shooting off hand?
Shooting off hand tests the shooters ability, not the rifles.

There just are so many different things that can effect a guns accuracy that it seems puzzling that a person would consider re-boring a gun before everything has been tried.

 

[Jim C]

Well, I spent about 5 hrs or so at the range with it and I always shoot from the bench with a new rifle just to make sure I'm fairly giving the rifle the entire benefit of the doubt. So far I've tried 2f and 3f with varying charges....(It's a .50 cal)and I tried .490 and .495's with several different patch thicknesses and material types from .015 through .022. So really about the only thing left that I can do is get some thinner patch material .005 - .010, and also I only used spit patches so I could try some different patch lubes too. I'm in no hurry at all to have it worked on so I haven't given completely up on it just yet. Heck, just some more shooting to help smooth it out more could possibly be the ticket. One thing I've learned well in this game is that until you've tried every angle there is to try you just never quite know :wink: