Seasoning a bore

[48mauser]

Could someone explain the procedure and materials to season a bore? I have heard it mentioned but don't understand the reason to do it. Is it similar to seasoning an iron skillet? Thanks for any replies, Paul P.

 

Popcorn anyone? :winking:

I have a seasoned cast iron skillet to make it in. If I cleaned that skillet until it was shiney every time I used it, it would not work right now would it?

If you clean your bore down to the shine every time you shoot it is it really seasoned?

 

[faw3]

Ya it would be if ya had a iron barrel, this ones ben kicked around a lot I even did it, not no more. Sure to be some more on this one. FRED :hatsoff:

 

[gmww]

Let the debate begin! Nah, just kidding. You'll find there are two schools on this. The seasoning school is to not use petrolium products and used bore butter to season.

Basically clean you gun with hot water and soapy water. Then lube the bore with bore butter.

I'm on the side of not doing this. Basically you can clean it with hot water and soapy water or other ways. I don't season but keep my bore as close to bare metal as possible. I preserve with Kroil or WD 40.

 

[tg]

"If you clean your bore down to the shine every time you shoot it is it really seasoned?"

So now your bore has to be shiney to be traditionl? Is a shiney bore better than a non shiney bore? does a dull boar eat popcorn while shining his bore? Where did the popcorn comment come from? Did they use popcorn to shine the bore?

 

[Ridge]

I use olive oil and bees wax to lube, only clean with water.

After about 100 rounds your barrel will be seasoned. I used soapy water until I had a good seasoning.....then I went to straight water.

Simple as that really.

 

[roundball]

Could someone explain the procedure and materials to season a bore? I have heard it mentioned but don't understand the reason to do it. Is it similar to seasoning an iron skillet? Thanks for any replies, Paul P.

I'm no engineer or chemist, but I don't believe in the "seasoning" thing in modern made steel barrels.

I swab & scrub brush my bores every time with steaming hot soapy water then a hot water rinse...bone dry to the bare raw metal, and slather the lube on it.

I do happen to use bore butter which has always been outstanding for me, but not for any 'seasoning' purposes...am convinced I get it all out after every shoot...I don't want any "seasoning" or buildup what-so-ever.

If after all that there is some sort of 'seasoning' going on, I'm oblivious to it...my .02 cents

 

[rabbit03]

Someone call 911 TG your killing me :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

 

[rabbit03]

I think the Dull boar uses bore butter to shine his popcorn in the bore or boars.

rabbit03

 

[Griz]

I'm no engineer or chemist, but I don't believe in the "seasoning" thing in modern made steel barrels.

AMEN Roundball, I couldn't agree with you more. I do not think that today's modern barrels can be seasoned. I think that shoving all this thick lube down a barrel just to "season" it is a big mistake and I have had a bad incident that convinced me of that. Just my .02

 

So now your bore has to be shiney to be traditionl? Is a shiney bore better than a non shiney bore? does a dull boar eat popcorn while shining his bore? Where did the popcorn comment come from? Did they use popcorn to shine the bore?

:hatsoff: Popcorn comment?

I think I'll just sit back and have a bit of popcorn while discussion turns to debate, and then personal insult.

:hmm:

Is there advise or comment about seasoning the bore here?

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Yup, that thar bore butter will season your cast iron fryin pan jest fine and I've seen plenty of used muzzleloader bores that look jest like a cast iron fryin pan. I druther mine don't. :grin:

 

[Landngroove]

Could someone explain the procedure and materials to season a bore? I have heard it mentioned but don't understand the reason to do it. Is it similar to seasoning an iron skillet? Thanks for any replies, Paul P.

"Seasoning your bore" IMHO a marketing ploy, or catchphrase to sell certain ML cleaning, and lube/preservative products. I, as many members do, use the hot soapy water to clean my ML barrels. I want to rid the bore of any traces of residue, and get it as clean as possible. Some will now use an all natural lube to prevent rust, and this is fine, if it works for them. Others, myself included, use an oil that is derived from petroleum to lube/preserve the bore. You may want to try both methods, and see what is best for you.

 

[Zonie]

There are three schools of thought about seasoning a guns bore:

One group says to apply oil and heat the barrel until the oil that has collected in the pores of the metal turns into carbon which is what happens with a old cast iron frying pan.
This will leave your bore looking like an old ugly black cast iron frying pan, if it worked.
With modern steel, which isn't very porous, IMO, not only does this not work, but it is totally unnecessary.

One group says "Buy my product and Season your barrel just like they did in the old days!"
Again, IMO, because steel has almost no porosity you are not really "seasoning" your barrel. You are merely coating the bore with a vegetable oil and expecting it to keep rust away.

One group says to properly "season" your barrel, you need to use it in as many hunting "seasons" as is humanly possible being sure to clean and oil your bore properly. :grin: :rotf: :thumbsup:

 

[48mauser]

Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply. I'm just getting started into muzzle loading and was trying to avoid making mistakes. I think I've got enough info to make a decision on which way to go. Thank you all again for your help, Paul P.

 

[Old40Rod]

...until the oil that has collected in the pores of the metal turns into carbon...

I'm not sure it is the "pores", but rather filling the small dips and valleys in the rough surface of the cast iron. Cast iron does have microscopic voids.... but you would only be able to fill those voids that were open to the surface. Cast iron seasoning is just a layer of burnt grease/oil (probably mostly carbon/carbon chain stuff after a period of time) between the surface of the cast iron and your food...

Since most modern barrels are a heckuvalot smoother than any piece of cast iron I have ever seen, I don't believe anyone is really "seasoning" a modern barrel unless they lube, burn it in and and never clean out the lube..., i.e., you are coating the surface and leave it there.

So, IMHO, you season popcorn and not a modern BP rifle barrel. But if it makes you happy to think you are, more power to you

:haha:

 

[TN.Frank]

I think today it has more to do with natural oils being kept in the pores of the metal more then the cast iron skillet deal. I like to clean with water and re-oil my barrels with either "sweet oil"(olive oil) or Ballistol and nothing else. JMHO, YMMV. :winking:

 

[Erzulis boat]

"Seasoning" with modern steel alloys (in the capacity of a barrel) is a misnomer.

Iron, (wrought, cast etc.) can be "seasoned", and machine castings (for mills and surface plates etc.) are seasoned with time. A true cast iron skillet is seasoned because of the very structure and nature of the iron.

Modern barrel steels lack the porosity, but more importantly, the properties to be "seasoned" in this context.

Modern barrels are "broken in" much the same way military specification corrosion resistant fasteners are passivated. Passivation is a chemical process in which the steel is exposed to an acid bath that attacks all the exposed elements on the material's surface sans the chromium in the alloy. The end result is a chromium rich surface that resists corrosion better. Breaking in, or "seasoning" the bore acts in a similar fashion. A smooth surface lessens the surface exposure of the elements within the alloy that readily corrode and hinder cleaning.

An old genuine wrought iron barrel is indeed "seasoned", but with modern alloys, this is merely a catchphrase when all is said and done.

 

[Teach]

Just my 2 cents fwiw,cast iron is porous ,just ask a welder who has tried to weld a cast iron engine block :hmm:
The heat pulls the oil the oil and causes porosity.
I tried "seasoning" my barrel with diferent lubes etc,m the only thing that came close was an oil called AD 2000, which is a very thin oil which also has anti-corrosion properties.I've never seen anything close to this oil,the surface is like a golfball,flows easily, superslippery.
I know it seasoned the barrel, you could feel how much easier it was to load the barrel.It lasted for approx 8 shots.I stopped using it thinking the first shots would have a different velocity.
AD 2000 is used in industry to mount bearings on shafts,and as an anti-corrosion agent.
I've mixed it with moly-kote to lube my locks :grin:
My comments are from my own experience,not to disagree or disparage any or posts.
Cheers teach.

 

[paulvallandigham]

i think today's shooters are better served using a fine lapping compound on new barrels to smooth the lands, and remove any small burrs. Custom barrel makers take a great deal of pride in the fact that they lap their barrels. You pay more for them because of this work. Lapping should not be needed in these barrels. I have used JB Bore cleaner in new guns to smooth the bores, and I also ressurected an old 8mm Mauser barrel using JB bore cleaner to clean up the lands. The grooves still look like the Burma Road, but the gun shoots.

If you really are trying to have a slick barrel, then take the barrel to a plater, and have the bore chrome plated. It will protect the bore from corrosion, make it very slick, and make it very easy to clean.