"Seasoning" the bore...

[kelvinator]

A short while back I was shooting and cleaning a new to me percussion ML in .54 cal manufactured in the early 80's, and was kinda alarmed at the amount of, what I would now call "build up" in the barrel, that seemed to be old lube of some kind.
It would not be removed by cleaning in my usual hot water/dawn soap procedure.
It was clearly visible in the bore as light tan/brown colored streaks in the crevices of the inside corners of the riffling grooves.
So... I got aggressive with it, with some serious cleaner/degreaser chemicals and scrub brushes ect.
Took some effort but finally got it all out and just for good measure gave the bore a good scrub/polish with scotchbite pads and fine steel wool.
Doesn't seem to have hurt anything accuracy wise but I'm still in load development mode.
Now... I have been informed that there is no such thing as "seasoning" in a ML barrel.
And I would agree, I mean seasoning is what you do to meat before ya grill it, right?
But... I have this tube of Hornady lube from probably 25 plus years ago that says different...

 

[Flintandsteel]

First of all, that lube, and poor cleaning habits caused the buildup.
Second, that’s what it is, build up, not seasoning.
Throw that crap away, and use some liquid lube.

 

[Grenadier1758]

A rifle barrel is not made of cast iron. What has been called seasoning is just a layer of fouling and burnt grease that is clogging the grooves in the barrel. Don't fall for the "seasoning" misinformation. There is a sticky in the General Muzzleloading information forum about seasoning.

It's much better to clean the rifle to remove all the old grease and fouling. The use a rust inhibiting lubricant such as Barricade or Boeshield to protect the bore.

 

[ronaldrothb49]

A short while back I was shooting and cleaning a new to me percussion ML in .54 cal manufactured in the early 80's, and was kinda alarmed at the amount of, what I would now call "build up" in the barrel, that seemed to be old lube of some kind.
It would not be removed by cleaning in my usual hot water/dawn soap procedure.
It was clearly visible in the bore as light tan/brown colored streaks in the crevices of the inside corners of the riffling grooves.
So... I got aggressive with it, with some serious cleaner/degreaser chemicals and scrub brushes ect.
Took some effort but finally got it all out and just for good measure gave the bore a good scrub/polish with scotchbite pads and fine steel wool.
Doesn't seem to have hurt anything accuracy wise but I'm still in load development mode.
Now... I have been informed that there is no such thing as "seasoning" in a ML barrel.
And I would agree, I mean seasoning is what you do to meat before ya grill it, right?
But... I have this tube of Hornady lube from probably 25 plus years ago that says different...

For the low price of only $&&.&& you can buy this magic elixir that will season you muzzleloading barrel as smooth as Glass and improve your scores.

Stop and think for a moment what other steel product do you own made of steel that needs to be seasoned. Cast Iron yes but that isn't steel. It was all about seeing how many they could get to hand them some money. They used to have a name for them. Snake Oil Salesman.

 

[kelvinator]

Ya ya I get it guys, just thought it was kinda funny.
I don't know that this was the lube used in said ML back in the day, it's just some stuff I've had laying around for years and upon reading the label, got a good chuckle out of it.

 

[leadhoarder]

Keep the salt and hot sauce away from your rifle.

 

[azmntman]

Bore butter (at least used to) also state it was great for seasoning the bore. It is only used as a patch lube in this household and then only for a single rifle, a .36 CVA bobcat that will ONLY and mean ONLY shoot a group with bore butter saturating a ridculuosly thin patch. 15 years plus to find this rifles preferred and only load. Came real close to getting a trip to Hoyts for reboring to .375 so I could shoot my 1851 balls. May still do it, it would be very cool and still really be a .36?

 

[kelvinator]

Bore butter (at least used to) also state it was great for seasoning the bore. It is only used as a patch lube in this household and then only for a single rifle, a .36 CVA bobcat that will ONLY and mean ONLY shoot a group with bore butter saturating a ridculuosly thin patch. 15 years plus to find this rifles preferred and only load. Came real close to getting a trip to Hoyts for reboring to .375 so I could shoot my 1851 balls. May still do it, it would be very cool and still really be a .36?

That is interesting, to say the least.

 

[nchawkeye]

40-50 years ago, we never heard of "seasoning the bore"...We did know we could season our cast iron pans...When did we hear about "seasoning the bore"?? When companies came out with a new lube and that is how they advertised it...

 

[oldramrod]

Over the years I have bought several rifles that had
"seasoned" bores. I clean out the build up, polish or lap if needed, and resell the "fixed " rifle for $100 more than I paid for it. So far this year I have sold two one a T.C, Hawken and the other an Andressa Hawken. Cost to "fix" both rifles, six dollars for some longer lock screws Plus about six hours between the two, profit $244.00

 

[hawkeye2]

Why We Don't Season Barrels​

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/why-we-dont-season-barrels.61745/

 

[Dave Dworshak]

I like the shiny barrels.

 

[nhmoose]

Hornady Lied same as TC and Ox yoke. Steel does not season. The original owner of Green Mountain said to me at Ft Ty that they have to chisel the stuff out when the get a barrel on warranty back for bad accuracy.

 

[BS2366]

Seasoning metal is when it sits outside for a period of time to let molecular changes and stress relieve occur. Then it can be machined as seasoned metal.

 

[Eutycus]

You guys are gonna break some hearts, there is probably a handful of members who still believe that "seasoning" myth.

 

[springfield art]

Oven cleaner works well on greasy build-up.

 

[user 34300]

"I also cook".... Seasoning a cast iron pan is a different thing. The thinnest coat of oil is applied to the warmed pan. Tallow is excellent. The pan in then placed in a 450* oven of a couple of hours. The fat pyrolyzes creating a slick black coating. Repeat a couple of times. You have a non stick coating. Over the years burned on food does the same.

I'm not going to burn fat onto my rifle bore.

 

[Britsmoothy]

It is a know FACT that a 22 barrel shoots better from a fouled barrel than a spotlessly clean one.
When switching 22 ammo brands one is advised to shoot a box before assessing the new ammo.
22 barrels are steel!
Poop it all you like but I'll prefere my barrels coated in a non petroleum lube and it can stay there.
Admittedly I use boiling water to clean which lifts everything out but I've also been known to leave a fouled gun for weeks and no harm is done, why?
Because I've used a lube that has coated, protected or for some 'seasoned' the bore.
The other upshot is that it loads easier.
The other upshot is I don't have to worry to much about being in a rush to clean it after shooting.

The OP barrel was well preserved by the previous owners choice so it could therefore be argued there is nothing wrong with "build up", or what ever you want to call it.
The day I read of black powder rifles being used sans lube is the day I will join the ranks that scoff what some call seasoning.

 

[SwampBilly]

Just get you a strip of raw bacon and rub it up and down the bore. Lol

 

[Britsmoothy]

Just get you a strip of raw bacon and rub it up and down the bore. Lol

Bacon goes under the grill sunshine....