Smoothin out da smoothbore ummm..... bore !! :D

[IanH]

It’s nice and shiny! Is the bore consistent? I use adjustable reamers on bad bores.

I built a gun off of one of those barrels and it had a restriction about 4-5" up from the breech end that made it difficult to seat a patched ball. I ended up having to ream it out and polish the bore with a 9/16" x 320 grit dingleberry hone soldered into a steel rod.

Here's what the reamer pulled out on the first pass after being adjusted to a snug slide fit in the muzzle:

 

[wiscoaster]

You ever feel like , thinking about building a NW trade gun , holler at me . I can send ya a great building manual for free via email and I can help.ya find the most inexpensive parts for it ...

OK, it's a deal.

 

[Rob M.]

OK, it's a deal.

 

[WALT53]

I built a gun off of one of those barrels and it had a restriction about 4-5" up from the breech end that made it difficult to seat a patched ball. I ended up having to ream it out and polish the bore with a 9/16" x 320 grit dingleberry hone soldered into a steel rod.

Here's what the reamer pulled out on the first pass after being adjusted to a snug slide fit in the muzzle:

View attachment 264465

My 28 gauge from JB is pretty rough so when the weather cooperates I’m gonna give Rob’s technique a try see if I can get as good as he got slim.
I’ve noticed it takes a lot more patches to clean than it does for slim.(24gauge)Might not be till spring but well let you all know how it went.

 

[Rob M.]

My 28 gauge from JB is pretty rough so when the weather cooperates I’m gonna give Rob’s technique a try see if I can get as good as he got slim.
I’ve noticed it takes a lot more patches to clean than it does for slim.(24gauge)Might not be till spring but well let you all know how it went.

Hey bud ...did ya ever do this ? Polish out yer barrel bore ? Was wonderin if it helped ya out any , made a difference ....

 

[bpd303]

I made a hone years ago to smooth smoothbore's. In another thread I caught a lot of grief for using it to make a smoothbore out of a rifle. I use crankshaft paper and 3M Scotch brite pads to finish. The abrasives are held tight against the bore by a spring.

 

[WALT53]

Hey bud ...did ya ever do this ? Polish out yer barrel bore ? Was wonderin if it helped ya out any , made a difference ....

I haven’t found a dowel yet but sure plan on doing it in the spring as soon as weather permits as I don’t heat my little shop in the winter but we’ll let you know when it’s done .

 

[Rob M.]

I haven’t found a dowel yet but sure plan on doing it in the spring as soon as weather permits as I don’t heat my little shop in the winter but we’ll let you know when it’s done .

Oh ok bud , was just curious.

 

[MTplainsman]

This is a very useful tutorial, thanks! I am assuming that when choosing the proper size dowel, you want it nearly the diameter of the bore and just loose enough to allow for sand paper, wool etc. I would image that using a dowel too undersized for the bore may create a lot of wobble? Or does the dowel diameter really matter all that much for this process???

Also, wanted to add that since I have seen this reaming process work so well, I can now just clean my barrels annually!

 

[Rob M.]

This is a very useful tutorial, thanks! I am assuming that when choosing the proper size dowel, you want it nearly the diameter of the bore and just loose enough to allow for sand paper, wool etc. I would image that using a dowel too undersized for the bore may create a lot of wobble? Or does the dowel diameter really matter all that much for this process???

Also, wanted to add that since I have seen this reaming process work so well, I can now just clean my barrels annually!

Hey bud ...actually I just used a ramrod I had laying around the shop , it just happened to be a good size for the first run of wet / dry paper , just fits for the .58 barrels but even and undersized rod will work ... Sure making cleaning and loading a lot easier , slicker ...

 

[WALT53]

Hey bud ...actually I just used a ramrod I had laying around the shop , it just happened to be a good size for the first run of wet / dry paper , just fits for the .58 barrels but even and undersized rod will work ... Sure making cleaning and loading a lot easier , slicker ...

I found a store in town has 1/2” dowel 4’ long that should be perfect cause JC measures .560 kinda big for a 28 gauge plus I have the rest needed already.

 

[IanH]

The blue big box store has 4' dowels.

 

[WALT53]

The blue big box store has 4' dowels.

Yeah I’m in that foreign country called Canada and if we want any thing especially for guns we have to order from our neighbours in the USA.
Pretty sad I gotta say but it is what it is .

 

[bud in pa]

I looked up a wheel cylinder hone today. I saw them as cheap as $13 and they come with the stones.

Hey bud ...actually I just used a ramrod I had laying around the shop , it just happened to be a good size for the first run of wet / dry paper , just fits for the .58 barrels but even and undersized rod will work ... Sure making cleaning and loading a lot easier , slicker ...

 

[Rob M.]

I looked up a wheel cylinder hone today. I saw them as cheap as $13 and they come with the stones.

If thats what you want , need ....cool

 

[Rob M.]

Yeah I’m in that foreign country called Canada and if we want any thing especially for guns we have to order from our neighbours in the USA.
Pretty sad I gotta say but it is what it is .

What ?! Smuggling gun parts across international borders ?! Thats just wrong !! LMAO !!! Windchimes are just fine though , right Walt ?! Ya ole wind chime maker you ! LOL !! .... and antique " locks "

 

[Nor Cal Mikie]

I made a hone years ago to smooth smoothbore's. In another thread I caught a lot of grief for using it to make a smoothbore out of a rifle. I use crankshaft paper and 3M Scotch brite pads to finish. The abrasives are held tight against the bore by a spring.
View attachment 277797

Breach plug removed??? Going after a fired, not cleaned and put away rifled barrel that is otherwise JUNK. The lands are GONE from corrosion so nothing to loose at this point.
I might be able to bring it back to (usable as a smooth bore) condition. Got nothing but time so the cost won't be much.

 

[WALT53]

What ?! Smuggling gun parts across international borders ?! Thats just wrong !! LMAO !!! Windchimes are just fine though , right Walt ?! Ya ole wind chime maker you ! LOL !! .... and antique " locks "

 

[WALT53]

Well Rob I scrored today and only cost 4 bucks Canadian but it’s probably only pine I would say but baggers can’t be fussy .

 

[Rob M.]

Well Rob I scrored today and only cost 4 bucks Canadian but it’s probably only pine I would say but baggers can’t be fussy .

It'll work JUST fine bud ....