Trying to save a pistol that has been neglected.

[yarrum]

I have a Traditions Trapper pistol that has been in my basement for sixteen years. I pulled it out recently for two reasons: 1) I have regained my interest in muzzleloaders and 2) I am looking for a winter project.

It had been browned and stained. However both were done poorly- I did it when I was a teenager. I have since sanded it all down the best I can. My questions are:

1) It had rusted pretty good and there is some pitting. Any pointers on Browning it?

2) How do I clean up the brass?

3) There is some rust inside the bore. How do I clean it? Brass brush on rod in a drill?


I realize that this thing will have flaws when I am done but I want to be able to shoot it and it will be good practice for the next project. Any pointers or helpful hints would be greatly appreciated.

 

[RADeO]

Yarrum, welcome to the forum and welcome back to the Dark Side. :grin:

Regarding your questions, I can't give any advice on #1, but one answer to #2 is Brasso polish. Scrub all the brass furniture with it, then buff with a clean, soft cloth. For question #3, I recommend wrapping a bit of 0000 steel wool (or green Scotchbrite pad) around a bore brush, dipping it in kerosene, and giving the barrel a good scrubbing by hand. If you don't have kerosene you can substitute any good penetrating oil. Just give the bore 20 or 30 full strokes, dry out with patches, and inspect your work. Repeat as needed, changing the scrubbing media as necessary, until you are satisfied with the result. You should be able to clean it up pretty quickly if the rust isn't real bad.

Good luck, and let us know how it works out. :hatsoff:

 

[gordy]

I've used other methods to do browning , but the easyist and least time consuming by far is Birtchwood casey's Plum brown. where it says to heat the metal to 275degrees just set your oven on 280 and put the parts to be browned in the oven and they will be held at the right yempeture for as long as you need to. Also IU find it best to use scrapers to do octagon barrels in order to keep the corners sharp , no matter how carefull you use sandpaper the corneers will be damaged.
When doing the bore I would NOT use a rotating motion. or you will take the edges off the rifling.. Good luck and post before and after photos if possible.

 

[Birddog6]

If the bore is pitted, it is pitted, end of story. It will still shoot, but not be pretty. I wouldn't even waste my time trying to lap the pits out. Scrub it out good with some Shooters Choice & a bore brush, then some scotchbright, rinse, oil, go on.

I know of a guy that one time lapped on a rusty bore for 2 hrs a day for 3 weeks. I went over there 3 weeks into it & he says "Well, what ya think ?" I looked at it thru the light & said "I think when ya started you had about 5000 pits. Now, 3 weeks later you have 4750 pits & rounded rifling....... When you get all of this rifling worn down to nothing, you will have a smoothbore with pits where the grooves were & you start all over again & it will take 3 times as long, as you will be lapping all of the bore now..........". That ended the rusty bore lapping saga & we went shooting... :thumbsup:


As for browning, I like Wahkon Bay TruBrown, I use the 24 hr method & brown them in a steamy bathroom, card with a Dixcel wheel from Brownells. You can do this in 24 hrs & have a beaut of a browning job that is very wear resistant.

Caution: ... When browning a barrel in a hot steamy bathroom, Not putting down plastic on yer wife's counter top could have a devastating effect on yer home life ! :slap: :thumbsup: