Rusty bore

reindeer

I inherited a Model 1861 from a friend but it has a rusty bore. It is not a problem but for the fact that it makes clean-up between rounds difficult. The rust grabs the cleaning patches and makes it difficult to swab without the whole thing catching and it taking two of us to get it out. I recently used my worm to scrape it with stainless steel wool. I think that did some good but is there a better way? Thanks,

Odawgp

evaporust or navel jelly.

(I would) cork the barrel and fill it with one of those two products let it sit for a while the evaporust will eat away the rust in about 5-10 minutes
navel jelly is cheaper a bit messy but will do the same thing. then using a wire cleaning brush with the same product scrub the chit out of it. rinse the barrel out with evaporust or denatured alcohol (if using jelly) the rust should be gone the pits that it leaves behind unfortunatly will not and they may grab the patches but the ruff scaly rust will be gone.

allen griggs

I would try the above procedures, and then get some simichrome, or else, go to the auto parts store and get the finest valve lapping compound.
Get a cleaning jag, put a patch on it, and put the simichrome or valve lapping compound on it.
Go up and down the bore with it, try for 50 strokes. That will be one nasty patch!
Change to a new patch, and do another 50 strokes.
I would give it 200 strokes in all.

Sounds like this barrel is in pretty bad shape. Hard to see that you are going to get real good accuracy.
I assume you are describing a cap and ball pistol.
If so, and it is beyond repair you can get a new barrel from these guys.

http://www.vtigunparts.com/

reindeer

Thanks for all of the suggestions. It is a rifle. The rust is near to the bottom of the chamber. The rifle is not a target rifle but I can put it in the black at 100 yds offhand on a good day. The problem I have is that I have not been able to find a set of rods and brushes that are correctly matched or the brushes pull out of their threaded base leaving the brush way down deep in the barrel. Last time out with my shooting pal and b/p guru (an NSSA skirmisher) it took almost one hour to pull out a patch and jag out. An hour is a terrible thing to waste on a shooting range. I will naval jelly the rust and then JB bore paste and Kroil oil the pits. Thanks, reindeer

firstharmonic

Is your '61 (Springfield maybe?)an original or a modern-made rifle-musket?

reindeer

It is an Armi d'Sport, a modern rifle. I have an original (Parker Snow) but would not put that through the glop and slop of use and cleaning that I cannot seem to avoid. This is not a target rifle and, while I am not a regular rifle or b/p competitor, I do shoot occasionally in competitions and always shoot off-hand whenever. This gun can be coaxed into grouping off-hand as is done in NSSA competition. Off-hand seems to be the best way to measure who is having the best day at the end of the shooting session. At the end of every range visit, my shooting bud and I have the Best of the Universe contest. If you can shoot off-hand, then you have the title. 'Til the next visit. Reindeer

Talented

I think the cops soak old rusty guns in high quality gunoil for months to soften up the rust.

andersk

I agree, shooting off-hand is the way to separate the men from the boys, but if the muzzle loader is not shooting consistantly, even a perfect shooter cannot do much other than be lucky now and then!

I have a used Hawken that is cleaning up nicely but the bore was terrible when I got it. I have not tried the more exotic chemicals that are being suggested, but that might have saved me a lot of time and messing around. But then, I guess, messing around is what shooting muzzle loaders is all about! [^]

reindeer

Andersk, what did you use to clean up the bore? Thanks, Reindeer

oldgunner

Ya just separated me into the "boy" category guys..Sure when I was 30 with nerves of iron, I wudda agreed with you on the off hand shooting. But now at 69, I find that every dern thing I have shakes in one direction or another, sometimes five directions at the same time. I don't do much "off hand" anymore, but I'm not going to quit just yet. I'll just be a "boy."

andersk

I've been trying a BP solvent made by a friend (who is not telling what is in it) Hoppes powder solvent, hoppes oil, and a LOT of brushing and rags and some shooting and do it all over again!

reindeer

Come on Pops, offhand. Shoot offhand. Shake all you want, accept the wobble and let 'er rip with a smooth trigger pull. Ahh, that is where it's at. Reindeer.

Sky Soldier

quote:Originally posted by reindeer
Come on Pops, offhand. Shoot offhand. Shake all you want, accept the wobble and let 'er rip with a smooth trigger pull. Ahh, that is where it's at. Reindeer.


YOUTH IS WASTED ON THE YOUNG

oldgunner

Reindeer..[:D][:D]