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cleaning BP rifles rusty bores.

Okie743Okie743 Member Posts: 2,580 ✭✭✭✭
Taken from the experts section

perry shooter wrote:
this is the time to get a product that is named KROIL you need to wet the inside of the barrel from one end to the other pug one end and fill barrel with kroil and let stand for at least 24 hours 48 is better than remove the kroil use brass bore brush do not turn go in and out only then use patch until mostly clean then use some JB bore CLEANER clean until patches slide in & out smoothly do not turn brush or patches go in & out ONLY.

First is Patience: Do some cleaning little bit at a time, don't try to get it all in one day.
I've bought BP guns that bore was in bad rusted shape and used the above method using Kroil plus use a bore brush of correct caliber and wrap the bore brush with steel wool and another bore brush wrapped with a cloth swab so as you can remove the rust that the steel wool brush loosens.
I have at times started out with boiling water and a steel wool wrapped bore brush to kinda speed up the process. Immediately after drying start using kroil or it will rust worse overnight.
You did not say is it's a inline or old style rifle.
If it's a inline remove the barrel and breech plug and clean from the bolt breech end. You can use a jag and swab to draw hot water into the barrel.

If a old style non removable breech plug you might consider using a brass bore guide so as the rod is not rubbing on the muzzle end of the barrel.
What is nice about using the proper caliber bore brushes wrapped with steel wool and a cloth swab is they won't get severely stuck at the bottom of the bore when cleaning, like a jag and dry swab will sometime do. If you ever get a dry swab hung in a old style muzzleloader don't panic and pull the end off you ramrod just pour a liquid down the barrel, let it set for little while to wet the patch and then it will slip out. (I've seen guys even shoot out a ramrod and afterwards I would show them this trick. (they listen to advice better after they have runined their ramrod and jag)

You also need to get a good drop in bore brush (from flea bay) if a old style gun to see your progress. You can sometimes find a pack of bore brushes on flea bay at reduced $'s.

It may take a week or more doing just a little bit each day. (don't try to get er done in one or 2 days)
Afterwards store the bore using kroil. (and re-check in about 1 month with a white cloth swab around the bore brush. The bore butter will still allow the bore to rust.

The (flea bay) Frontier type steel wool bore cleaner wrapped around a bore brush and soaked in Kroil will reduce the rust removal process. Medium and fine steel wool and kroil will also work.

I've seen some severe rusted and pitted bores that I've cleaned using this slow process and they would shoot a excellent 100 yard group afterwards using the proper BP lead.

Always after shooting a black powder gun and you think you have the bore clean and oiled, go back within not over a week and re-check the bore with a white swab on a bore brush and you will find it's rusting again already. The second good cleaning and oiling the bore of a black powder gun is the main one for storing for longer period of time to reduce return rusting.

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