Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders rusty barrel

I have a CVA Hawken that was given to me, but upon checking the bore I found that the "valleys" of the rifling are pretty rusty. Cleaned it and when I dry it out the patches always come out brown. Guess this is the reason for the "freebie". Does anyone know of any solvent to soak the bore in to remove this? Or any other tips? I have'nt had this problem with my rifles and don't really know where to start. Guess it just wasn't cleaned right. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

You might try some JB Borepaste. Run a few patches down until it comes clean and the keep scrubbing. Guess I'd then oil the barrel well as otherwise it'll just continue to rust. I've been told too that Breakfree is a good lubricant to keep the rust from reforming once its been scrubbed clean.

Here is what I do. I wrap a bore brush with oooo steel wool, soak it with auto tranny fluid, and go to work on the bore. This will clean very fast, so you need another rod with a cleaning jag on it to clean the residue out of the barrel between brushings. I do about 20-25 strokes with the bore brush/steel wool, and then patch the residue out and repeat. This should work, as it has always worked for me.

bukfevr,
From your post I couldn't tell if you are already a BP shooter.
If not, you do not clean a ML w/Hoppes or Shooters Choice. Clean with soapy water or a Black Powder solution like Thompsons #13. If it is a steel barrel, not stainless, you almost always will get a little surface rust when drying. After drying, preserve your barrel with Bore Butter, Break Free or a gun oil.
Shoot Safe
Mule

Mule, I have been shooting BP for about 17 years now. Don't know where you got the idea I clean with Hoppe's or Shooter's Choice. I have always cleaned my other BP rifles with the hot, soapy water method. That is until I talked with Fredj and he suggested easier ways. I haven't tried Fredj's method yet, but I am going to the next time I shoot. The rust in this barrel is not the kind that pops up because the barrel was wet. This is rust from the barrel not being cleaned as it should have been. Maybe its seen its better days, but I'm gonna try to save it. Just wish previous owner would have cleaned it better. I have never had this problem with my rifles as I always clean them even if I only shoot them once. I am looking for a way to get rid of rust from cleaning neglect, not surface rust.

Check out this thread, as the pros discuss your problem
http://talk.shooters.com/room_13/5103.cfm
go to the thread about "red patches equals rust?" They don't really address your problem till the last several posts, kerosene and JB Probst etc. I have the same problem and I am going to try these tricks, kerosene, steel wool and trans fluid, and JB Probst

Thanks Simonkenton, I just checked the forums in Shooters last night and saw the post you're talking about. I'm going to try some of those tips too. Thanks for the reply! By the way, I think I'll try Maxiball's tip with the kerosene and then the JB. Sure hope it works.

Simon-If the previous owner was shooting real Black powder and it was high quality stuff ie. Elephant or the Swiss you're probably in pretty good shape as
those are mildly corrosive, and the rust is likely just surface flake type if they were Pyrodex shooters you're likely to find the bore pitted to one degree or another, GOEX depending on the batch is kind of intermediate as they allegedly use or used saltpeter Kn03 derived from fertilizer which contains
more corrosive impurities NaN03 etc, and where ever that rifle lived if it's
from a dry place that helps a great deal, if it's a humid place that's bad news.
I loaned a friend my .36 cal Navy Colt which was a very old Uberti replica and really beautiful he returned it in a plastic bag covered in rust, I re-blued it, but it was never the same. I've ressurected several rusty bores and I've usually been pretty lucky even with some ancient rifles. Some times it's a pain as it's a lot of ropin and strokin, on one original Springfield probably not cleaned since the Civil War I did the steel wool auto trans fluid then the JB thing and even shot patched roundballs lubed with clover diamond paste and it came out beautiful. Regards fredj

Bukfevr- There are some knowledgable guys on these forums, it is good to be able to access this info. One sophisticated tip is, if your barrel is damaged [pitted] don't shoot Pyrodex. And be sure to protect it with LPS 2. Before I got on these forums 2 months ago I didn't know Pyrodex was more corrosive than BP. I was hunting in central Ga., I didn't know any other BP guys, except one guy who had to borrow my rifle cause he didn't have one. You aren't going to read this info in a Pyrodex ad.

Fredj, I have some bad news regarding your last post on this topic. That is the bad news is for me. The rifle that I have been writing about, has in fact only been shot with Pyrodex according to previous owner. That last post makes me think that I may have some bad pitting. I'm gonna try the kerosene and the tranny fluid thing and see what the bore looks like after that. Then JB and try it out for accuracy. All I can do is hope for the best, I guess. As always, thanks for the advice.

SimonKenton-All is not necessarily lost, if you're bore is pitted and it's not too far gone you can try fire lapping, you use clover diamond paste it's what barrel makers use for lapping it's avail. at auto supply places refered to as
valve grinding paste get about 3 sizes 220 400 800 or 1200 roll dead soft lead slugs in the stuff between a couple of plates of glass or steel use light loads start with the 220 shoot several clean between every shot as soon as the pits appear to be gone shoot a few 400's then the 800's to smooth things out if the pitting is uniformly deep and from breech to muzzle it may or may not work if it's not too bad near the muzzle this should do it, keep in mind you're going to have a bit of a choke after this which could well improve your accuracy but you are opening things up in there so you're going to need to perhaps use a thicker patch or bigger ball ie go from .530 to .535 for a .54. clean between every shot after you're done clean real good use some JB

you only need do this proceedure if it's pitted. the Diamond clover runs about $10.00 a can. this also works nicely for opening up the forcing cone on revolvers that lead up badly, I'd keep it out of cartridge rifles as it'll really open up the chamber unless thats what you want. I'd definately get a down the bore light so you can see what you're doing and don't over do it. Regards fredj

Well, Simonkenton, I was the same as you. Had no idea Pyrodex was more corrosive than BP until I got on Shooters and here. I used to shoot Pyro but always cleaned my guns the day they were shot. Maybe that helped? I do know that this gun I am talking about was left loaded with Pyro from the end of one season to the next on probably more than one occasion. It belonged to a family member who never shot BP before he got it. He has since given up BP saying it is too much hassle. The barrel is soaking full of kerosene as we speak. I will leave it a couple of days and then check it out and see what I've got. By the way, you close to McDonough down there in GA?

Fredj,

I have kerosene in my barrel now. I'll pour it out in a couple of days and scrub it out and see what it looks like with a bore light. I think my uncle's got one I can borrow. If its pitted after I get the rust out, I will go back to your post and try the fire lapping. Never done that before, so I'll have to follow the steps you outlined. Do you use patches when you do this?
Also, what kind of lead do I use, round ball or what? I probably sound dumb here, but I'm totally in the dark here about this. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> Thanks for your help.

You use slugs not RB's as you need more surface area than a ball and
you embed the compound into the slug rolling it as I described, do you think
the sitting saturated in the kerosene for days is needed ? I'd think 12 hours or so would be enough then start scrubbing it out, I've never done the kerosene soak thing mind you, just thinking about it.
also you don't want to go to the trouble and expense of fire lapping unless it is pitted, and then only if it's not to awful bad, replacing the barrel with a Grn. Mtn. would probably be a big improvement over the barrel even if it was new in most mass produced rifles fredj

bukfevr,
Didn't mean to offend. I have seen several guns ruined by new owners that did not understand the cleaning process.

Good Luck with your project.
Mule

No problem Mule! I'm not a newbie to BP, just a newbie to rusty barrels. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> I think you hit the nail on the head when you said new owners ruin barrels when they don't understand the cleaning process. That's what happened with this one. I hope with help from the guys on here to salvage it. Have a good day, Mule!

Fredj,

Well, I never heard of the kerosene thing until I read Maxiball's post on Shooters a couple of days ago. Thought I would try it to see what happens. The barrel has been soaking for about 15 hours now, so I'll try to scrub it out today. I'll post back to let you know how it went. Just got home from morning BP hunt. This is last day until next year, so may try again this evening. Still have one antlerless tag. Thanks for the help, Fredj! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

TO ALL,
Kerosene or deisel even works on rusty tools also rusted parts ontools just put them in a barrel or trough and cover with kerosene and soak.
Rusted bolts or stuck parts keep a saturated rag on it and keep it moist with kerosene.
SO IMHO it should work on interior of a rusted barrel
zark

bukfevr- I am about 60 miles from McDonough. It is very odd to learn that Pyrodex is more corrosive than BP. I bought one can of Pyro, the store was out of BP so I figured I would give it a try. It worked ok, but I always used BP for hunting, since it was known to give better ignition. Sometimes I would shoot the Pyro at the range just for the hell of it. Now, learning that it is more corrosive than BP, why would anyone mess with it in the first place?

Simonkenton,

I came down to McDonough once to the railroad training school. That's why I asked how close you were. People were really nice there, from what I saw. Yeah, you're right, my days of shooting Pyrodex are over after reading that post. Trying to keep rust away and then shoot the most corrosive powder out there, not smart is it? I changed over to Clean Shot about 3 years ago. Love the easy cleanup. I always shot pyro before that. Always cleaned my guns and all are good shape today, except for the one I was given. It could have never got in that shape if I had been cleaned right. I hate to say this on here, but I have never shot real BP. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> I'll get a hard time over that. Might be missing out on the best propellant??? I think I'll give some a try in the near future though. Many good things on here about it. Been shooting about 17 years and never tried it, about time ain't it! Have a good one, Simon.