rusty barrel

[flintboomer]

A friend asked me to help get the cleaning rod out that was stuck in his barrel.
I knew that this could be anything from a minor inconvenience to a major problem but I took the gun and tried several ways to pull it with no success, then finally took it to the range and fired it out.
My plan was to use some 4f under the nipple and get the rod to move enough that I could pull it the rest of the way and not lose the jag but the for first couple of tries nothing moved.
The next try was to get enough in there to fire it completely out and I should have pulled the rod but I didn't. Nothing bad happened because there was no way to get enough powder in to do more than just shoot it out and that is what happened, but the bore is so rusty from lack of cleaning that I have spent about 3 hours scrubbing and have only gotten it up to ROUGH.

Anyone who shoots black powder needs to remember to clean their gun and if your wife throws out your cleaning supplies either buy more or use water and then oil the bore with cooking oil.

Note: If you use cooking oil store the rifle with the barrel pointed DOWN.

[R I Jerolmon]

I recently worked on a "Pawn Shop" found cap lock with the typical barrel. I sealed the nipple hole and filled the bore with vinegar and left it over night. I used a steel wool wrapped bore brush the next day and was amazed at the results. Two applications later I've got a decent looking bore with some pits at the chamber. With the application of oil "It shines".

[Hanshi]

Yes, often these neglected bores can be cleaned up enough to shoot, sometimes very accurately.  The really bad ones can be "smooth bored" or re-rifled to a larger caliber.  It all depends on the thickness of the barrel.  I had one used ML in .50 that had a great bore despite its age.  It was accurate and killed quite a few deer in my hands.  The tiny amount of work it needed to function was accomplished rather quickly.  I no longer have the barrel but a friend has it and it's still ticking.

[Hawken50]

I reclaimed an old Jukar Ky barrel that was much the same, After getting the load out that had been there for 5 years it was pretty bad...I used Evapo Rust, Its all natural. Plugged the nipp;e hole ,poured it full of the Evapo Rust plugged the barrel and let her sit for a few days, Poured out the solution and cleaned it like normal....It now loads easily and is quite accurate

[flintboomer]

I did get it to clean up with some pitting. A person should never have to resort to coarse steel wool WD 40 and elbow grease, but I did and then finished with Tri Flow and steel wool. It now shines but has a few pits. I will return it to the owner soon.

[beowulf]

I did get it to clean up with some pitting. A person should never have to resort to coarse steel wool WD 40 and elbow grease, but I did and then finished with Tri Flow and steel wool. It now shines but has a few pits. I will return it to the owner soon.

hope you plan on a lecture about maintenance of muzzleloaders when you return it !

[Watauga]

I did get it to clean up with some pitting. A person should never have to resort to coarse steel wool WD 40 and elbow grease, but I did and then finished with Tri Flow and steel wool. It now shines but has a few pits. I will return it to the owner soon.

hope you plan on a lecture about maintenance of muzzleloaders when you return it !

beowulf is Exactly right on the cleaning Lessons!!   
flintboomer  You did a fine thing for a friend,..So,..Now you can convert him over to the Dark Side! 

[flintboomer]

His wife had thrown out his cleaning gear and he definitely got lazy too.
I will definitely remind him of the basic rules of black powder.

[William]

I did get it to clean up with some pitting. A person should never have to resort to coarse steel wool WD 40 and elbow grease, but I did and then finished with Tri Flow and steel wool. It now shines but has a few pits. I will return it to the owner soon.

hope you plan on a lecture about maintenance of muzzleloaders when you return it !

beowulf is Exactly right on the cleaning Lessons!!   
flintboomer  You did a fine thing for a friend,..So,..Now you can convert him over to the Dark Side! 

A good friend indeed!

[Hanshi]

Hawken50, vinegar is also pretty darn natural. 

[DandJofAZ]

Hawken50, vinegar is also pretty darn natural. 

l
Vinegar cleans up old knives and old guns too rusty to be used else wise. 

[beowulf]

Hawken50, vinegar is also pretty darn natural. 

l
Vinegar cleans up old knives and old guns too rusty to be used else wise.

I`ve found old percussion locks in antique shops and flea markets that I restored to working order with an oner night soaking in vinegar ,and a good scrubbing with hot water and 0000 steel wool ! fixed one lock found in the wooods on what was left of an old fowler !

[flintboomer]

The reality is that the owner knew better and had shot with me for a couple of years, but had remarried and gotten distracted by other things plus the fact that his wife had thrown out his cleaning gear. I don't know if he will keep shooting the black stuff or not but that part is between them. If he is done shooting muzzleloaders I need to get the Pedersoli back that I sold him. It should still be ok since he stopped shooting competition about the time he got married and this was a TC Renegade that he was hunting with and then neglected.

[DandJofAZ]

He might have to learn that some wives don't like ML's cleaned in kitchen sink and dinning table.   

[hotfxr]

He might have to learn that some wives don't like ML's cleaned in kitchen sink and dinning table.   

And for some reason my wife doesn't like to find rifle barrels soaking in the bathtub when she wants to have a relaxing bubble bath. Go figure.