Bore Condition Opinions

[LME]

leading in a round ball barrel isn't possible if loaded properly THE LEAD NEVER TOUCHES THE BARREL!

Providing you don't tear a patch. If you tear a patch lead will most likely touch the barrel.

 

[Stevan]

There is a lot more fun fixing something for small money than, buying something for big money and having not contribute to the success.
Thanks, Steve .

 

[M. De Land]

I would brush it out good, and let evaporust sit in the bore for a few days, and check it again.

Pitted barrels are much harder to keep clean

I've discovered that with a good lap job to take off the rough edges that is pretty much a myth as they clean up pretty much the same as any other barrel. Hot soapy water dissolves black powder fouling very thoroughly pits or not and wiping between shots with a spit patch will maintain accuracy as long as patch integrity is not compromised.
I hate to see pits in barrel steel probably worse than most being gun school trained but after learning how to lead slug lap, getting a good borescope and plug gauge set I had to change a lot of gun school taught notions that did not turn out to be universally true lined up against actual experience. Truth is, if were honest about it, we never reach the end of things to be learned in this craft!

 

[Bad Karma]

I was thinking about buying it so I can’t shoot it. It’s a pawn shop find.

I once bought a Renegade that was easily that bad plus the set triggers were so far out of adjustment that they wouldn’t set. This was 20 years ago and I gave the fellas at Gold Ring Pawn 70 bucks for the rifle. Took it home, cleaned it and ran twenty or thirty fire lap bullets through the bore. (That was a huge pain since you have to clean to bare steel every round.)It worked though, the gun shoots 54 caliber Great Plains bullets like a house afire. Gave it to a friend and it’s been his primary elk rifle ever since.
So yeah, if the price is right, you won’t get hurt buying a rifle like that one.

 

[Bad Karma]

I've discovered that with a good lap job to take off the rough edges that is pretty much a myth as they clean up pretty much the same as any other barrel. Hot soapy water dissolves black powder fouling very thoroughly pits or not and wiping between shots with a spit patch will maintain accuracy as long as patch integrity is not compromised.
I hate to see pits in barrel steel probably worse than most being gun school trained but after learning how to lead slug lap, getting a good borescope and plug gauge set I had to change a lot of gun school taught notions that did not turn out to be universally true lined up against actual experience. Truth is, if were honest about it, we never reach the end of things to be learned in this craft!

Are you a Trinidad graduate by chance?

 

[Sam squanch]

If you can get it cheap, it would be an educational project, and may shoot well. If he won’t drop the price, walk.

 

[Banjoman]

A couple of years ago, a friend of mine brought me a rusty Thompson Center White Mountain carbine and asked if I could clean it up and get it shooting for him. He only paid $20 for the rifle. The stock was good. The lock and nipple only had a little rust. However, the bore was so rusty that when you turned it down and shook it, rust flakes would fall out!

After about two weeks of scrubbing and elbow grease I managed to turn it back into a useable rifle. It would easily shoot four inch groups at fifty yards. I offered him ten times what he paid for it, but he just won’t sell.

 

[M. De Land]

Are you a Trinidad graduate by chance?

Nope, North American School of Firearms correspondence school and certificate.
I already had machine, wood , sheet metal, welding ,soldering shop and mechanical drawing under my belt from high school and farm repair work but needed the technical side of general gunsmith training and testing.
I would recommend the school for anyone needing the technical side of general gunsmith training.
Trinidad is a great course if one is green to machine, metal, welding and wood work !
I have a great old friend that has now passed who was one of their graduates and did fine work on black powder cartridge rifles.
I have always been pretty much interested in anything that goes bang right up through bowling ball mortars !