Bore Sealing

[bacarper]

It must be Sunday again, because here I am elbow deep in gun parts and looking for some help. I have a few other threads/questions going, but I've found it's easier to ask a new question per thread, rather than one thread with a laundry list of questions (hope this doesn't break any forum rules, but let me know if it does and I can make changes accordingly.)

Hopefully this is a pretty simple one: What's the best way to seal a barrel bore (a CVA Kentucky in this case) for rust bluing with LMF? My current plan is to use a rubber stopper/cork in the bore and a screw in the drum but I'm not sure this will be water tight since it will be submerged for the rust bluing. I'm having a hard time imagining the threads in the drum will seal without any kind of plumbers tape or the rubber stopper will be able to fill up the gaps made by the rifling.

I've seen a few folks here that use a car wax in the barrel, and if that works well, I would appreciate some recommendations on process and product.

Any and all help is appreciate, thanks!

 

[necchi]

Why do you have to seal it?
Your just going to submerge in boiling water right?
We clean the barrels with water,, there's no harmful chemicals in the water

 

[user 48679]

+1

Any finish that gets in the bore will miraculously disappear after a few shots, anyway.

 

[bacarper]

Why do you have to seal it?
Your just going to submerge in boiling water right?
We clean the barrels with water,, there's no harmful chemicals in the water

Thanks for getting back to me! I guess my thinking is anything I can do to make life easier down the road. Wouldn't the LMF/rust mix with the water when submerged and end up rusting the barrel?

 

[waksupi]

I never plug a bore for bluing. You should only allow a light coat of oxidation before boil out and carding, not a mass of rust like some do. That is unless you want a rough finish. I don't boil my barrels, I use a steam method that is much simpler, and doesn't require distilled water.

 

[jsb30]

I put a lot of regular grease in bore and plug with wooden plugs

 

[bacarper]

I ran across this forum today and saw some using play doh to good effect.
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/how-to-rust-blue.10797/
I think I'm going to end up giving that a shot. Something just doesn't sit right with not plugging the bore for me.

 

[Sidney Smith]

I've used dowel sticks wrapped with masking tape, just enough to wedge the dowel in the bore. Then a toothpick inserted into the flash hole.

 

[Scota@4570]

If you plug the bore then submerge in in hot water the plug can blow out spattering hot water all over. If you have a bunch of grease in the bore the water and tank are then contaminated.

 

[stikshooter]

I never plug a bore for bluing. You should only allow a light coat of oxidation before boil out and carding, not a mass of rust like some do. That is unless you want a rough finish. I don't boil my barrels, I use a steam method that is much simpler, and doesn't require distilled water.

2nd what he said!/Ed

 

[stikshooter]

I ran across this forum today and saw some using play doh to good effect.
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/how-to-rust-blue.10797/
I think I'm going to end up giving that a shot. Something just doesn't sit right with not plugging the bore for me.

Yup inexperience!/Ed

 

[ZUG]

The first barrel I did with rust blue I plugged the barrel with wood plugs, and one blew out and the water got inside. After I was finished, I found that there was no ill effect to the inside of the bore. I now do not plug the bore when I do a rust blue job. Just don't slop the rust blue solution in the bore.

 

[necchi]

Wouldn't the LMF/rust mix with the water when submerged and end up rusting the barrel?

Nah, not enough to cause any measurable concern. The very instant the browned barrel is placed in the boiling water, any remaining solution will dilute so far as to be ineffective/unable to cause oxidation to any untreated metal (rust = oxidation).
Also, it took days for your rust to form to an even finish, the few moments of the rust/blue dipping process isn't enough time for more rust to start affecting anything.
As already pointed out, any oil/grease present could easily transfer to the surface your trying to blue leaving an un-even result to the finish.
It's all about a basic chemical re-action and change of the surface iron oxide.
This from Wiki explains it well;

,,then immerse the parts in boiling water to convert the red oxide Fe2O3 to black oxide Fe3O4, which forms a more protective, stable coating than the red oxide; the boiling water also removes any remaining residue from the applied acid solution. The loose oxide was then carded (scrubbed) off,,,
This process was repeated until the desired depth of color was achieved or the metal simply did not color further.

Just be prepared to dry and oil the barrel inside and out right after you get the results you want.
What we call "flash-rust" could happen, but that's a separate issue caused by temp swings and moisture available in the air that folks deal with while cleaning a gun in everyday situations,(a different topic)

 

[Woody Morgan]

Why do you have to seal it?
Your just going to submerge in boiling water right?
We clean the barrels with water,, there's no harmful chemicals in the water

Unless you live in Flint.

wm

 

[Nobade]

Unless you live in Flint.

wm

Then you boil it off to make bullets out of.