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T/C Senneca .36

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nit wit

.69 Cal.
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Passing through Pa Friday stopped in Krumsville at Deitrech Meat market and got 5lbs of bacon and a smoked bologna. Dixon's is 5 miles away in Kempton. I was on a mission to pick up a range rod for a friend. I also found a rare Senneca in .36.It looked great, I grabbed it. I was told the barrel was bad. When you see one you better buy it! He came down a little but I still paid the long dollar.Saturday I spent a lot of time on it. it was pooched hard. After a lot of time I looked at it and it was still ugly. I was hopeful that I could at leat be able to shoot maxi's. I filled the barrel with coca cola and let her set for 24 hours. I rinsed the barrel out and ran a patch down and then a brush. WD-40 and a few patches later and I am hopeful that she may shoot round balls again. The next treatment will be a vinegar soak.
Nit Wit
 
For extreme cases I have had good luck with a lead lapping slug and valve grinding compound, followed by another lead slug and buffing compound.Remember to use both a throw away rod and a bore guide. The compounds will embed into the rod!
 
Good thing on the TC Seneca and Cherokee is that they all have the 13/16ths barrel and can be re-bored up to 45 caliber. I am looking for a good 45 barrel to finish off a 3 barrel set for one of my Senecas. That Gun in 45 would make an awfully handy Deer Gun.
 
I would have that puppy heading to Bobby Hoyt by noon tomorrow, he can freshen it, or make it a .40 cal.
I just sold my Seneca with the .36 orig barrel Bob Hoyt rebores to .40 with a 1:37 twist. I only shot sized 10mm pistol bullets out of it with T7 charges & .060 veggie wads. Cool little smokepole.
 
I have used the lapping method before using valve grinding compound, I've also used a steel wool wound on a rod then covered in valve grinding compound. A few strokes does a decent job. I have always made sure to do complete strokes down and back out. Then a good rinse. Just depends on how bad, bad is.
 
It was real bad. The coke helped, vinegar soak at this time. The value is in the original barrel. They will never be made again.
Nit Wit
 
It was real bad. The coke helped, vinegar soak at this time. The value is in the original barrel. They will never be made again.
Nit Wit
EvapoRust does a could job, but only removes the rust. Pits will remain. And with any of these concoctions, if they remove rust, they will remove bluing.

If the bore is really trashed, consider a re-lining. Could still be a 36 caliber. Shouldn’t cost more than $200. Still less than a new barrel.
 
I won't be taking it to Friendship but I will use it at the Ancient Ones Geezer shoot this Friday. I may slug the bore down the road. I fire lapped it today, way better than it was! 25 yards off hand, the last shot was the best.
Nit Wit
Nit Wit
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Not bad for off hand I would say there is still some life left in that barrel. I like my 36 Seneca but it doesn't get shot because I own a 32 Seneca and a 32 and 36 Cherokee. 32 Cal are my favorite guns so I shoot them 95% of the time. I would imagine if you were shooting yours off of a bench that group would be pretty tight.
 
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