What Would You Do?

[N.Y. Yankee]

So, after a borescope inspection, the rusty Pedersoli Rocky Mountain Hawken barrel was not nearly as bad as I had thought. The muzzle can be cleaned up with a Scotch Brite and/or a bronze brush, the rifling will need a brush and some elbow grease. The breech area is ok, probably a couple different brushes will do it. I'm thinking of plugging the nipple and pouring in a cup of liquid rust remover. The kind that comes in a gallon jug and you soak the parts in it. Would that hurt the metal inside the bore? Id soak it then get on the brushes. Its mostly light surface rust that I can tell but the face of the patent breech has some rust on it that will need to be addressed.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

So IF you're talking Evaporust, you can simply plug the nipple hole, and fill the barrel, and let it sit for 12-24 hours, then drain the Evaporust and rinse, and you are fine.
LD

 

[SDSmlf]

Just keep the EvapoRust off of any blued or rust brown surfaces. It will quickly remove bluing and rust browning just as it removes rust.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I would remove the nipple to get a threaded plug for the nipple seat. The threads are probably 1/4-28. It's too hard to get a good seal by plugging the nipple. Obviously remove the barrel as all that's required is pull the wedges and the ramrod, then lift the barrel from the stock.

 

[Stantheman86]

I'd just scrub it good with a brass brush and put some Round Balls through it to blow any rust out. Then thoroughly clean

If the rifle shoots well then you're good to go.

If the pitting is bad enough to shred patches or ruin accuracy , I'm sure some members here have a list of muzzleloading gunsmiths that could "freshen up" the bore to .56 or .58

 

[bluemule66]

I just saved a TC Hawken barrel. it hadn't been cleaned for a few years after the previous owner shot it. I used a brush on it till I could use a patch and jag. once it was cleaned of fowling and loose rust I used steel wool on an old brush to clean out as much rust as I could. it shot just ok. I finally ordered some evapo-rust. I soaked it over night, rinsed with water and took a scotch pad on an under sized jag to it. It slicked up nice. I took it out a week ago with 2 kinds of powder and 3 projectiles. Round balls shot good, the only problem I had was me with the TC sights(I hate them). Shot some of the TC cheep lead bullets in the black unmentionable holders, they shot good. Ran out of Goex, and switched to some Goex BP substitute powder and it shot just as good or better. The last bullets I tried were the CVA bullets that come dressed in a skirt, Same point of impact as a round ball at 76yds. It cleans up as easy as a new barrel now. I am now very happy with my rusted out, used up TC Hawken! Oh by the way, I paid $170 for it at a gun show, then she said don't forget to take the shooting bag and powder horn with it!

 

[N.Y. Yankee]

I had a small rubber "cork" stopper. I screwed it into the nipple threads and poured a cup of Evaporust down the bore. It sat about 30 hours before I could get to it. I flushed the barrel and went to work with a .40 cal brush and a .50 cal, scrubbing and twisting down near the breech. After another flush, dry out and check with the scope, all looks well. no rust is seen and only discolorations are present. The muzzle cleaned up real well also. A good scrub with a .54 brush shined up the rifling nicely and we got her oiled up and ready for a trip to the range. The shop I bought it from said it had been sitting there (on consignment) for over 2 years. I think I got a great gun for 600 bucks. We'll see how she shoots!

 

[M. De Land]

So, after a borescope inspection, the rusty Pedersoli Rocky Mountain Hawken barrel was not nearly as bad as I had thought. The muzzle can be cleaned up with a Scotch Brite and/or a bronze brush, the rifling will need a brush and some elbow grease. The breech area is ok, probably a couple different brushes will do it. I'm thinking of plugging the nipple and pouring in a cup of liquid rust remover. The kind that comes in a gallon jug and you soak the parts in it. Would that hurt the metal inside the bore? Id soak it then get on the brushes. Its mostly light surface rust that I can tell but the face of the patent breech has some rust on it that will need to be addressed.

Most of these guns would benefit from a good lead slug lapping starting at about 220 grit and finishing with 400. I've saved some pretty ugly barrels with some elbow grease and proper lapping technique. Contrary to popular believe you need go no higher than 400 grit to get a very good shooting finish in a bore interior.

 

[Don Steele]

So IF you're talking Evaporust, you can simply plug the nipple hole, and fill the barrel, and let it sit for 12-24 hours, then drain the Evaporust and rinse, and you are fine.
LD

Like Dave said...Evapo-Rust wil take it down to bare metal overnight. I've used it on a shotgun barrel with great success. After that treatment any of the "polishing" techniques recommended will brighten it right up.

 

[nkbj]

Most of these guns would benefit from a good lead slug lapping starting at about 220 grit and finishing with 400. I've saved some pretty ugly barrels with some elbow grease and proper lapping technique. Contrary to popular believe you need go no higher than 400 grit to get a very good shooting finish in a bore interior.

Too true. Machine marks that go parallel with the rifling are OK so parallel grit marks certainly are too.

If it weren't so then those giant scratches called rifling could be harmful to accuracy.