"Bore Is Still Sewer Pipe" Question

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Blaine
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"Bore Is Still Sewer Pipe" Question

Post by Blaine »

I got a M-N xxxx54R cheap and the bore was the worst I've ever seen.
I've does several applications of Kroil, and patches and it's still a mess.
Would it be safe to fire a couple rounds to hurry the process?
Eventually, I'm going to chuck-up a bore brush and work it out of there......

(The rifle seems otherwise very sound and good looking)
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Old No7
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Re: "Bore Is Still Sewer Pipe" Question

Post by Old No7 »

Google one of those home-made "electronic bore cleaners" done with a D battery, 2 alligator clips, some wire and o-rings, and using ammonia as the solution. A few websites have (or used to anyway...) instructions on how to make and operate one at very low cost for materials.

I made one up once (maybe 10 years ago) to use on a really dirty and heavily fouled 1894 Swedish Mauser carbine and it was amazing :shock: to see what rose to the top of the fluid. If I recall, I had to wipe and clean the rod several times, and it was fugly -- but the bore became clean.

No damage to the bore was done, as I checked it more often than it was suggested, and I'm sure that it saved me hours and hours of scrubbing.

Good luck!

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OldWin
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Re: "Bore Is Still Sewer Pipe" Question

Post by OldWin »

Blaine,

I did this same thing with one my son bought. As long as all the Kroil, oil, etc, is out of the barrel, you should be fine to shoot it. As long as the interior bore dimension isn't constricted, or pits so deep as to make thin spots, it will be safe. It will probably shoot as long as the throat and muzzle are pretty good. It will foul quickly, however.
My son's was so bad I just looked at him like, "What were you thinking"?
I plugged the barrel with ear plugs on either side of the bad spots, then soaked it with Kroil overnight. Then I'd brush it with a steel wool wrapped brush. It still has some nasty spots but the first and last few inches look good.
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Re: "Bore Is Still Sewer Pipe" Question

Post by jdad »

There is a trigger fix. I didn't buy the kit. I just found the spring and washer laying around. HUGE difference once you do it.

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model55
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Re: "Bore Is Still Sewer Pipe" Question

Post by model55 »

J-b non-embedding bore cleaning compound has worked on a few of my guns. You can get it at Brownells but I found it at the Lgs. It has improved a few frosty bores for me and I doubt I'll use it up as it goes a long ways.
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Re: "Bore Is Still Sewer Pipe" Question

Post by Pete44ru »

.

I've had success by shooting (cast) plain lead boolits with valve grinding compound ($3 @ WallyWorld or an auto supply store) in the grease grooves.


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Re: "Bore Is Still Sewer Pipe" Question

Post by marlinman93 »

I use Birchwood Casey Lead Away cloths. They work on all sorts of bore corrosion. I cut patches from the cloth and fit them over my jag. If the cleaning rod can be pushed through the bore without some help, it's too loose. I put cloth under the patches to make a tighter fit, and use a rubber mallet to start it into the bore. Once started I push in through the bore by hand, and run it back and forth in areas I feel any build up or resistance. After a little work I put a 2nd patch on, and repeat the "polishing" of the bore by back and forth work with the cleaning rod.
Bores that are dark and corroded come out nice and shiny, and looking much nicer.
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Re: "Bore Is Still Sewer Pipe" Question

Post by AmBraCol »

A few years ago I bought some "foaming bore cleaner" that was supposed to be good with fouled bores. Just spray it in, let it sit over night, wipe it out, repeat. Seemed to work good on the old Swede Mauser I was cleaning up. Remember to leave it slightly tilted towards the muzzle and to have something under the muzzle to catch the drips. A LOT of blue colored copper fouling was removed this way. Best of all, no eternal scrubbing.
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Re: "Bore Is Still Sewer Pipe" Question

Post by Ben_Rumson »

You've got it lubed now's the time to spin the steel wool on a bore brush. Good Luck :)
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Re: "Bore Is Still Sewer Pipe" Question

Post by Pisgah »

Shooting won't speed up the process -- but I guarantee that you'll get tired of cleaning eventually and go ahead and shoot it anyway. I have a Winchester-built US Model 1917 Enfield that is gorgeous -- except for a bore that someone fired corrosive ammo in decades ago without proper cleaning. I have been cleaning it, quite literally, for years and have never gotten a clean patch out of it. Yet, it shoots well enough for entertainment purposes. On a good day, with standard 150 gr. factory loads or handloads, bench-rested 100 yard 3-shot groups are about 2 - 2.5", 5-shot groups under 4", and the way my eyes are today I'd be happy with that under almost any circumstance without a scope.

I will admit this, though --- if I ever run across a decent surplus barrel at a near-reasonable price I'll probably change out the old barrel just to see what would happen.
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Re: "Bore Is Still Sewer Pipe" Question

Post by harry »

Pisgah wrote:Shooting won't speed up the process -- but I guarantee that you'll get tired of cleaning eventually and go ahead and shoot it anyway. I have a Winchester-built US Model 1917 Enfield that is gorgeous -- except for a bore that someone fired corrosive ammo in decades ago without proper cleaning. I have been cleaning it, quite literally, for years and have never gotten a clean patch out of it. Yet, it shoots well enough for entertainment purposes. On a good day, with standard 150 gr. factory loads or handloads, bench-rested 100 yard 3-shot groups are about 2 - 2.5", 5-shot groups under 4", and the way my eyes are today I'd be happy with that under almost any circumstance without a scope.

I will admit this, though --- if I ever run across a decent surplus barrel at a near-reasonable price I'll probably change out the old barrel just to see what would happen.
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Re: "Bore Is Still Sewer Pipe" Question

Post by Les Staley »

Blaine, I have cleaned up a couple of old military barrels by taking my cleaning supplies to the range, shooting eight or ten shots in quick succession. Get the barrel as hot as you can, and get after it! Kroil and JBs bore cleaner, or maybe some of the lead away cloths and a tite fitting brush. The stuff will drool out of the bore. On one No 4 enfield I got the grooves bright with even the pits bright. Worth a try.
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EdinCT
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Re: "Bore Is Still Sewer Pipe" Question

Post by EdinCT »

Try loading poly shot buffer over your reduced powder charge or even paper patched bullets will polish a bore.
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Blaine
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Re: "Bore Is Still Sewer Pipe" Question

Post by Blaine »

This is all great stuff......New ideas are always welcome.... 8)
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Re: "Bore Is Still Sewer Pipe" Question

Post by 2ndovc »

Les Staley wrote:Blaine, I have cleaned up a couple of old military barrels by taking my cleaning supplies to the range, shooting eight or ten shots in quick succession. Get the barrel as hot as you can, and get after it! Kroil and JBs bore cleaner, or maybe some of the lead away cloths and a tite fitting brush. The stuff will drool out of the bore. On one No 4 enfield I got the grooves bright with even the pits bright. Worth a try.

What Les said works quite well. I've had dozens of surplus rifles over the years and getting them good and hot helps get them cleaned out. I've also used a few rounds of known to be corrosive ammo to get it good and warmed up and then clean it like a muzzle loader. Just don't let it sit over night or you're done. :o

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