Cast bullets and inherent (??) barrel protection after firing....

[mehavey]

This afternoon in Northern Virginia was one of those gee-it-was-miserable weather days -- low 40s, constant drizzle & fog -- EVERYthing collects a fine layer of "dampness" just by sitting on otherwise-covered firing line tables & benches.

Yuck.....

So after firing two dozen moderately heavy(280gr)/stout(1,680fps) cast 44Mags out of the `94 Marlin, I packed it in.

As usual I checked for leading by running a single dry patch down the barrel/straight out the action, and then looked through the bore by the reflected light off a white patch in the open bolt area. Not unexpectedly as of late, the bore was a mirror.

Then it struck me that the best rust preventative in the world might just be the residual 50/50 beeswax/ALOX left in the bore, having been applied deep into every nook and cranny in the most energetic means possible.... i.e., leave barrel alone after that one dry patch. (That way, tomorrow's/next week's first cold shot is through a reliably "dirty" bore.)

Other than Ed Harris, has anyone actually thought/tested this through?

[9.3X62AL]

I have several cast bullet rifles that haven't seen patches, solvent, or bore brushes in 4-5 years. I recently moved from a very dry climate (desert) to a very humid area 4 blocks from the crashing surf. No issues with rust on surfaces or bores so far, and I'm watching them closely.

[Tatume]

I have several friends who are world-class, rim-fire, position shooters, who never run anything down their bores but waxed, lead bullets. Barrels so treated last indefinitely.

[runfiverun]

alox is the same undercoating they use on cars..

[Blammer]

I usually run a dry patch and then a patch with some gun protectant or something on it. I've found that the lube I use is NOT a protectorant for my bore's.

[Geezer in NH]

Bet the lube is still there

[.22-10-45]

At our clubs informal sporting gun league, I used an original 1898 .30-40 Krag. I had installed a Redfield appature sight (no alteration to gun..removing cuttoff allows installation of sight)...However..the sight slide must be completly removed in order to remove rifles bolt..and so you lose elevation settting. So, I left bore untouched thru summer..thinking as most do that bore would be protected as with .22 rimfire ammo. I cleaned bore end of August..full of black crud..then I noticed a dark reddish stain on patch..I had fire-lapped this bore in Spring..and even grooves were bright and shiny...not anymore! Their was no pitting..caught it in time. Another light fire-lapping with the finest grit in the NECO lap kit restored bore to it's former glory..and no harm done...BUT..that was the LAST time I ever left a centerfire bore go uncleaned! I think the error in comparing the little rimfire to centerfire..even a small one like the Hornet, is the proportion of powder fouling to bullet lube..the rimfire uses only a tiny amount of lube compared to even a std. cast .22 bullet..not to mention one of larger bore..but it's the rimfires equally tiny powder charge that gives it a chance. I believe the excess powder fouling left in that Krags bore attracted moisture during the humid summer months.

[MT Chambers]

Some lubes contain things that might contribute to rusting in the bore, but I also think that most lubes are burn't up on firing and the trip down the barrel.

[mehavey]

Some lubes contain things that might contribute to rusting in the bore, but I also think that most lubes are burn't up on firing and the trip down the barrel.

^^^ +1 ^^^ [you'd be amazed at the stuff in some homebrews] :-)

(BUT) in this case I'm specifically zeroing in on the protective layer (or not) of residual ALOX-based lubes.
(See Ed Harris' article here: http://yarchive.net/gun/long_term_storage.html)

[nemesisenforcer]

It's certainly an interesting theory.

[sawzall]

alox is the same undercoating they use on cars..

I have a nearly endless supply of stuff we call cavity wax. It's not for undercoating but spraying inside doors, hoods, trunks, etc. through the drain holes. It's slightly lighter in color than LLA, I suspect it has more wax in it, hence the name cavity wax. Smells exactly like LLA though. I have not been able to acquire the MSDS for either brand I have but I'm pretty sure it would make a decent boolit lube. Makes a great casting flux though!

[mehavey]

'Cavity Wax' ingredients: http://sierrachem.com.au/MSDS_Topside.pdf

Mostly mineral spirits w/ a touch of xylene which makes it sprayable, and then evaporates leaving the...
Active ingredients:
- OLEYL HYDROXYETHYL IMIDAZOLINE as corrosion inhibitor.
- N-OLEOYL SARCOSINE also oil soluble rust inhibitor in solution in gasoline, mineral oil and silicone lubricants