old lever gun barrel damaged

[wakili]

I have been given by my FIL an early serial number Marlin 1894 produced sometime around 1904 in .25-20. No one knows when the last time it was shot. It was given to him in exchange for reroofing someone's home probably 20 years ago. So there is no way to know the history. I cleaned the action which was very gummy and lots of gunk in there. The action works well, not super smooth, but very functional. The barrel is in rough shape. There was visible rust so I decided to lead lap the barrel. It was my first time doing this so I'm sure someone else could have done a better job but after a couple trys I got a decent plug and and began to work it down the barrel from the muzzle end. Everything was going well the first 12" or so from the muzzle, the lead plug grabbed the rifling and was turning as I expected, then we basically hit a free fall around the 12" mark. The plug no longer grabbed any rifling and there was very little resistance all the way to the chamber. Being more on the optimist side I figured the barrel was half good so maybe the bullet would catch the last 12" of rifling and continue downrange like a good bullet would. Wrong. I have keyholes all over the place. Loaded it down considerably in hopes that a slower bullet would catch, but no. I am literally getting 8' (8 foot!) groups at 50 yards.
After my internet research I am guessing that someone fired corrosive ammo years ago and the chamber end of the barrel was eat away with rust. Does anyone have any other ideas what could have caused this?
Secondly, any recommendations on what to do to salvage this gun? I have no interest in owning a gun that doesn't shoot. I also do not want to sell it as it was given to me by family and would love to pass it along to my boys. I am considering reboring to a larger caliber or relining to the same caliber. Does anyone have any experience with gunsmiths here that would do this?
Thanks in advance.

[Skipper]

Contact Wayne York ( Oregon Gunsmithing ). He can discuss options with you, and he does great rebore work.

Oregunsmithing, LLC

W. Wayne York, Gunmaker

43906 Jerico Lane

Pendleton, OR 97801

Phone: 541-278-4177

Fax: 541-278-4797

Email: Oregunsmithing@earthlink.net

[Ballistics in Scotland]

John Taylor, who posts here regularly, has a very high reputation for barrel lining. I would guess that lining comes cheaper than rerifling, and you know exactly how good the bore surface is going to be.

John claims to make the join invisible at the front of the barrel. He may have other sources, but TJ's make a range of very good bore liners which you can see on www.trackofthewolf.com, although you can buy them direct from Mike Sayers ofTJ's, on sayersms@fuse.net .

[Bent Ramrod]

The priming compounds in early smokeless loadings of small bore black powder cartridges (like the .25-20) were not only corrosive, they were erosive as well. It took a smaller quantity to ignite black powder, and the solids generated by its combustion diluted the effect, but it took more priming to light off smokeless, and there was no dilution whatsoever. Cleaning only postponed the inevitable. I seem to recall Townsend Whelen writing that he only got 500 shots or so before he had to send his .25-20 Winchester back for a new barrel.

I had an otherwise pristine Stevens .25-20 barrel that had about an inch ahead of the chamber that looked like a dried lake bed. Wouldn't shoot worth sour apples. I hated to destroy all that nice Stevens rifling, but sent it in to Redman for a reline, and it shoots great now.

Reline and rechamber it back to .25-20. You'll still have all the original barrel markings and it will shoot like new.

[sundog]

I have personal experience with having a 25-20 barrel lined by Lee Shaver. Very good outcome. That family heirloom rifle is still in the family somewhere giving good service.

[wakili]

Thank you all for the feedback, info, and references. Truly appreciated. Now to generate the cash to get this barrel relined.

[Bodean98]

I will add a plug for John Taylor as well. Had him reline my 1893 Marlin 38-55. Excellent work! You really have to look closely and know where to look to see the liner. John's prices and turnaround times are very good too!
Story on my rifle was much the same as yours. You do have me beat on the 50 yard group though. Mine was only about 6'! She'll shoot a solid 4" @ 100 now with my cast loads.

[turtlezx]

Try the fattest boolit that will chamber
maybe enough to grab the rifling
Hey your groups cant get any worse!!!

[Shawlerbrook]

I have also heard nothing but great reviews about John Taylor's work.

[KCSO]

Don't shoot that bad of a bore you will only take a chance on either sticking a slug or bulging the barrel. Ge tit relined and have a good gun to pass down to the kids.

[drjjpdc]

Scotland... "John claims to make the join invisible at the front of the barrel."

He doesn't just claim to but he does! He is one of the best 'smiths I know. Here are a few pics of a Marlin 1893 in .38-55 that I sent him for a re-line. Take a look.

BTW, I recently sent him a nightmare of a job by a bubba on a Marlin 1892 in .32-20 that someone I trusted actually had drill bits inside of something he was just supposed to slug for me! Making matters worse it had a hard to find 28" barrel on it!

He actually chopped the barrel and is now re-welding it with nary a mark on it. I don't have it back yet, but I have no problem that if JT is satisfied, then I will have no worries! The gun is from 1904 and one of my few really nice guns. Thank you JT! The muzzle of the 1893 above is nice too, huh.

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