What can I do with this bore?

[Caseylain]

Hi.

I'm kind of new to shooting cast and powder coated bullets. I just got this old Mosin M44. Had a really dark, rusted up barrel. I was able to clean it up a good bit after plugging the barrel and filling it with evapo-rust, then rinsing it and running a bore snake with CLP through it many many times. Unfortunately my Camera just refuses to take a good bore pic so this is the best I can come up with. There are a few visible pits in the lands near the muzzle end that I couldn't get in the picture.


Anyway, my question is will I be able to shoot cast boolits out of this gun? How about powder coated boolits? plated boolits? I read that boolits coated in alox worked for some folks with rough bores.

This gun has one of the smoothest actions on a Mosin I've seen, and bubba's had his way with the trigger because it has no travel or creep. Just wall and break. I really want this thing to be a shooter but I have to contend with this sewer pipe barrel. Any help is appreciated. Thanks guys.

[John McCorkle]

Eeesh, I guess it depends on what you are expecting when you say "shooter". It'll go bang and it may print a group of sorts but short of that you may not know till you try out ....with that pitting though I wouldn't get my hopes up for great results...and I'd expect some leading

Sent from my Moto G Play using Tapatalk

[Caseylain]

Yeah group size isn't as important as not getting leading. Not a fan of scrubbing lead from a barrel.

[merlin101]

WOW that is bad! I wonder if you could polish it up some by shooting a few cast with valve grinding compound on them, what do you have to lose?

[Stephen Cohen]

I have never used evapo-rust as it will probably remove rust from the deep pits which is not always a good idea in my view. I would have tried a few paper patched cast to see if they smoothed over the rust pits. This may still be an option you could try. Regards Stephen

[mrrch]

Load some up and shoot it. It may clean up. Worked for my GEW88.

[Caseylain]

I may also just try selling the rifle, but it wouldn't hurt to try and polish the barrel some more I guess.

[eric123]

I would fire lap and see what happens...

[waco]

JB bore compound.

[Dieselhorses]

Don't shoot anymore lead cast bullets! Get some jacketed ammo and shoot an entire box. Check it again and if still reeks of lead streaks acquire some "Chore Boy" COPPER cleaning pads and go to town with Hoppe's. If THAT doesn't work, you have no other choice but to either have a professional "lap" bore or resort to hydrogen peroxide and vinegar mix (50/50) and soak barrel. Do NOT soak barrel over night! Soak for about 2 hours, drain, rinse and conventionally scrub with Hoppe's and copper brush. Correct me (anyone) if I'm wrong but I had to do this with my 500 S&W to attain original shape of bore.

[Caseylain]

Got a better picture of the bore after cleaning it some more.

I've never done fire lapping or paper patching and I don't think I'm set up to do those things anyway.

The JB compound sounds interesting I may try that.

[Gtek]

Shoot one, clean one for a few it may clean up more than you think it will. I have pushed Scotchbrite, 0000 steel wool, etc., just clean and check after each move. Chamber to muzzle and pull whatever off rod end before retract.

[303Guy]

If the bore condition is consistent right up to the muzzle then you should be able to get it to shoot. Your bore is way better than my Lee Enfield bore yet I got mine to shoot but with paper patching.

I have fired plain cast through it but with the idea of smoothing off the sharp edges. I used a fat heavy boolit smeared with AutoSol polishing compound and these passed through the bore without any leading. Some got into the chamber which polished the cases on firing. Recovered boolits showed no failure and there was no leading so the stuff does work as a 'lube'. But it's too fine and actually did nothing. Scotch brite is is a better option and better yet is valve grinding paste on a steel wool jag. I've also smeared grinding paste through the bore and fired a cast boolit.

This is an Autosol 'lubed' boolit.


I won't try the same technique with grinding paste as it does get into the chamber.

This bore is very accurate with jacketeds.


I do use a lube which I call waxy-lube that is applied to the boat tail base of the boolit by melting the lube and dipping the boolit base in. This prevents any copper fouling.

Here is a recovered jacket.


I trust that will give you some hope.

P.S. That bore did not do well with cast but remember it only has two driving faces and that may not be the reason - the rifling did not shear all the way through.

[Mk42gunner]

I was given a similar M44. Makes me wonder just how many of the $59-$99 Mosins were done in by younger shooters having no idea how to deal with corrosive priming used in the spam cans of incredibly cheap ammo that was available everywhere in the 1990's.

At least it looks like the rifling is still strong, if a lot darker than we all would prefer in your rifle. It may clean up enough to be shootable, it may not. I wouldn't take any bets about it being good with cast, and I have no experience with powder coating.

Robert

[GregLaROCHE]

I powder coat quite a bit and have always wondered if you could mix some lapping compound with the powder coat to use in a case like this.

If the gun seems to be in such good shape otherwise, why not consider getting a new barrel. With the prices these mil surplus are going for these days, it might be a worthwhile option.

[RU shooter]

I'd shoot a few boxes of jacketed or surplus steel jacketed stuff outa it and see what happens . Give it a scrub and then try some cast bullets in it . Who knows may do just fine .

[plainsman456]

Might give paper patched boolits a try.

It is said that they will polish somewhat.

[RED BEAR]

i think the best advice i saw was shoot it and then you will know what you got . i have quite a few old surplus guns and some with less than stellar bores will surprise you. some of mine shoot better than i am capable of. i did get a cz50 with the worst barrel i have ever seen looked like concrete. that one had to replace. but i really would go and try the gun and go from there.

[clintsfolly]

Take 20cases and prime and charge with 5-7grs of Fast pistol powder. Then fill the rest of the case with cream of wheat. Seal the case mouth with bullet lube( take a small piece and with your fingers press into a strip and press the strip over the case mouth) load them in your rifle one at a time point up and in a safe place fire them. Clean and inspect the bore repeat as needed. The slug of cream of wheat will scrap/ clean the bore.

[skeettx]

Have the barrel rebored to 35 caliber and load the 358x54R, what a powerful gun

http://www.35caliber.com/