1873 RB 45-70 Sewer pipe Barrel

[HighHook]

I just picked up an 1873 in 45/70.[smilie=w: Looks like it has a 100 year old sewer pipe looking barrel with little rifling showing.:|

Just wondering what you guys thoughts were on cleaning this barrel?:veryconfu

Maybe shooting some (J) words out as a start????:popcorn:

[45-70 Chevroner]

I would just start with a brass brush with some Hoppies #9 or just about any bore cleaning solvent. Scrub it good and see where your at. I am sure you will get a lot of suggestions on this one. The main thing though is to at least clean it enough to see what you are faced with. I bought a Win. 94 from a neighbor a number of years ago and the barrell looked like it had no rifling at all, it had not been cleaned for at least 15 years. I started with the brass brush and Hoppies and turned out that it had excellent rifling.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I was given a 1902 Rem roller in 7MM with a barrel in the condition you describe. I first dipped a wire brush in chrome polish and gave the barrel a good scrubing. I then wrapped a cleaning patch around a cleaning jag, dipped it in the polish and ran that in and out of the barrel many times. This didn't remove the pits but it took off the high spots. The barrel looked much better when I finished. Of course my rifle still won't shoot any better and doubt if yours will either. It is what it is.

[Chicken Thief]

If the last foot is ok it will shoot ok!
At least thats my experinece with as many scandinavian BP rolling blocks as i have shot.

Got a Swedish M89 RB in 8x58RD that had a "shiny" bore. Took me most of a week to get it clean from 100+ yrs of copper and powder fouling.

Point is: Shiny, don't mean clean at all!!!!!!

[HighHook]

By the end of the week i should get it.

That is interesting about the Chrome polish.


I have been using M pro 7 for a couple years but dont think it will really clean like i need it. Might have to break out the stinky Hoppies stuff.

I was thinking about an old 12 ga wire brush about 100 times or any other thoughts or tricks that might work.

I already realize its not going to be an 1000 yrd gong beater

[AkMike]

Might have to break out the stinky Hoppies stuff.



Huh? I'd wear that for aftershave if SWMBO would allow it! [smilie=w:

[HighHook]

Referring to what the wife says to me about the hoppies...I can clean anywhere anytime with mpro7

[blindeye]

A Outers FoulOut unit can remove everything including the rust in the pits. It may look awful afterward, but it'll get you down to bare steel quicker with less effort. Then you'll know how much rifling is left under the fouling buildup. It can look pretty bad and still shoot reasonably well.

[CLAYPOOL]

I am currently working on a " 1930" m91/30 hex receiver..Actually it's better than the 1934 model I also have...Using "Foul Out" repeatedly...used the Acetone on the finish. took it right off..2 coats of Tung Oil + 4 ought steel wool..looks very nice..may do the 1934 next..

[303Guy]

I would fire-lap it after cleaning (or maybe even for the cleaning). That will at least remove the sharp edges. Fire-lap with a groove sized boolit or it will make the rifling even shallower.

My Dad's 22 Mauser got badly rusted. I removed the sharp edges with kitchen abrasive. It shot fine after that. Paper patching may make it into a 1000yd gong beater.

[EDG]

Plug the muzzle with a good rubber plug.
Pour it full of hopped from the breech and put a light plug in the chamber. Stand it on the muzzle for about 3 days.
Dump the Hoppes back into a used Hoppes bottle.

Brush well, clean with patches and shoot it.

[single shot jimmy]

I've used evaporust with good results. Try to get all of the fouling out first.

[HighHook]

Hey Guys thanks for all the good info.

303guy, How would i fire-lap? and i like the idea of paper patching a few.

EDG, i also like your idea about the rubber plug holding the liquid.

[45-70 Chevroner]

If it turns out that it is as bad as a sewer pipe, there are some smiths that will reline it for you, just ask here on this web site and someone will lead you to someone that can do a good job, and it's a lot less expensive than a new barrel.

[429421Cowboy]

When i got my great-great grandfather's Win 1894 .32 Spl from my grandmother a few years back the barrel was nasty greenish glue chamber to crown so we got a can of the foam bore cleaner to shoot in there and let set for a few hours each treatment, worked well for me, then continued the usual fouling cleaning processes with patches and brush after it had softened a bit. Good luck!

[missionary5155]

Greetings
Have a 1892 SRC 44-40 that is pitted, interupted rifling and fat throated. It will hit pop cans at 35 yards and is still fun to shoot. So clean it and give it a try. If using smokeless you need to fill the throat with a fat boolit. One of my Traps needs .464 to shoot smokeless. 2F will bump up 400 + grainers made of 40-1 but still keep the boolits close to throat. That sewer tube just may still shoot acceptably.
Mike in Peru

[WinMike]

I have Ballistol gun oil, which is sort of a wonder cleaner. I can't verify that it cleans really grody barrels, but it does clean dirty firearms nicely.

[Ed in North Texas]

Every person who has faced this problem has a favorite method(s) for the cleanup. I suspect they all work, it just takes some time and effort (haven't tried the electro method, that might cut both time and effort).

I usually start with a bronze brush and a copper safe cleaner (Kroil works for this first swipe at the grud). I then switch to a copper removing cleaner (Sweet's 7.62 is my choice, ammonia smell doesn't bother me), alternating between that cleaner on a nylon brush and J-B Bore Paste, until I no longer get blue on the patch. After whatever effort I feel like putting into the job any given day, I run a patch soaked with Kroil down the barrel and leave it until I next get to work on the barrel (don't want Kroil everywhere, so I leave it in the rest with the muzzle slightly down. I have an old, scratched, Teflon coated small frying pan the wife was about to throw out [took off the handle] placed under the muzzle to catch patches, drips, etc.).

Your RB may have never been used with jacketed bullets, in which case I'd try it once in a while during the cleaning to see if a layer of copper shows up, otherwise regular cleaners will work fine (and I would recommend Kroil for general grud, it not only gets the grud, but absolutely can't hurt the barrel).

Some take longer than others, and dark old military barrels used with corrosive primer ammo will never be bright and shiny. I have found it amazing how much crud people leave in the barrel. I bought a Grandson a Rem 700 in .243. When I first tried to clean it, I had to start with a .22 brush because I couldn't get a 6mm/.243 wire brush through the barrel. Each time I stopped getting copper fouling blue showing on the patch, I'd run the G-B and then get a whole new layer of copper fouling. How it shot without blowing up, setting the locking lugs back, or some other catastrophe, is beyond me. Guess it is a testament to the strength of the 700 action that the last shooter was still alive after the last shot.

My method might take longer than some, but I like the results.

Ed

[rbertalotto]

Hi Ed!...Nice write up........appreciated!

[Swampman]

I've cleaned many a nasty frosted bore with Brasso, a trick I learned from some old Marines. They all shot fine and looked much better. Barrels don't have to be pretty inside to shoot great. I'm not much on cleaning bores but I will if I have to. I'd get a Lee .459-405HB mold for it. If the boolit fits the barrel well it will likely shoot fine.

[HighHook]

Thanks again for all the help on this.:smile:

I will get some before and after pictures on the sewer pipe soon.:cool:

[Ed in North Texas]

Hi Ed!...Nice write up........appreciated!

Thank you. Accolades are always welcome! :bigsmyl2:

Ed