Rifled Hastings barrel with horrible fouling.

[Barry54]

I “won” this barrel in an online auction years ago. The seller didn’t disclose it was fouled, or with what. Over the years I’ve made some attempts at cleaning it. The last attempt was copper chore boy and a wooden dowel.

I’m currently thinking about a soak in a homemade concoction. ATF and acetone...

Looking for thoughts for a cheap soaking vessel that will withstand acetone. I’ve been looking for a piece of 4” steel pipe in the scrap pile of various places in my travels. Any other thoughts?

Thanks

[HWooldridge]

Glass would work but I'm not sure how long the barrel is. A long glass container might be hard to find and would also be subject to breakage.

[GONRA]

GONRA sez - steel pipe should verk Just Fine! !!
Great idea......

[BK7saum]

Why cant you plug the barrel and fill it up?

[Barry54]

Why cant you plug the barrel and fill it up?

I’m not opposed to that method. What would I cork a 12 gauge barrel with that stands up to atf/acetone?

[BK7saum]

I would probably just make a cork from a dowel or use a wine cork.

Rubber is likely to degrade and fail. Anything more chemical resistant would be hard to source and expensive for a one time use.

[BK7saum]

Set the end of the barrel in a metal can or other chemical resistant container to catch any seeping or leak.

[JDHasty]

Piece of wood dowel a little to large in diameter sanded and knocked in. Probably lead and plastic. Those barrels shoot well when clean, my buddy has one.

I use a copper chore boy and a solid steel rod and an aluminum jag and put most of my weight on the barrel with the handle of the cleaning rod on a concrete floor to force it through. It’s really tough getting it out the first time if it’s really fouled. Once it’s cleaned out it’s a cake walk keeping it clean so long as you don’t let it build up again.

Our Deerslayers and H&R Ultra Slugs shoot very tight groups when clean.

[Barry54]

I would probably just make a cork from a dowel or use a wine cork.

Rubber is likely to degrade and fail. Anything more chemical resistant would be hard to source and expensive for a one time use.

Perfect excuse! I’ll see if the wife wants to soak some sliced strawberries in red wine. Then go sit in the hot tub...

Get right on the barrel cleaning then

[John Taylor]

If it is rust I would start with naval jelly. Be careful, it will take the bluing off. Steel wool can also be used if it is a modern barrel, not an old black powder barrel.

[Barry54]

The subject barrel is a Hastings 12 gauge rifled barrel. I suspect the fouling is a combination of lead and plastic. It is well adhered. So well attached, I looked up the price of a new identical barrel. (Wow!) I’m back on the plan to clean it again.

[725]

Lots of ways to attack your problem. Ed's Red soak followed by a wire brush. Chore Boy. Steel wool. Lots of elbow grease! Also, firing lapping. I have fire lapped several barrels in various conditions and have always been happy with the results. For the 12 ga., I'd find a round ball and cover it with a lapping compound, patch it with a patch covered with a lapping compound and fire it out. Don't need a "hot" load, but rather a load the will clear the barrel easily. Hand lapping with a tight patch + lapping compound also does the job. Far cheaper than a new barrel! Once you get it straight, you'll love the Hasting. Have several and they are top shelf.

[Delkal]

Swab the bore with Hoppes 9 and leave it saturated. Then let it sit for a while followed by a brass brush and patches. Then repeat a few times a day for a few days. Hoppes is great for plastic but not so good for lead. Once the plastic and crud start breaking up put some Kroil in the rotation. Maybe even plug the ends of the barrel so it doesn't dry out.

If this doesn't work you might have to use the nuclear option and use Acetic peroxide (Mix of vinegar and hydrogen peroxide). This quickly dissolves lead but you get a toxic lead solution to deal with and some people claim it will pit a barrel.

[JDHasty]

If it were mine, I would pour it full of mercury. Don't know anyone else with access to that much mercury though. I know a guy who works in aeronautics and they use it it in the anemometers and barometers in the wind tunnels. Gets the lead out.

[Shawlerbrook]

Plug, soak, scrub and repeat.

[armoredman]

Hey, whatever it is that works, will ya let us know, just in case we run into the same thing?

[Barry54]

326899

Of course I’ll let y’all know.

I would have walked away from it, if I had seen it in person first.

[Mk42gunner]

Maybe use a Foul Out type system to remove what metal fouling you can get, then a thorough acetone soak and scrub for the plastic? This may or may not take several applications.

The only real problem I can see is if the barrel is for a gas operated gun like a Remington Model 1100. For a non vented barrel you should be fine.

It may also be easier to stand the barrel muzzle up and plug the chamber, since there shouldn't be any fouling for the first 2 3/4 or 3".

Also stop using a wooden dowel for a cleaning rod. I got one stuck when it broke in a 12 ga barrel sometime in 1988. I still have flashbacks to the PITA it was to get out.

Robert

[stubshaft]

Plastic golf club tube and a cork to seal the end, then use your atf/acetone.

[Barry54]

Well, yesterday’s wine cork had expanded enough to seal the chamber end this afternoon. Y’all saw how crusty the muzzle was. Tonight’s test soak is some used industrial oil. I know it’s probably the least effective option, but I learned it took about a half pint to fill the barrel. It’s soaking muzzle up inside a plastic 5 gallon bucket in the garage. If/when it leaks out, it’ll be contained and won’t stink up the garage.

I’d still prefer to submerge the whole thing inside a real vessel that will withstand acetone, instead of this cork the end method. But who knows. Maybe this will help a little bit?
To be continued..,

[Gtek]

I have used Ed's Red in my shotgun barrels smooth and rifled for a very long time. Cleans, preserves, push to wipe bore before taking it for a walk and a couple wet ones when you get home, hard to beat IMHO!

[longbow]

Have you tried just using the acetone/ATF and leaving a good coating in the bore then let it sit for a few hours then bronze brush? If there is plastic that should get it to lift then it should brush out... or at least some should brush out. It may take several applications but much easier than putting together a pipe to soak the whole barrel in.

If you don't see plastic coming out then it is likely lead fouling so a lead remover should take care of it.

I wouldn't hesitate to push a cork into the chamber whether actual cork or rubber then fill with acetone or acetone/ATF either. If the cork is 3/4" long or thereabouts even if the acetone attacks it, it should last long enough for the acetone to do its work. Just stand the barrel up in an empty paint can ot something so if it leaks the acetone won't run out on the floor.

I am a simple guy, I like simple and cheap solutions!

Good luck!

Longbow

[Barry54]

Have you tried just using the acetone/ATF and leaving a good coating in the bore then let it sit for a few hours then bronze brush? If there is plastic that should get it to lift then it should brush out... or at least some should brush out. It may take several applications but much easier than putting together a pipe to soak the whole barrel in.

If you don't see plastic coming out then it is likely lead fouling so a lead remover should take care of it.

I wouldn't hesitate to push a cork into the chamber whether actual cork or rubber then fill with acetone or acetone/ATF either. If the cork is 3/4" long or thereabouts even if the acetone attacks it, it should last long enough for the acetone to do its work. Just stand the barrel up in an empty paint can ot something so if it leaks the acetone won't run out on the floor.

I am a simple guy, I like simple and cheap solutions!

Good luck!

Longbow

Simple and cheap! Thanks Longbow!!

I just remembered the quart of clear pvc primer I already have. I’ll try it first instead of going to buy acetone.

[JDHasty]

What I found is that a really tight jag and copper Chore Boy will scrape the heavy lead and plastic buildup out but I have to put the handle of an old Kleen Bore shotgun stainless rod on the floor and put a lot of weight on it to force it through. I’ve bought barrels that others gave up on and they became absolutely phenomenal barrels after getting them cleaned out and keeping them that way. The lead comes out in gobs and large flakes doing that with the Chore Boy. I wish I could explain it better. Once clean a tight patch and bore solvent keeps them good from my experience. I’ve never had to make more than a few passes with the Chore Boy.

We have been using slug guns on the islands in Puget Sound for decades.

https://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,193502.0.html

[DCB]

acetone . plug one end of the barrel fill it up let it set for about 24 hrs. get after it while the poly is still soft

[Barry54]

326907

Well, the wine cork held oil overnight! On to something powerful now!

[longbow]

There ya go! Fill that baby up with acetone for a while then see what happens. If there is plastic there it should soften and come off with a bronze brush or copper Chore Boy... just make sure you get all copper Chore Boys! The last ones I got were copper coated steel. Might be soft steel but I wouldn't want to be putting one in a bore especially when tight to scrape out lead.

If you don't get plastic or if there is "stuff" left it is most likely lead (Duh! What else would it be?) so a lead remover should clean that up if a scrubbing with a bronze brush or Chore Boy and bore solvent or penetrating oil doesn't.

Yes, those barrels are pricey! I would like one but the price here is even higher!

Longbow

[Delkal]

PVC primer is a much better choice than straight acetone. It has other solvents in it so if the acetone doesn't work the rest of them will.

Thinking about it I might have to use the primer instead of acetone in my next batch of Eds Red.

[Barry54]

It’s currently filled with clear pvc primer. The stuff is intended to soften pvc in preparation for glue, so why not?
It’s probably mostly acetone anyway.

[JDHasty]

I take a magnet to the store when I but copper Chore Boy scrubbers. I don’t know any other way to sort out the all copper from the plated ones.

[Barry54]

What in the Devil! I thought copper was harder than plastic and harder than lead? Chore Boy is flattened against the jag, and the bore is taking on a copper color...

Do they make Chore Boy in stainless steel? That’s next!!

[Barry54]

326928Dang it! Stainless steel scouring pad indented my brass jag.

[Delkal]

Hmmm....I thought it would look better. Try and chip out some of the deposits in the groove to see what you are dealing with. Is it lead?

[JDHasty]

I’m reluctent to use stainless anything. I think what you have is layers of lead or copper sandwiched between layers of plastic or powder fouling. Man, oh man, what the devil was someone shooting to get to that point? I wonder if it’s pewter or tin or God only knows what. Pistol and rifled slug barrels have pretty deep grooves and they are pretty much filled.

My buddy thinks some of this http://www.hi-vel.com/Catalog_Index/Specialized_Shotshell_Ammuniti/specialized_shotshell_ammunition.html
was involved. He’s a retired gunsmith and said that is his suspicion.

12 GAUGE FIREBALL
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THESE FLARES WILL RISE TO AN ALTITUDE OF WELL OVER 300 FEET WHEN FIRED AT A 70 DEGREE ANGLE, IN WHICH A SINGLE STAR IS RELEASED AND WILL BURN FOR APPROXIMATELY SIX TO SEVEN SECONDS. THESE ARE IDEAL FOR CAMPERS IN THE WOODS OR ON BOATS TO SIGNAL FOR ASSISTANCE. CAUTION: FIRE HAZARD.
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THESE FLARES WILL RISE TO AN ALTITUDE OF WELL OVER 300 FEET WHEN FIRED AT A 70 DEGREE ANGLE, IN WHICH A SINGLE STAR IS RELEASED AND WILL BURN FOR APPROXIMATELY SIX TO SEVEN SECONDS. THESE ARE IDEAL FOR CAMPERS IN THE WOODS OR ON BOATS TO SIGNAL FOR ASSISTANCE. CAUTION: FIRE HAZARD.
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THESE FLARES ARE ALMOST EXACTLY LIKE THE HV SERIES IN RED, GREEN AND WHITE FLARES AS DESCRIBED IN OUR CATALOG. THE MAJOR DIFFERENCE IS THAT THEY PRODUCE A COLORFUL GOLD SPRAY OF SPARKS AT AN ALTITUDE OF AROUND 350 FEET IN THE AIR. IDEALLY SUITED FOR PRACTICE IN YOUR FLARE PISTOLS USING THE ADAPTERS THAT WE SUPPLY AND TO AVOID THE POSSIBILITY OF A MISTAKE IN SHOOTING A RED, GREEN OR WHITE FLARE AS AN EMERGENCY SIGNAL.
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12 GAUGE COMET FLARE, SILVER
THESE FLARES ARE ALMOST EXACTLY LIKE THE HV SERIES IN RED, GREEN AND WHITE FLARES AS DESCRIBED IN OUR CATALOG. THE MAJOR DIFFERENCE IS THAT THEY PRODUCE A COLORFUL SILVER SPRAY OF SPARKS AT AN ALTITUDE OF AROUND 350 FEET IN THE AIR. IDEALLY SUITED FOR PRACTICE IN YOUR FLARE PISTOLS USING THE ADAPTERS THAT WE SUPPLY AND TO AVOID THE POSSIBILITY OF A MISTAKE IN SHOOTING A RED, GREEN OR WHITE FLARE AS AN EMERGENCY SIGNAL.
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A FLECHETTE IS A 1 INCH DART SHAPED PROJECTILE FOR USE IN TAKING OUT SNIPERS HIDING IN THICK BRUSH OR TREES. DUE TO THE PENETRATION OF THESE PROJECTILES, TREE LIMBS AND BRUSH WILL NOT DISPERSE THE DARTS AS READILY AS ROUND SHOT. THEY WILL GIVE AN ALL COVERING PATTERN WITHIN TREES OR BRUSH. NOT INTENDED FOR HUNTING. THESE WERE UTILIZED DURING THE VIET-NAM ERA, OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE "BEEHIVE" ROUND.
HV-0615 $14.95/PKG OF 3

[Barry54]

Swab the bore with Hoppes 9 and leave it saturated. Then let it sit for a while followed by a brass brush and patches. Then repeat a few times a day for a few days. Hoppes is great for plastic but not so good for lead. Once the plastic and crud start breaking up put some Kroil in the rotation. Maybe even plug the ends of the barrel so it doesn't dry out.

If this doesn't work you might have to use the nuclear option and use Acetic peroxide (Mix of vinegar and hydrogen peroxide). This quickly dissolves lead but you get a toxic lead solution to deal with and some people claim it will pit a barrel.

20 minutes of 50/50 hydrogen peroxide and vinegar soaking. Getting some little champagne type bubbles forming in the barrel. Doesn’t appear that it’s doing much. Not fizzing or foaming.

[Delkal]

20 minutes of 50/50 hydrogen peroxide and vinegar soaking. Getting some little champagne type bubbles forming in the barrel. Doesn’t appear that it’s doing much. Not fizzing or foaming.

Make sure you degrease the barrel first. I used brake cleaner and let it dry for a while. I did this once, there was some good foaming and when I poured out the solution it was dark. I plugged the muzzle and just filled to the chamber so it wouldn't overflow. I believe this solution will hurt blueing.

[longbow]

Well, that is one fouled bore for sure!

Speculation on my part but it looks like melted plastic in the pic. Could be the result of what JDHasty posted.

I had a single shot smnoothbore I was loading with BP and plastic wads many years ago. The resulting powder fouling and plastic that melted/scraped off looked like that. Of course being BP fouling hot soapy water dissolved the BP then I brushed out long strips of plastic film!

I'd get some brass or aluminum and make a chisel/scraper to remove some of the mystery substance without harming the barrel then look at it to see if it is plastic or lead. It does look like melted plastic to me!

Trap wads are ldpe and from what I am finding acetone should soften it but PVC primer no. Maybe repeat the barrel filling with acetone. I'd be careful with that hydrogen peroxide/vinegar as it does apparently pit steel.

Good luck!

Longbow

[gc45]

Once had a take off barrel that had not been cleaned well, fully 100% copper fouled. Getting it for free I did this: made a long boat shaped vessel from tin foil, cheap and easy. Laid in the barrel that I planned on using for a project rifle for my Son. I then poured in Hoppe's letting it soak for maybe a week. repeated this again and most of the junk came out with lots of chore boy and patch work. For round three, I used a stronger bore cleaner for three days and the barrel cleaned up well. Think I spent $40. on cleaner...The bluing was not damaged

[JDHasty]

A can of computer duster upside down will coat anything sprayed with it with dry ice. Differences in coefficient of thermal expansion can break bonds between most different materials. That might be helpful in breaking a chip loose that can then be examined closely.

My retired gunsmith buddy was a factory service center for most makes and said that once the truth comes out that it was almost without exception someone shooting the type of rounds I linked to that created a mess like that. They had 50/50 success.

[Barry54]

I’ve taken a steel pick and tried to get some pieces out by the muzzle where I can reach it. It breaks up like sand. I’ve removed lead from 22LR fired in a 223 adapter setup. It’s soft. This trash is hard!
On a positive note, the 50/50 vinegar peroxide became somewhat opaque after two soaks. Paper towel used as a patch on the jag is picking up some dark color. Ripping the chore boy to pieces. Gonna have to order more I suppose. If I’m getting color on patches, something has to be coming out?326930

[Barry54]

326931

This is what I get picking in the muzzle.

326932

First pass after third 50/50 soak.

[Barry54]

326947

The last soak sat over an hour. Drained 50/50 was translucent and reddish brown. More pale than iced tea though. I decided it was enough of that for a while. Wet it down with some food grade penetrating oil I’m trying to use up.

After all the effort, I decided to go shoot it. Sent two downrange missing my full size silhouette target at 40 yards. Aimed at the grass below it and the last two rang the steel. The recovered wads look great and the barrel is slightly sooty.

I’m curious what the sights are intended for? 300+ yards? The elevation was at the lowest notch. I’m shooting a reasonable load with a 0.600” round ball. Right at 3/4 ounce or 330 grains. Could it be intended for an even lighter sabot slug??

[JDHasty]

They were made to shoot Hastings sabot slugs. Quite similar to Lightfield commanders. Neither are available currently. I think my buddy Bill nailed it and it was used with the Dragons breath rounds or something similar.

[Barry54]

They were made to shoot Hastings sabot slugs. Quite similar to Lightfield commanders. Neither are available currently. I think my buddy Bill nailed it and it was used with the Dragons breath rounds or something similar.

I’m not going to argue that! This junk is terrible. Even pitted barrels will eventually clean up. They will still be pitted, but dang!

I may put it in the freezer tonight and shock it with some boiling water after I enjoy my coffee in the morning.

[Barry54]

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1002083828?pid=453803

These? Subsonic 1-1/4 ounce sabot slugs. I guess that explains the sights.

It may be time to send it on down the road. Does anyone want a challenge?

My vision combined with these iron sights is terrible. I might find a refrigerator box and try my roundball loads at 100 or a shade further just for sport first.

[JDHasty]

Yea, that is them. I’ve shot quarter inch fifty yard three shot groups with the full power 3” ones out of my DS II. It and the kids’ H&R are wicked accurate. The cantilever scoped barrels a little less so, but still will hold an inch at 50 easily.

Bill reminded me that one of the police departments wrecked a bunch of Mossberg 500 riot barrels with phosphorus rounds, but he may be a little off. You can take it to the bank that it happened, but sometimes the strict details, like the phosphorus reference, can be off. I’m sure that they wrecked the barrels using some sort of tracer or flame thrower round. I remember him showing me a bunch of wrecked barrels in the mid 1990s and telling me it was the police Dept or Sheriff’s Office that did it.

[JDHasty]

If it were mine I think I might be rapidly approaching the point at which even oven cleaner might be worth trying.

[JDHasty]

They usually shoot WAY low with reduced loads unless it is a load that is specifically fine tuned to shoot to same POI as full power loads. These slug guns are pretty unique in how they act compared to rifles and even muzzle loaders.

[Barry54]

It’s hitting high for me. About two feet high at 50 yards. The previous owner had the elevation at the lowest setting and I haven’t moved it. Someone with more confidence than me could silver solder a taller front sight on.

It doesn’t matter how clean I get this barrel though. I can’t see well enough to use iron sights and the shotgun isn’t drilled and tapped for a scope mount.

I’m thinking it needs to go down the road. I haven’t found a gunsmith around here I’m happy with, and not sure I want holes in the top of the shotgun anyway. If I decide to sell it, I’ll link to this thread and lay it all out there.

[longbow]

I wonder what would happen if you loaded some birdshot loads with just plastic gas seals and card wads then shot them. That might scrub out some of that gunk. I guess if a copper chore boy isn't getting it out then lead shot won't either but it may be worth a try.

Yeah, I wouldn't drill and tap the barrel! A silver soldered cantilevered scope mount should be easy enough to add if you have the tools. Well that was a silly butt suggestion then wasn't it!?! I would have figured cantilever bases would be available but apparently not for barrels without a vent rib. I just did a quick search on Google.

One could be made but unless you can do it yourself the cost would be prohibitive I think.

You could drill and tap the receiver but if the gun is used for birdshot as well then that isn't terribly practical because you'd have to take the scope off.

A dilema!

Longbow

[JDHasty]

Brownells used to sell a solder on cantilever scope mount. I have a couple. They attached to the sight rib IIRC. I’ll have to look at one.

[Barry54]

326951

This shape sight has never worked well for me. Especially now! I generally do much better with aperture sights. Still, I don’t want to drill and tap the receiver.

Maybe I can find one that uses the trigger pin holes, so it won’t be a permanent modification?

And all of this is just for fun. We can hunt with rifles here on private land.

[Dan Cash]

Whittle a wooden plug; it ain't brain surgery.

[Barry54]

Whittle a wooden plug; it ain't brain surgery.

You must have missed it. I’ve been using a wine cork for two days now as a plug for the chamber end.

[country gent]

I would need to see the sight up close but the sight appears to be removable. a new upper could be made with the aperture. wouldnt be the best that far from the eye but might work better for you. Is that part plastic aluminum or steel. If steel a simple washer turned up with the appropriate aperture size soldered on.

A small tube soldered in to the sight it could be ground down deeper to fit the tube and give you the down elevation you need. Solder the tube in then bevel sides of ears into the tube with a mill or file. The tube being light could possibly be epoxied in place and the remains of the vee filled in with epoxy.

[JimB..]

The hydrogen peroxide mixed with vinegar will dissolve both lead and barrel steel, but it won’t affect plastic.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I can't believe that this problem hasn't been solved yet. Try this stuff https://www.amazon.com/Shooters-Choice-Lead-Remover-Glass/dp/B0000C529S

Any Lead Removal Solvent and a New Bronze Brush should handle this quickly. Hastings Barrels for shotguns are as good as it gets. I have never had any leading or plastic fouling in my A5 barrel that couldn't be removed in a few passes with just a Bronze Brush. But I also never had build up as bad as what you are dealing with. Whomever you got that barrel from was definitely not into gun maintenance !

When you do get it cleaned out dip your Plastic Wads in powdered Mica from BPI and that will eliminate the plastic fouling problem.

As far as .600 Round Balls in a 12 ga. I doubt you are going to see very much accuracy from that combo. In order to get a round ball to shoot it needs to be measuring at least .728 over the wad to pick up the rifling, or similar to properly seal a Smooth Bore.

I got a 1x1.5" 5 shot group out of my A5 with the Hastings Barrel using Slugs R Us Sabots. With Open Sights I think that is pretty.

You haven't said what gun your barrel is for. (Remington 870?) The Rear Sight shown is a Remington Sight.

Good Luck and I would stick with this project as long as it takes rather than selling it as is,,, just for the learning experience.

Randy

[Barry54]

I can't believe that this problem hasn't been solved yet. Try this stuff https://www.amazon.com/Shooters-Choice-Lead-Remover-Glass/dp/B0000C529S

Any Lead Removal Solvent and a New Bronze Brush should handle this quickly. Hastings Barrels for shotguns are as good as it gets. I have never had any leading or plastic fouling in my A5 barrel that couldn't be removed in a few passes with just a Bronze Brush. But I also never had build up as bad as what you are dealing with. Whomever you got that barrel from was definitely not into gun maintenance !

When you do get it cleaned out dip your Plastic Wads in powdered Mica from BPI and that will eliminate the plastic fouling problem.

As far as .600 Round Balls in a 12 ga. I doubt you are going to see very much accuracy from that combo. In order to get a round ball to shoot it needs to be measuring at least .728 over the wad to pick up the rifling, or similar to properly seal a Smooth Bore.

I got a 1x1.5" 5 shot group out of my A5 with the Hastings Barrel using Slugs R Us Sabots. With Open Sights I think that is pretty.

You haven't said what gun your barrel is for. (Remington 870?) The Rear Sight shown is a Remington Sight.

Good Luck and I would stick with this project as long as it takes rather than selling it as is,,, just for the learning experience.

Randy

Yes it’s an 870 barrel. Are you interested in it?

I think if it was lead or plastic, it would have been clean years ago. Or even rust. This stuff is about like melted glass.

As far as the 0.600” round ball loads, it’s approaching climax for me.

I’ll be selling my Lee 7/8 ounce slug mold here soon. Or even toss it in pay it forward. The 0.690” ball mold might be going away shortly thereafter.

[Barry54]

Another member here contacted me. He wants to take on the challenge of cleaning this barrel. I’ll be sending it out this week and looking forward to hearing about the results.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Yes, I was thinking it was Bubbled Rust cuz I've never seen leading that was that hard to get out. It is probably toast.

As far as being interested? I don't do 870's. I'm a Mossberg guy, and if you look at my sticky at the top you'll see why.

Randy

[JimB..]

For better or worse, I’m the “other member” that now has it.

Prepping meat for the smoker, but plan to get the bore scope in it and then probably fill it with acetone for an overnight soak. Scrub it out once the meat starts cooking tomorrow. It really looks like a lot of lead fouling, but probably some layering of lead, plastic and carbon. I have a good selection of solvents and mercury if needed.

[fjrdoc]

It just doesn't get any better (or more toxic) than lead and mercury! I would love to get ahold of enough mercury to use on rifle barrels. Any ideas on sources? Does mercury eventually become lead saturated or is it reusable indefinitely?

[JimB..]

It just doesn't get any better (or more toxic) than lead and mercury! I would love to get ahold of enough mercury to use on rifle barrels. Any ideas on sources? Does mercury eventually become lead saturated or is it reusable indefinitely?

Mercury is used in gold mining, you can purchase it without difficulty, but it’s gotten expensive.
You can distill mercury but it’s a specialized process, you don’t want to work it out by trial and error…you don’t get a lot of chances.

But about the barrel, I’ve tried chore-boy and frontier 45 both before and after soaking in acetone one night and then again in kroil one night. None of the usual bore cleaners touch the stuff, but that they come up clean and then later after scrubbing with a choreboy come up blue, making me think that the barrel is corroded. Polishing with bore polish had little if any effect.

Might try evapo-rust, being careful about the bluing of course.
Need to get the bore scope in there.

[K43]

Plasti-Dip might be a decent bluing protector. Goes on like spray paint, but is very easy to remove/peel off. It's popular with some car boy crowds who spend time change up wheel and grill colors.

[JimB..]

Plasti-Dip might be a decent bluing protector. Goes on like spray paint, but is very easy to remove/peel off. It's popular with some car boy crowds who spend time change up wheel and grill colors.

I’ll just cork the barrel, but interesting idea for sure! Might try it on a scrap barrel just to see if the liquid creeps under the coating.

[JDHasty]

I had a half gallon jug of HG until a few years ago. I sold it the scrap metal dealer for a lot of money. A whole lot of money. They were going to pay a hazardous waste company to take a bunch of stuff away when I was in college, I offered to take it for free. They took me up on it. I have about a pint that is in a separate container still. Gets the lead out, that’s for sure.

It was used in the manometers in the engineering lab and they hadn’t been used in a decade when they gave it to me.

[JDHasty]

It just doesn't get any better (or more toxic) than lead and mercury! I would love to get ahold of enough mercury to use on rifle barrels. Any ideas on sources? Does mercury eventually become lead saturated or is it reusable indefinitely?

My understanding is that Mercury can be separated from lead by a distillation process.

With gold recovered from black sand they used to hollow out a potato and bake it. Let it cool and the gold was in the cavity. Then mash the potato and pan it to recover the Mercury. Have never done it myself, but watched it done when I was a kid in Montana in the 1960s. I was a rather curious kid and asked a lot of questions. Probably more to it, but I remember that much.

[Texas by God]

I’m wondering if you could remove the sights, then heat the barrel with a propane torch and bounce the muzzle end on a wooden block.
“Shot out” .22 rifles can be made better by bouncing all that lead out- maybe it would work in this case as well.
Wear oven mitts!


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[Barry54]

I’m not convinced whatever is in that barrel is lead. I thought about heating it up and dunking it in ice water and trying to shock it to break it loose.

[JimB..]

My understanding is that Mercury can be separated from lead by a distillation process.

With gold recovered from black sand they used to hollow out a potato and bake it. Let it cool and the gold was in the cavity. Then mash the potato and pan it to recover the Mercury. Have never done it myself, but watched it done when I was a kid in Montana in the 1960s. I was a rather curious kid and asked a lot of questions. Probably more to it, but I remember that much.

I can’t figure out how that could work. The gold could be dissolve in the mercury, and the sand physically separated from the solution, but putting the solution in a potato and baking it won’t do anything below about 700F, and above that the potato is on fire and the mercury is boiling off. This would leave the gold behind, and it could then be panned from the ash, but it’s not exactly economical or environmentally sound.

[JimB..]

I’m not convinced whatever is in that barrel is lead. I thought about heating it up and dunking it in ice water and trying to shock it to break it loose.

I agree, the barrel looks frosted generally and the darker areas are not lead. I have some felt pads on the way, going to try polishing after evaporust. I don’t think it can be recovered, but I’m willing to keep trying for a while.

[nekshot]

Does it shoot ok. The sights can be moved but does the results of shootig work for your taste?

[JimB..]

I have not shot it.

Will work on posting borescope pics tonight, I’m not very good at it. They show some hard carbon and some pitting, but the bigger problem is the grooves running across the rifling, it looks like someone tried to clean it with a steel brush in a drill. The muzzle is also damaged, kinda feels like the reeding on the edge of a US dime, and very uniform.

Given the damage I don’t think it’ll ever be useful. Even if it shoots, it’ll be nearly impossible to clean.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Given the damage I don’t think it’ll ever be useful. Even if it shoots, it’ll be nearly impossible to clean.

If the damage is only at or near the muzzle maybe it can be cut off and re crowned. An 18" Bbl. with good rifling would still be a good shooting gun. I have shortened several barrels for my Mossberg's and they all shoot well. However they were all in perfect condition before I cut them and all I did was shorten them and or add Choke Tubes, but if the worst of the goop stuck in that barrel was near the Muzzle Shortening it might work.

Certainly better than using it for a Tomato Stake.

Randy

[fastdadio]

Just following along on this one. You guys got a handle on it. Just curious, if all else fails, can it be sleeved into a muzzle loader or smooth bore 12? Just thinking outside the box to find a way to keep it in the field.

[JimB..]

Given the damage I don’t think it’ll ever be useful. Even if it shoots, it’ll be nearly impossible to clean.

If the damage is only at or near the muzzle maybe it can be cut off and re crowned. An 18" Bbl. with good rifling would still be a good shooting gun. I have shortened several barrels for my Mossberg's and they all shoot well. However they were all in perfect condition before I cut them and all I did was shorten them and or add Choke Tubes, but if the worst of the goop stuck in that barrel was near the Muzzle Shortening it might work.

Certainly better than using it for a Tomato Stake.

Randy

Damage is from chamber to muzzle with the worst being in the 10” in front of the chamber. Let’s see if I can post some pics.327851327852327853327854327855

If this barrel could speak the stories it’d tell would make us weep.

[Barry54]

I knew it was bad. I’ve never been around a borescope before. Thanks for posting the pictures! I suppose it could be a good practice barrel for someone to try lengthening the forcing cone and back boring and make it a smooth bore.