Rust between barrels of old s/s

[T-Bird]

I posted this question on another thread about this gun that is below. I decided to post the question as a topic. I have an old Baker s/s that has london twist barrels, had the gun about 15yrs., got it in a trade, and recently got the desire to shoot it with BP substitute shells. The gun is in really good condition, but there is a small gap at several spots between the ribs and the barrles. When I got it, there was a slight amt of rust there I cleaned all I could see and let as much oil as would run into the gaps. Now that I'm going to be shooting it, I would really like to get this rust out of the gaps and close the gaps. When I shot it the other day, I sprayed the gaps with WD40 after it's "bath" let it sit and rusty WD40 ran out later. The question is, how involved is it to have one or both ribs removed clean out the rust, and replace them, closing the gap so no more water can get in? Or should I just spray the gaps well with WD40 after I clean it and hope for the best. I really don't want this gun to fall apart on my "watch" based on what I can tell from the serial no. etc. it's around 115yrs. old. Shoot Straight, T-Bird

[home in oz]

The doubles I own, all have the rib solidly soldered to the barrels.

Is this a question for a gunsmith?

[scb]

The place I use to work at we re-tubed old doubles (and damaged modern ones) with modern hammer forged barrels. The procedure went as follows.
1. remove ribs.
2. bore the breach out to the cartridge rim diameter.
3. cut the barrels off leaving a 2.5 to 3.5" long mono block.
4. turn new barrels to match original contour except at breech were they were turned to a tight slip fit to the mono block.
5. tin everything - tubes, mono block, ribs, and forend hanger.
6. solder tubes into mono block and cool.
7. re-regulate barrels.
8. re-solder ribs
9. bore barrels
10. polish an slow rust blue barrels.

Anyway. during the boring process we would push the barrels using a hollow center that we forced cutting oil thru. It was VERY common to have that cutting oil "leak" out of the barrels where they had actually rusted thru in the area in between the ribs. Especially on Damascus or twist steel barrels.

I guess what I'm saying is be very careful. I've also seen many of these barrels that have split or come apart. They seem to have a nasty habit of doing so right about where your left hand would be if your a right handed shooter.

[mold maker]

Don't trust WD40 to stop rust long term. It penetrates and displaces water at the time it's applied. It is not a rust preventative. It is not even a long term lubricant.
What it does do is seep into very small cracks to break the bond that rust has caused.

[T-Bird]

well then, how involved is it to remove the rib (a gunsmith) and inspect the damage. I'm not a gunsmith, I'm a veterinarian. The barrels have not thus far rusted thru- I have successfully shot it on a dove shoot last week. The reason I ask this question here, is that over the years I always find someone here that knows much more about my problem than I do, and can steer me in the right direction. In this case, saving me a long drive to the gunsmith if the process I'm asking about is always very expensive (which would make it out of the question) or sometimes really not that involved--and thus feasable. Shoot Straight T-Bird

[scb]

The ribs have to be removed. When I was doing this sort of work we would then bead blast everything. You can't get good solder joints with dirty metal. Bead blasting also allows you to see the extent of the damage in between the barrels. Re-tinning will afford some future protection from corrosion. Think galvanized pail. The barrels would then have to be re-regulated and the ribs re-attached. The barrels would have to be polished and re-blued or in this case re-Damascus browned. Do not allow anyone to hot blue them. The reason for the corrosion between the barrels is that all bluing or browning solutions have some corrosive, usually acidic, component. Some of this solution invariably get trapped between the barrels and is practically impossible to completely neutralize. If your going to spend the money to have this done be sure you find someone that knows what they are doing. I've been out of this business for 13 years but if I needed this done I'd try to find out if Tony Galazan as still in business. I'm sure there are other but none I know off the top of my head.

[T-Bird]

scb you're right, some dunderhead that had the gun before me, blued the barrels- probably cold blue.The process you described sounds expensive. T-Bird

[scb]

13 years ago we were charging in the neighborhood of $300 for what is required.

[T-Bird]

that's reasonable, and doable if inflation isn't too bad. T-Bird