honing 12ga chambers

[Firebricker]

I've got a brake cylender hone to hone my 12gauge chambers. My question is
what kind and how much oil and about what speed should I use?
Thanks in advance FB

[Four Fingers of Death]

I ain't no gunsmith, but I think I'd be using a proper chamber hone. They look like a minature car cylinder hone (brush with ball shaped blobs of carbonundum or grit stuff on the ends). They are sold by Bushnells (and others I suppose) and the special oil is available as well. Probably a lot cheaper than trashing a gun.

[gnoahhh]

What is your goal ? If all you wish to do is polish some surface rust away, I would use a piece of 3M Scotchbrite on a wooden dowel rod. Finish off with a big tuft of 0000 steel wool on the same dowel. No metal removal involved. If your goal is to remove pitting from a chamber then I would follow 4 fingers advise if it is really, really shallow pitting. (Lard oil cut with kerosene is as good a lubricant as any.) If you're faced with deep pitting I would give it a lick and a promise with the ball hone to just smooth it up a bit, then try it. If function is ok I would leave the rest of the pit alone. If on the other hand the pitting is really egregious, I would take it to a competent 'smith. I wish I had dollar for every barrel ruined by an enthusiastic amateur armed with some hones and a hand drill.

[Cap'n Morgan]

Brake honers works fine for lapping a shotgun chamber or removing rust and powder residue. It will take forever and a day if you are trying to remove pitting. Avoid going too deep and hit the cone and take care not to pull out the hone while it's still running. If it's a side by side or O/U, leave the extractor in place when honing. Kerosene or lamp oil will work fine, in fact, almost any oil will do.

[Firebricker]

No rust or pitting just polished em up to make shucking the hulls out easier. I used a light
oil on the stones using about medium speed. Everthing turned out good. FB

[Four Fingers of Death]

Glad it worked well for you. I now remember reading years ago about soldering a rod to the primer pocket or alternately drillin the primer pocket out and fitting a bolt and nut then splitting the shotshell down it's length on opposing sides, chucking it in a drill and using it to polish the chambers with a polish/grinding paste. Always felt like trying it, but never got around to it. Centrifigal force would force the sides of the split case out against the chamber wall and the nylon case would not be hard enough to do any damage, but should polish it well. Sounds good.