Working over some barrels

cayugad · 02-01-2009, 12:13 PM

I have an old rifle that was given to me that was in very bad shape. The person that gave it to me fouled the barrel and then never cleaned it for months. And of course it was badly rusted inside the bore. And outside the bore.

Today I wanted to test what the Montana X-treme products could do for that barrel. I first ran a Windex patch down the barrel and it came up with a clean patch. So I followed the directions of Montana X-treme.

I took a cleaning jag and patch. I saturated the patch with Montana X-treme Cowboy Solvent. I swabbed the bore with that patch. It came up gray....

I then according to directions, took a bore brush and dipped it in the Cowboy solvent and gave the bore ten strokes. I dipped again, and gave it ten more. I continued this for 50 strokes with a bore brush.

I then took a patch saturated in Cowboy Solvent and swabbed the bore. It came out of that bore I am embarrassed to say, black. The fouling that the brush and solventpulled out of that barrel was impressive. I saturated another patch and continued to swab out the bore. The patches got progressively cleaner until finally they did come out clean. It took four patches.

I then patched the bore dry. And applied a patch with Montana X-treme Bore Conditioner. I dropped a bore light down the bore and I must say, the barrel is pitted, but it actually was trying to shine. I think a few more applications like already done might bring that old barrel back to some life.

It is a good shooting rifle with 70 grains of powder and a patched ball, so it will be interesting to see what happens to the rifle in the future.

I then decided to risk a White Ultra Mag barrel. I knew this barrel is clean. But I decided to treat it as if it were an unknown barrel. So I took the rifle apart and swabbed the bore with Cowboy solvent. Then took a brush and gave it thirty strokes (as I was sure it was clean). The next solvent patch came up with a little fowling. I suspect lead. I was surprised. So I ran another through and it came up clean. I then dry patched it. And then ran Bore Conditioner through it. Looking through that Ultra Mag bore, it shines like a mirror.

According to Don at Western Powder.. those that shoot BlackHorn and have carbon build up on the breech plugs, some scotch brite and cowboy solvent will take that carbon off the plugs.

SWThomas · 02-01-2009, 01:01 PM

Cool test! I haven't had any issues with getting fouling or BH209 build-up off the breech plug. I just let it soak in a parts bath and then use q-tips to get the heavy stuff off. Sometimes I have to use a .22 bore brush on the face of the breech plug to loosen up the baked on fouling but it's not so bad that I need to buy something else to remove it.

hunting junkie · 02-01-2009, 04:25 PM

cayugadfirst of all thanks for the report,i use a 20 guage bore brushon my 50 caliburs that should not hurt the
barrel should it? It fits tighter and cleans faster.

cayugad · 02-01-2009, 04:30 PM

I've never tried a brush that big. I am surprised that you can push that through. Whether it would hurt the barrel I could not say. I use a .54 caliber brush in my .50's. I always like to go up one size.

hunting junkie · 02-01-2009, 04:34 PM

Ok thanks,it sure does do a good job though

Breechplug · 02-02-2009, 07:11 AM

Cayugag, I did a test with the MX BC on my 2 brand new ACCURA Barrel's. Since they have never been used I wanted to treat them and also see if anything came out of them. Being Bargara Barrel's and having been polished with Diamond Tipped Bits to a mirror like finish, I wanted to see if the MX pulled anything out. I applied the MX BC to some patches, ran them through the barrel a few time each patch, then dry patched. The dry patches came out a little (silver) in color, not too much just a little. So I repeated the process with the MX BC and left them sit overnight. The next day I ran a few more dry patches through, and the same thing. Being new, what might the MX be pulling out? Could it be small dust like fragments from the barrel finishing process? I put more MX BC through them, let them sit another day and dry patched, this time the patches were clean and the barrel's were so shinny inside that it hurt my eyes looking through them at a lightbulb. I still have'nt tried the test on the MX on shooting and the results as the weather around here is still cold and snowy & windy.

cayugad · 02-02-2009, 07:18 AM

I think that BC pulled all the little dust out,that was missed at the factory. Your barrel must be smooth as glass and look like a mirror. Good job. And be sure to check where your first shot hits, in relation to the rest of the group. Remember, when you swab... no alcohol. Sabotloader uses a very lightly Windex misted patch. I've been using a spit patch. I just lay it on my tongue enough to get moisture. And then swab.

We are luck that someone with brand new rifles is using the product from the get go.. as you are kind of a control subject. We can base our findings off of what you experience. Between all of us, we will get this product figured out and evaluated...

Breechplug · 02-02-2009, 07:49 AM

Thank's Dave, that's what I figured also, a brand new barrel, never shot, and treated from the get-go with MX BC. I'll keep everyone posted on my findings. The weather looks like it may break soon and I cant wait to shoot, I got shooter withdrawl real bad!

rafsob · 02-03-2009, 06:44 AM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: cayugad

I think that BC pulled all the little dust out,that was missed at the factory. Your barrel must be smooth as glass and look like a mirror. Good job. And be sure to check where your first shot hits, in relation to the rest of the group. Remember, when you swab... no alcohol. Sabotloader uses a very lightly Windex misted patch. I've been using a spit patch. I just lay it on my tongue enough to get moisture. And then swab.

We are luck that someone with brand new rifles is using the product from the get go.. as you are kind of a control subject. We can base our findings off of what you experience. Between all of us, we will get this product figured out and evaluated...

Dave you say no alcohol. Is this something you do when cleaning all your guns or just whenusing this product? I usually use alcohol after cleaning my barrels and then coat them with a light amount of Remoil.

SHulion · 02-03-2009, 09:58 AM

I think he just wants to know if it will shoot the first shot in the group without a fouling shot or removing the Bore Conditioner with an alcohol patch. I shot mine the other day after usingthe MX bore conditionerand all I did was dry patch with two patches and shot. The first shor was dead on left and right but about two inches higher than it should have been. I think next time I will dry patch the excess BC out and run a alcohol patch just to make sure. Who knows though, that first shot cound have been me. It was the first shot of the day.