Breaking in a new Hawken
01-15-2016, 07:18 PM
#12
Banned
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Boncarbo,Colorado
Posts: 9,186
Yes and much more gentle on the rifling. You can use your regular shooting loads with it as well.
I actually did a little cleaning on my 58 yesterday with it, 18 shots total with charges ranging from 20gr 2fg so I could get deep down in the breech section, and all the way up to 80 to get a little more pressure behind that patch.
In this new 54 we'll probably take at least 25 more shots to get that muzzle cleaned up good.
Its looking great and we were both tickled at how well she shot for being a new unfinished rifle.
I actually put some epoxy on the inside of the lock to bed it to the barrel so theres no gaps for the percussion cap fouling to shoot into. Once I test that out, I'll most likely do that to my 58 Hawken as well.
This .58 barrel on my rifle has a couple thousand shots through it and in the past, has gotten a little rusty. Towards the breech there felt like a ring in the barrel from where the ball sits on the powder. I thought it was possibly "throat" erosion but after running 18 shots through it with the break in lube, the rings I was feeling have shrunk greatly. I'm not sure what to make of it though.
Halfway point on my 58 barrel before,
After
Each picture is taken from the same section of the barrel. I mark the cord on my camera with masking tape and label what caliber and what spot I am looking at.
I actually did a little cleaning on my 58 yesterday with it, 18 shots total with charges ranging from 20gr 2fg so I could get deep down in the breech section, and all the way up to 80 to get a little more pressure behind that patch.
In this new 54 we'll probably take at least 25 more shots to get that muzzle cleaned up good.
Its looking great and we were both tickled at how well she shot for being a new unfinished rifle.
I actually put some epoxy on the inside of the lock to bed it to the barrel so theres no gaps for the percussion cap fouling to shoot into. Once I test that out, I'll most likely do that to my 58 Hawken as well.
This .58 barrel on my rifle has a couple thousand shots through it and in the past, has gotten a little rusty. Towards the breech there felt like a ring in the barrel from where the ball sits on the powder. I thought it was possibly "throat" erosion but after running 18 shots through it with the break in lube, the rings I was feeling have shrunk greatly. I'm not sure what to make of it though.
Halfway point on my 58 barrel before,
After
Each picture is taken from the same section of the barrel. I mark the cord on my camera with masking tape and label what caliber and what spot I am looking at.
Last edited by MountainDevil54; 09-23-2018 at 01:05 PM.
01-16-2016, 08:02 AM
#14
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,746
That bore looks much better. I may have to order some of that lube just as a bore polish.
As for finishing a stock I've been staining my with a color of my choosing then after it dries thoroughly I applied (sprayed) a few coats of clear satin polyurethane.
The last stock I finished I used Tru-oil and put on about 10 coats buffing each with steel wool after drying.
As for finishing a stock I've been staining my with a color of my choosing then after it dries thoroughly I applied (sprayed) a few coats of clear satin polyurethane.
The last stock I finished I used Tru-oil and put on about 10 coats buffing each with steel wool after drying.
