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Gunsmithing cleaning bolt action rifle for friend

AZIROC

AZIROC

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jan 27, 2012
283
51
Avondale, AZ
well, mostly the barrel. I forget the type of rifle at the moment. i just know it shoots 30-06 and hes more of a recreational shooter. It was his dads and now its his. rifle is roughly 25 years old. he said his dad didnt clean it that much and he cleans the action and runs a patch through the barrel.

anywho, he said the barrel is really dirty and asked me to clean it for him (said he would buy me a few lbs of powder for doing it). I havent cleaned a barrel that dirty and that neglected, so i am looking for suggestions. I figure I would first start with getting the fouling out. I prefer mpro-7. so ill prob soak the inside of the barrel with mpro for a bit then clean(rinse and repeat) till the fouling is gone. then I will attack it with copper solvent and i am sure its going to take 4-5 times to get it all out. any idea what i should do after this?


I dont have any idea on how the crowning is, so that may be something he needs to do if its bad. would lapping it be worth it? again, hes a rec shooter and is more then happy hitting a pie plate size piece of metal at 300 yards.
 
Re: cleaning bolt action rifle for friend

crown,if needed,must be recutted,not lapped,w the proper brownell's tool_(the time will be more or less the same,but the result well better)_ if the barrel is REALLY AGED-DIRTY, beside the soakings with KROIL and all today superproducts,the process can be speeded insering a plastic coated rod ( a any-metal rod coated with electric heat-shrink tubing)threaded at one end to accept bronze bristle/patches/etc.,wit the opposite end inserted in a battery drill with adjustable/reverse speeds_ if you are extra-careful,you will change often the heat-shrink coating,to be sure that's not grit imbedded,or more simply at any pass you scrub it w.a petroleum-soaked clean rag_going really slow and cautious,you will spare hours of time and gymnastics_ if you have a suitable container,take away the entire barreled action and drown it in petroleum,as first move_ good work
 
Re: cleaning bolt action rifle for friend

If its real bad, fire lapping may be necessary. Your friend can order a complete kit at davidtubb.com. Depending on the level of neglect, it may be the only way to bring the barrel back around. I believe the kit will cost around $40. Good luck.
 
Re: cleaning bolt action rifle for friend

ok, thanks for the input guys. when i get the rifle I will clean it and get the copper out then post pics with a bore scope to see if it needs anything else.
 
Re: cleaning bolt action rifle for friend

Wipe Out is good stuff. Another suggestion is to go to Father Frogs home page and access the information on making an electric powered bore cleaner...uses flashlight battery power and will really scrub the carbon out without elbow grease.
 
Re: cleaning bolt action rifle for friend

Wipe Out is good stuff. Better then going the electric drill and brush route that can very easily cause more harm then good.

It would be useful to know the round count. Most sporting rifles used mainly for hunting have less then 20/year average. Biggest problem is rust from neglect.

If the OP has a bore scope he is way more advanced then the average shooter.

OFG
 
Re: cleaning bolt action rifle for friend

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: oldfatguy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Wipe Out is good stuff. Better then going the electric drill and brush route that can very easily cause more harm then good.

It would be useful to know the round count. Most sporting rifles used mainly for hunting have less then 20/year average. Biggest problem is rust from neglect.

If the OP has a bore scope he is way more advanced then the average shooter.

OFG </div></div>

I didnt want to go the drill way, just cause that way just scares me (for the barrels sake). I dont know exact round count, but in the few years my friend has owned this rifle, i know hes put 1000's of rounds through it. I will more then likely just pull the action out and give it a once over and give the barrel a good cleaning and see what i am dealing with once the copper is gone. I do have some wipe-out available, i will give that a shot. I just wasnt sure if there was something inbetween a good cleaning and lapping the barrel that i may have missed.


Sidenote; i know there are bullets you can buy that "lap" the barrel as you shoot them, would those be worth doing? he reloads so he would have no trouble making/shooting them.
 
Re: cleaning bolt action rifle for friend

With 1000s of rounds down the tube a good conventional cleaning, copper & carbon removers, are a good place to start. Then take a look and see what you are dealing with. If indicated, you can move on to the more aggressive options.


OFG
 
Re: cleaning bolt action rifle for friend

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: AZIROC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I dont know exact round count, but in the few years my friend has owned this rifle, i know hes put 1000's of rounds through it. </div></div> <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: AZIROC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">again, hes a rec shooter and is more then happy hitting a pie plate size piece of metal at 300 yards. </div></div> Soo...does it still shoot? Is he wanting it cleaned 'just because', or because it can't hit anything?

I bought a bubba-fied 1903 at a pawn shop 15 years ago. I spent HOURS running patch after patch through, scrubbing the shit out of this thing till my arm got tired. It didn't look any different, it was disgustingly filthy. I got sick of trying, so took it out and shot it... 1.5 MOA. Haven't cleaned it since, and a few deer have slept in my freezer from coming near that rifle.

If it shoots accurately enough for his needs/wants, who cares? If not, then ignore everything I just said
grin.gif
 
Re: cleaning bolt action rifle for friend

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: pdogsbeware</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: AZIROC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I dont know exact round count, but in the few years my friend has owned this rifle, i know hes put 1000's of rounds through it. </div></div> <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: AZIROC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">again, hes a rec shooter and is more then happy hitting a pie plate size piece of metal at 300 yards. </div></div> Soo...does it still shoot? Is he wanting it cleaned 'just because', or because it can't hit anything?

I bought a bubba-fied 1903 at a pawn shop 15 years ago. I spent HOURS running patch after patch through, scrubbing the shit out of this thing till my arm got tired. It didn't look any different, it was disgustingly filthy. I got sick of trying, so took it out and shot it... 1.5 MOA. Haven't cleaned it since, and a few deer have slept in my freezer from coming near that rifle.

If it shoots accurately enough for his needs/wants, who cares? If not, then ignore everything I just said
grin.gif
</div></div>

I havent gone shooting with him in a long while (he lives on the other side of town plus he goes to a spot even FURTHER away). What He was telling me was the last few times hes gone out shooting, he normally has no problem shooting a steel plate he always takes out. Normally he starts at 100 yards but ends up out at 400. the past few times he hasnt been able to hit the plate at 400 where up till then, he has. I asked him how the crown looked, and he said fine. i asked if his scope/base were loose, and he said no. so i asked whens the last him he actually CLEANED the rifle, he said he didnt remember. When i asked hm whens the last time he cleaned the copper out of the barrel, i could SEE the "deer in the headlights" look through the chat log. lol. after I explained to him what it does and entails, he said never.


where he shoots out in the desert, i am sure the action has dirty/sand in it. prob not alot, but some. I will prob get the rifle sometime over the weekend. If i remember, I will post pics of the before and after. I know this rifle isnt sub MOA at 100 yards, but i have seen pics of his steel plates at 400 yards and they are a pretty decent grouping (id guess roughly 6 inch group.. which at 400 yards is just outside of moa. so not bad). so for him to be missing, something is up.


Side note; I remember my g/f's dad was complaining his KAHR 45 kept having FTF, FTE, and the trigger was horrible. its his ankle gun when he goes horseback riding (hes 75, lives on a farm and does endurance racing). well i got it home and took it apart. holy crap, i wish i took pics. I dont think its EVER been cleaned. the trigger group/lower was full of mud/dirt and hay. the slide/firing pin was the same way. HOW small pieces of hay get in the firing pin area, i will never now. after 3 hours, it was better then new. Gave it back to him, and he went out to shoot.. nothing. i looked at it.. puzzled.. then saw he went and got 45 GAP and not ACP. lol.
 
Re: cleaning bolt action rifle for friend

Butches Bore Shine. Soak some patches, run down the barrel and let it sit for 2 beers. Then scrub with brush. Then Soaked patches again. Wait 2 beers. Then scrub with brush. Repeat until dry patches come out clean with no blue. Shouldnt take more than an hr.
 
Re: cleaning bolt action rifle for friend

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jig Stick</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Butches Bore Shine. Soak some patches, run down the barrel and let it sit for 2 beers. Then scrub with brush. Then Soaked patches again. Wait 2 beers. Then scrub with brush. Repeat until dry patches come out clean with no blue. Shouldnt take more than an hr. </div></div>

I should tell my friend this way, hes all about the wait X beers timer. lol
 
Re: cleaning bolt action rifle for friend

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: AZIROC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I do have some wipe-out available, i will give that a shot. I just wasnt sure if there was something inbetween a good cleaning and lapping the barrel that i may have missed.</div></div>

Not really.
Give it a complete cleaning with wipe out, then shoot for groups and see what it's doing.
I would avoid fire lapping as long as possible as all it really is doing is artificially wearing the throat more than normal to try to even out the wear which may be uneven now.
 
Re: cleaning bolt action rifle for friend

in all honest, I think it just needs a really good cleaning. it is prob layered in copper. Idk if he used some weird ammo, or corrosive old stuff, or what he actually did. its more now im more curious then anything to see this rifle.
 
Re: cleaning bolt action rifle for friend

** small update **

I got the rifle today. its a Remington 700 in 30-06. i took the bore scope to it and the barrel looked like it was gold inside.
smirk.gif
well I ran some reg cleaner through it to get the normal fouling out and am now doing the copper remover. i went from letting the stuff sit for approx 10 mins at a time, to now around 30 mins at a time. im about 20-25 patches into the copper cleaning so far and its still coming out, but it has been alittle less now. I was hoping to have the rifle done tonight cause i will be on the other side of town again tomorrow, but that isnt happening. I have to do a few things before the night is over so i am going to let this last time set for a good hour. I may run some #9 through it over night and let it sit.

I asked him when the last time he cleaned the bolt/trigger, he said never and he doesnt remember his dad doing it. The bolt i have taken apart and cleaned it. the spring wasnt TO bad, but the inside of the bolt was just insanely dirty. now, its spotless.


EDIT: well its been about 2 more hours, each time i let it set for an hour. 95% is out and looks beautiful inside. but the last 3-4 inches, most is out, but its just being stubborn inside the groves. i may have to just go crazy with the brush to get it out.
 
Re: cleaning bolt action rifle for friend

well i was up later then i thought last night and finished it up. everything is spotless again. my only question is if anyone can tell me if this is normal. (hopefully the pic comes out ok) the last.. idk.. 4 inches of the barrel, its this brown color, almost looks like rust. but its not rust. ive tried every cleaner and brush i can think of to get it off but it doesnt. is this normal on r700's? its roughly 25-30 years old. From the throat all the way to thee last 4 inches of the barrel, its spotless and the normal metal color.

EDIT: ill have to come back and edit cause my email doesnt want to send the pics

EDIT: here are pics.
This is a pic from the bore scope. didnt come out to well, but u can see the brown'ish streak start towards the bottom of the pic.


this is just a cell pic of the end of the barrel to see thee brown im talking about


 
Re: cleaning bolt action rifle for friend

ok, ill do that. I used everything but wipe-out on it. ill let it set over the night. thanks.
 
Re: cleaning bolt action rifle for friend

That brown stuff is copper. Pretty normal to see it at the muzzle end.
 
Re: cleaning bolt action rifle for friend

Butchs for the fouiling and Wipe out with the accelerator for copper. It works wonders.
 
Re: cleaning bolt action rifle for friend

well the wipe out worked well, I hit it with another 12 hour soak, so we will see if it gets it out. but its looking better.
 
Re: cleaning bolt action rifle for friend

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: AZIROC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">well the wipe out worked well, I hit it with another 12 hour soak, so we will see if it gets it out. but its looking better. </div></div>

Thank you for the validation.
That shit works better for me than any other method.

I prefer the non-invasive aproach to cleaning.
The fewer things you shove down the barrel, the lower your likelyhood of screwing something up.

Also, i'm lazy and don't like to scrub and scrub and scrub...
 
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