A barrel I want to salvage

[tom coffey]

Here a couple of pics of a barrel I would like to use. It has seven grooves so I cannot accurately measure land to land. The best I can do is 3/8" with my calipers. The barrel is currently in a half-stock but  lugs have been removed that indicate either  the stock has been shortened or changed. How should I start, knowing the barrel is unloaded, and unobstructed, to clean the bore? And what caliber would it be? 40? Thanks.

[Mattox Forge]

If you know someone with gauge pins, you could have them help you determine what the bore size is.

Mike

[rich pierce]

I start by un-breeching the barrel. If it has a drum, often it is threaded into the breech plug and it must be removed first. Next, I start with a loose-fitting jag- green scotchbrite combination with the barrel saturated with any water-soluble solvent like WD-40. Expect to ruin a lot of scotchbrite. Sometimes I’ll plug the barrel and drum and fill it with solvent to loosen things up. After I get to where I can pass a scotchbrite patch without shredding it and things are not muddy I take a look. Then decisions are made on whether I will re-cut the rifling.

[okawbow]

The muzzle looks filed or coned. You will need to push a lead slug through the barrel and measure that to get an accurate bore diameter. The muzzle is larger than the bore.

[tom coffey]

The breech plug came out easier than I expected. I pushed several pieces of red scotchbrite pad thru the bore and it now looks pretty good. The barrel will soak for a few days in Evaporust.

The muzzle after a brushing.

[tom coffey]

I am pleased at how good the barrel looked after about 14 hours in Evaporust. I believe it will brown nicely when the time comes.  There are very few dents and dings to fix.
 I found a drill bit that fit the bore, a little on the tight side, and checked it with my micrometer. Looks like .3518 +/- to me. I suppose I'll try .350 balls and figure out what patch to use?
It's all back in the soak ' til tomorrow. Then I'll work on cleaning the bore some more.

[tom coffey]

The bore is not cleaning up like I hoped it would. My original goal was to at least get the lands shiny. Now I would settle for a bore that did not snag patches. I'm still working on that.

[JTR]

I start by un-breeching the barrel. If it has a drum, often it is threaded into the breech plug and it must be removed first. Next, I start with a loose-fitting jag- green scotchbrite combination with the barrel saturated with any water-soluble solvent like WD-40. Expect to ruin a lot of scotchbrite. Sometimes I’ll plug the barrel and drum and fill it with solvent to loosen things up. After I get to where I can pass a scotchbrite patch without shredding it and things are not muddy I take a look. Then decisions are made on whether I will re-cut the rifling.

Send it to Rich to fresh up the rifling for you!
John

[Mule Brain]

There is a fascinating section in the book "For Beginners Only", which goes into detail about salvaging old bores.