Long Rifles

[Bible Totin Gun Slinger]

I have been into these long Rifles for about 30 years. From my perspective out west here they almost became a thing of the past, a time or two.
Then I discovered a large number of folk in what I call "Back East" .   And I lost interest for a few years after I had used up my barrel, and was unable to find a new one. I contacted several so called barrel makers, Green Mountain quit selling them, Dixie Gun works didn't have anything.
It was like my best friend died, I loved that long gun too much. It hurt.
Then out of the blue I get a call from a barrel company, They made me a new barrel.
Now All of a sudden I see(Again, my perspective) lots of people into this.
So after 3 months of iron work, I am re barrelled.  Life is good again, all them modern firearms are,,,,boring.
Its like my dog came home, or like I got over a bad physical ailment.

So ya'll be puttin up with me for a while.

[jamesthomas]

 How did you "use up" your barrel? if you used a patched round ball you should be able to shoot a barrel forever.

[Acer Saccharum]

Welcome aboard, gunslinger.

James, you can wear a barrel out in one season by using a fiberglass loading/cleaning rod. Or a wooden rod with dirt on it.

[Bible Totin Gun Slinger]

How did you "use up" your barrel? if you used a patched round ball you should be able to shoot a barrel forever.

I do not know for sure, but strongly suspect, that cleaning it in motel rooms with less than hot enough water, and failing to get it dry enough caused rust, Also I shot up 26 LB of GOEX, almost 3000 balls. No fiberglass ramrod.
Also I suspect the lube I was using is less than good enough.

[Bible Totin Gun Slinger]

Welcome aboard, gunslinger.

James, you can wear a barrel out in one season by using a fiberglass loading/cleaning rod. Or a wooden rod with dirt on it.

THANK YOU for the welcome.

[KLMoors]

Great story! Welcome aboard.

[kaintuck]

Ahhhhh....another 'convert'
Welcome to the madness.....
By the way.....we REALLY aren't into rifles here.....it just that we buy so many tools....we have to do SOMETHING with them!
Marc

[Dphariss]

How did you "use up" your barrel? if you used a patched round ball you should be able to shoot a barrel forever.

I do not know for sure, but strongly suspect, that cleaning it in motel rooms with less than hot enough water, and failing to get it dry enough caused rust, Also I shot up 26 LB of GOEX, almost 3000 balls. No fiberglass ramrod.
Also I suspect the lube I was using is less than good enough.

You may know this stuff but I will run it out there anyway.
Actually not having hot water should not be an issue.  Not using ENOUGH water can be an issue. But drying should not be a problem either. IF soft knappy cotton patches are used. Patches like the old milspec stuff are often not all that good at soaking up water. Being intended for solvent based nitro fouling/copper fouling removers. I like to buy knappy diaper flannel or CAREFULLY look at any precuts I buy. Running a wadded patch into the breech with a worm or a small bore brush will usually dry it well. Especially with an open vent or removed nipple so that airflow through the vent after most of the water is soaked up can help dry the bore. This will promote drying when cool or warm water is used without the flash rusting the occurs with really hot water. 3000 rounds should not wear out a steel barrel but alloy might be a factor. Stranger things have happened and I learn more all the time and I started about 1965-66.
If its rough lapping may fix it. If its not rough a larger ball might work.
Its really hard to diagnose  remotely you need a knowledgeable ML gunsmith or barrel maker to look at it. If its a straight barrel, no taper then Green Mountain barrels might be found. If its a swamp then someone will have to make a new barrel or recut it. Ed Rayle will recut barrels as will some others and this may be your best answer if its past lapping to repair. Paying for a rebore is better than installing a new barrel if the dimensions will allow it,.
Regardless,  you have found a valuable site for the ML shooter/builder.  Welcome.
Dan

[Bible Totin Gun Slinger]

Thanks Dan, Looking at the muzzle, for 6 inches, it don't look bad. But the rest of the way down the rifling’s are all but gone, I have a good bore light. It will shoot but like you said, a bigger ball, thicker patch, but forget about the rifling’s. Maybe it was made out of cheese. It was Italian. I dunno if it could be turned into a 54. My gun smith thinks it was rust.
When new. this barrel was a good shooter, but comparing it to this Colerain, it was rifled differently. I should reword that, this Colerain is rifled different.
It was Made in Pennsylvania, probable by Germans or Dutch, they had no care for how it looks on the outside, but inside it looks good.

[54ball]

 Firstly welcome to the ALR, the best place on the internet to learn about the American Longrifle.

It was Made in Pennsylvania, probable by Germans or Dutch, they had no care for how it looks on the outside, but inside it looks good.

 I'm a little confused by this. Are you referring to your rusty Italian barrel?

Do you mean your new Colerain barrel that needs to draw filed to smooth to finish it on the outside?

 Do you mean your rifle is poorly finished and that statement implies that originals by the Pennsylvanian Dutch were intentionally done that way?

 Even the so called Barn guns of the 19th century were finished with some care.
 Take a look at the museum to see how originals were really finished. Some of these show age and neglect but you can tell they were finished as new with a great measure of craftsmanship, especially considering the conditions in which they were built.

 If you best is not good, it's still your best and the folks on here will help you improve on that.  All you can ask of someone is to do their best.

 On the other hand if you are not doing your best have no interest in improving and even make the very untrue excuse, original makers did no better then that's unfortunate.

 Some of the "blacksmith" made guns may have been poorly finished, but even those guys did their best or were at least trying.

 So do your best and the builders here will help you out as best they can.  Make excuses for poor work and statements not based in fact.... not so much.


 As far as your barrel problems....
 Clean after each session, water need not be hot.
 Run white patches till clean
 Since Sperm oil is illegal, use a good quality gun oil
 Re check, re clean and re oil after a few days
 Seasoning barrels is baloney, get the bore clean and oil it
 Most modern substitute powders are actually more corrosive than BP so clean religiously no matter what you use.

[bob in the woods]

I have more than twice that # of shots through my barrel, and the rifling is still in great shape. I clean with room temp. water, followed by dry patches, then a couple of patches with WD 40.  This doesn't take very long....the barrel is usually not all that dirty, since the lube and patching pretty much cleans it as I shoot.  Leaving the bore damp ie not drying it well enough would certainly play havoc.

[Barngunguy]

a, probable by Germans or Dutch, they had no care for how it looks on the outside

I just took ownership of a new lr made bt a Pa Dutchman. He has been doing it for 50 yrs. I asked for a barn gun and
we settled on a few pieces of furntire. But its a plain gun.

I can tell you this much its made with every bit of care that goes into a rifle costing twice as much.

the sights are right on and it shoots excellent.
that dutchman does a great job and takes pride in what
he builds.

I apologize for ranting but that was an uncalled for attack.