Bores dark?

[Marplot]

Looking at a seller description in a pair of antique pistols, says, "Bores are dark and lightly pitted throughout," is likely a serious detriment? or can be cleaned up?

[rich pierce]

It shouldn’t affect value for many original pistols. Of course is fancy cased sets, this would be a negative. But a gun with dark (rusty) pitted bird is not going to shoot without some work.

[Marplot]

This is a fancy cased set. "not going to shoot without some work." If I wanted to shoot, what kind of work would need to be done, as the seller also says, "Lightly pitted."

Maybe just abrasive cloth?


 

[J.M.Browning]

On my Vintage black powder firearms I never use anything other than nylon brush & patches, all you can achieve is a cleaner bore . The effects of corrosion are not reversible. The last thing I want to do is remove any parent material NO abrasive material .

[snapper]

I have a cased pair of pistols that I picked up a few years ago.   I have shot them, but only one session.  Had a hoot and they shot well.

Sounds like you wont be shooting them much.   Does it matter to you for what you want to do it the bores are dark?

Fleener

[J.M.Browning]

I have a cased pair of pistols that I picked up a few years ago.   I have shot them, but only one session.  Had a hoot and they shot well.

Sounds like you wont be shooting them much.   Does it matter to you for what you want to do it the bores are dark?

Fleener

I think this was a realistic question of someone trying to learn - gain knowledge Most Forum's are welcoming ?

[Bob Roller]

I was not joking about an adjustable chucking reamer because I have done this.A lathe and tools to measure accurately and some cutting oil or similar fluid.
Bob Roller

[Pukka Bundook]

C Bill,
Most bores are dark if we are talking 18 th or early 19th C.
it's not a problem usually.
Flint bores are nearly always better than percussion, as the mercury in the old caps ate them up.
emery on a rod can take out some pepper rust fast, but a dark bore I don't see as a problem usually.

[Daryl]

Important question, are they rifled?  If rifled, a lap cast on a jag can be used with VERY fine abrasive compounds to help with "light" pitting.
If the bores are smooth easier yet, maroon Scothbrite on a jag with some form of light oil and scrub away. I use WD40 - it works, but merely smooths the pitting
but does not remove enough metal to remove the pits. That will take boring, which you don't want to do.

[Swampyankee]

Blackie Thomas has a video where he cleans up a dark bore in a MLing rifle. He used household items,  two of them being vinegar and baking soda, both being given time to soak. Vinegar to cut the crud and baking soda to neutralize the acid of the vinegar. As I recall there was a third step in the process that I can't remember ATM. I did a search but he has so many videos I couldn't find it.
 Of course his subject was a TC or Traditions rifle, so he was dealing with modern metal, not sure it might not be too aggressive for older metals.   

[Dphariss]

Just be aware the “pitting” even light pitting can result in a “crawdad hole” that can result in a leak or a failure. And the barrels will need to be inspected and proved.