Old Remington 1100 Shotgun Barrel Cleaning

merbeau · May 28, 2013, 03:31 PM

Hi

I have a Remington 1100 magnum that was purchased in 1971 and basically has sat in the gun safe for years. I took the barrel off and went about cleaning the shotgun and looked down the barrel. The barrel does not have a polished look, but rather dull and patchy. I tried the standard bronze brush with Rem 40x without any affect. There is no aparent rust. The chamber looks fine.

Would something like JB Non Embedding Bore cleaner be useful to try and see if it will clean up or should I take it the gunsmith to have it honed.

Thanks

Robert

g.willikers · May 28, 2013, 05:54 PM

Assuming you mean a smooth barrel, not a rifled one, shotgun barrels don't have to be all that clean and shiny.
Honing might not improve things at all, quite the opposite.
They are thin.
You could try one of the ammonia cleaners, or one of the more aggressive bore cleaners with grit in it, as you've suggested.
But it isn't really necessary for the gun to shoot well.

Pahoo · May 28, 2013, 06:56 PM

A few years back, someone introduced me to a "Tornado". Was very skeptical about using one and have never been sorry I did. Now I have quite a few calibers as well as my 12, 20 and .410. They are worth the small amount of money you will spend. I could not believe what a great job they did and it's tempting to get carried away. .....

I only use them on very dirty barrels and after that, you won't need to use one on a routine basis. ...

Be Safe !!!

Dixie Gunsmithing · May 28, 2013, 10:48 PM

The Tornado brushes are very good, but don't be rough with them, as the spring can break. I would run a well soaked large patch through the barrel, with something like Hoppes #9, etc, next, let it set for a bit, then run the brush through it. After that, run a mop through it, and it should clean up. You might even try some Acetone on a large patch, then the brush. However, don't get the Acetone near the wood.

PetahW · May 29, 2013, 10:34 AM

.

I've seen a few which looked like that - it turned out they had plastic fouling, from the early plastic-hulled shotshells.

I haven't seen plastic fouling in a long time, now - so my WAG is that ammo makers caught up with the problem & changed the plastic's composition.

.

merbeau · May 29, 2013, 08:17 PM

Thamks to all that replied. I will try the bore scrub first. A small container from Brownells is not to expensive, around $14. Then I will try some solvent letting it sit for awhile. If non of those work, then the tornado brush.

Thanks again

Robert

merbeau · May 30, 2013, 02:25 PM

Well went to big gun store in a nearby city and found some bore scrub. Came home tried that without any luck. I plugged both ends of the barrel and let solvent sit all night and scrubed it with a bronze brush without any luck. I then tried the tornado and it did clean it up a little but actually revealed the bore has minor pitting in three sections. One just in front of the chamber, another about in the middle of the barrel and one near the end of the barrel.

Can the barrel be saved? The pitting is not very deep beause the barrel has to be held at the right angle to see it clearly.

Thanks

Robert

Dixie Gunsmithing · May 30, 2013, 02:55 PM

If its very light pitting, it will be all right to shoot as is, and maybe hone, but if it is in the choke section, then honing will open the choke one to two thousandths.

The pits in the middle, and close to the chamber, can be removed with the bead type hones sold by Brownells and others. The one at the choke, I would use a brake cylinder hone, or buy one from Brownells, as they're really the same thing. For the choke, you only want to let the hone run a few seconds, then stop to check that its is all you need, to keep from opening up the choke too much. If nothing else, check the choke with a caliper, at the muzzle, and then as you hone it.

merbeau · May 31, 2013, 09:45 AM

Thank you Dixie Gunsmithing for the reply. I have seen the brake type honing tool on the Brownell web site as wells as the bead type you mentioned. I will check into it - there are a couple of videos on Utube that demonstrate using the bead type honing tool. Looks like a special oil is required.

Thanks

Robert

Dixie Gunsmithing · May 31, 2013, 02:17 PM

Robert,

About any cutting oil will work, even something like 3 in 1 oil, or mineral oil. If it can be used on oil stones for sharpening knives, it will work with a hone.

Clark · May 31, 2013, 09:23 PM

I have the torados, but...
I have ~ 20 shotguns, even though I can only use one.
I just buy them because they are old and good deals at gun shows.

I most often clean shotgun barrels with a 1/2" diameter 4' long wooden dowel.

I wedge a Kleenex into the chamber with oil on it and the push or pound through the rod.

Even 100 year old shotguns often have mirror like bores under the crud.

May 28, 2013, 03:31 PM	#1
merbeau Member Join Date: May 21, 2013 Posts: 55	Old Remington 1100 Shotgun Barrel Cleaning Hi I have a Remington 1100 magnum that was purchased in 1971 and basically has sat in the gun safe for years. I took the barrel off and went about cleaning the shotgun and looked down the barrel. The barrel does not have a polished look, but rather dull and patchy. I tried the standard bronze brush with Rem 40x without any affect. There is no aparent rust. The chamber looks fine. Would something like JB Non Embedding Bore cleaner be useful to try and see if it will clean up or should I take it the gunsmith to have it honed. Thanks Robert

May 28, 2013, 05:54 PM	#2
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	Assuming you mean a smooth barrel, not a rifled one, shotgun barrels don't have to be all that clean and shiny. Honing might not improve things at all, quite the opposite. They are thin. You could try one of the ammonia cleaners, or one of the more aggressive bore cleaners with grit in it, as you've suggested. But it isn't really necessary for the gun to shoot well. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

May 28, 2013, 06:56 PM	#3
Pahoo Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2006 Location: IOWA Posts: 8,783	Get a Tornado !!! A few years back, someone introduced me to a "Tornado". Was very skeptical about using one and have never been sorry I did. Now I have quite a few calibers as well as my 12, 20 and .410. They are worth the small amount of money you will spend. I could not believe what a great job they did and it's tempting to get carried away. ..... I only use them on very dirty barrels and after that, you won't need to use one on a routine basis. ... Be Safe !!! __________________ 'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.

May 29, 2013, 08:17 PM	#6
merbeau Member Join Date: May 21, 2013 Posts: 55	Thank you for replying Thamks to all that replied. I will try the bore scrub first. A small container from Brownells is not to expensive, around $14. Then I will try some solvent letting it sit for awhile. If non of those work, then the tornado brush. Thanks again Robert

May 30, 2013, 02:25 PM	#7
merbeau Member Join Date: May 21, 2013 Posts: 55	Was not the problem Well went to big gun store in a nearby city and found some bore scrub. Came home tried that without any luck. I plugged both ends of the barrel and let solvent sit all night and scrubed it with a bronze brush without any luck. I then tried the tornado and it did clean it up a little but actually revealed the bore has minor pitting in three sections. One just in front of the chamber, another about in the middle of the barrel and one near the end of the barrel. Can the barrel be saved? The pitting is not very deep beause the barrel has to be held at the right angle to see it clearly. Thanks Robert

May 28, 2013, 10:48 PM	#4
Dixie Gunsmithing Moderator Emeritus Join Date: April 27, 2013 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,923	The Tornado brushes are very good, but don't be rough with them, as the spring can break. I would run a well soaked large patch through the barrel, with something like Hoppes #9, etc, next, let it set for a bit, then run the brush through it. After that, run a mop through it, and it should clean up. You might even try some Acetone on a large patch, then the brush. However, don't get the Acetone near the wood.

May 29, 2013, 10:34 AM	#5
PetahW Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2008 Posts: 4,678	. I've seen a few which looked like that - it turned out they had plastic fouling, from the early plastic-hulled shotshells. I haven't seen plastic fouling in a long time, now - so my WAG is that ammo makers caught up with the problem & changed the plastic's composition. .

May 30, 2013, 02:55 PM	#8
Dixie Gunsmithing Moderator Emeritus Join Date: April 27, 2013 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,923	If its very light pitting, it will be all right to shoot as is, and maybe hone, but if it is in the choke section, then honing will open the choke one to two thousandths. The pits in the middle, and close to the chamber, can be removed with the bead type hones sold by Brownells and others. The one at the choke, I would use a brake cylinder hone, or buy one from Brownells, as they're really the same thing. For the choke, you only want to let the hone run a few seconds, then stop to check that its is all you need, to keep from opening up the choke too much. If nothing else, check the choke with a caliper, at the muzzle, and then as you hone it.

May 31, 2013, 09:45 AM	#9
merbeau Member Join Date: May 21, 2013 Posts: 55	Many thanks again Thank you Dixie Gunsmithing for the reply. I have seen the brake type honing tool on the Brownell web site as wells as the bead type you mentioned. I will check into it - there are a couple of videos on Utube that demonstrate using the bead type honing tool. Looks like a special oil is required. Thanks Robert

May 31, 2013, 02:17 PM	#10
Dixie Gunsmithing Moderator Emeritus Join Date: April 27, 2013 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,923	Robert, About any cutting oil will work, even something like 3 in 1 oil, or mineral oil. If it can be used on oil stones for sharpening knives, it will work with a hone.

May 31, 2013, 09:23 PM	#11
Clark Senior Member Join Date: December 4, 1999 Location: WA, the ever blue state Posts: 4,678	I have the torados, but... I have ~ 20 shotguns, even though I can only use one. I just buy them because they are old and good deals at gun shows. I most often clean shotgun barrels with a 1/2" diameter 4' long wooden dowel. I wedge a Kleenex into the chamber with oil on it and the push or pound through the rod. Even 100 year old shotguns often have mirror like bores under the crud. __________________ The word 'forum" does not mean "not criticizing books." "Ad hominem fallacy" is not the same as point by point criticism of books. If you bought the book, and believe it all, it may FEEL like an ad hominem attack, but you might strive to accept other points of view may exist. Are we a nation of competing ideas, or a nation of forced conformity of thought?