Pitting inside barrel, repair or live with?

superpelly · March 20, 2007, 07:56 AM

I bought a rifle recently for a very good price. When I inspected the barrel (land and grooves) I noticed either some rust or pitting or both. I purchased the rifle anyway. When I got home I tried to remove the rust ( I was hoping it was just rust) with a cooper brush and solvent, it removed the rust but I think there some pitting going on. Not a big area, maybe 1/2 inch of small round pit marks. Any chance of smoothing them down, or just live with the pitting?

**4V50 Gary** · March 20, 2007, 08:00 AM

Try shooting it first before you do anything else. A pitted barrel still has potential to shoot well. Overscrubbing can ruin a barrel. If nothing else, you can either rebarrel it or have it relined by Bobby Hoyt of Der Freischutz Shoppe.

Dfariswheel · March 20, 2007, 01:49 PM

A good first step is to buy a jar of JB Bore Paste and use it to give the bore a good cleaning.
This will totally clean ALL fouling and rust out of the bore.

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/sto...ANING+COMPOUND

Once the bore is really clean you can see what you've got.
If the bore is pitted, there's absolutely nothing you can do to "fix" the pitting.
Pitting is just that: tiny holes rusted into the metal, and there's no way to "remove" or "fill" the holes.

This does not mean the barrel is no good, or that it won't shoot good groups.

superpelly · March 20, 2007, 03:05 PM

Thanks for the info

Ruger4570 · March 20, 2007, 10:46 PM

Dfariswheel has hit it dead on

**Unclenick** · March 21, 2007, 08:59 AM

These guys have it right. I will only add that you want to be sure all traces of the old rust are really gone, otherwise they will gradually eat the pits down deeper. I would plug the bore and fill it with Kroil or Gunzilla and let it soak 24 hours, then brush it out again.

The JB bore compound is a mildly abrasive cleaner that will polish the bore. There are others, if the JB isn't available where you are. Iosso Bore Cleaner is one I like that I've occassionally seen at Gander Mountain. Remington 40X is another, though slowest acting (most mild) of the group.

superpelly · March 22, 2007, 12:17 PM

Used the JB did a great job cleaning , but the barrel is pitted.

James K · March 22, 2007, 12:44 PM

Maybe it is because I have seen so many really bad bores, but I don't think you have much of a problem with that small area of pitting. The rifle should shoot fine.

Jim

RickB · March 27, 2007, 02:03 PM

My '03 Springfield is pitted from one end to the other, and will still shoot 3" groups at 100 yards.

**Mike Irwin** · March 27, 2007, 02:16 PM

A few years ago a friend of mine got an M 1 Garand. Nice one, he was very proud, but he was very concerned and wondering if he should replace the barrel because of "the one really bad pit near the muzzle."

Uh, Bob? You need that pit. That's your gas port...

Tom2 · March 27, 2007, 02:53 PM

I would think deep pits on the lands would effect it more than the pitting you sometimes see in the grooves, but like they said it may shoot well with jacketed bullets, the pitted area may foul worse though. If there is a good crown on the barrel and the pitting is not right at the muzzle that helps too.

**Unclenick** · March 27, 2007, 03:34 PM

As long as the pits aren't part of the throat or the edge of the muzzle, and are shorter than the bearing length of your bullets, the bullets will mostly just skate over them. Especially if they are nearer the muzzle end, since obturating pressure is lower there.

Nick

zemlinrt · April 2, 2007, 01:25 PM

What about this stuff? Down towards the bottom of the page they have some for firearms.

http://www.xado-us.com/products.html

Looking at reconditioning my SKS barrel.

March 20, 2007, 07:56 AM	#1
superpelly Senior Member Join Date: February 17, 2005 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 499	Pitting inside barrel, repair or live with? I bought a rifle recently for a very good price. When I inspected the barrel (land and grooves) I noticed either some rust or pitting or both. I purchased the rifle anyway. When I got home I tried to remove the rust ( I was hoping it was just rust) with a cooper brush and solvent, it removed the rust but I think there some pitting going on. Not a big area, maybe 1/2 inch of small round pit marks. Any chance of smoothing them down, or just live with the pitting?

March 20, 2007, 08:00 AM	#2
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,831	Try shooting it first before you do anything else. A pitted barrel still has potential to shoot well. Overscrubbing can ruin a barrel. If nothing else, you can either rebarrel it or have it relined by Bobby Hoyt of Der Freischutz Shoppe. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

March 21, 2007, 08:59 AM	#6
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,060	These guys have it right. I will only add that you want to be sure all traces of the old rust are really gone, otherwise they will gradually eat the pits down deeper. I would plug the bore and fill it with Kroil or Gunzilla and let it soak 24 hours, then brush it out again. The JB bore compound is a mildly abrasive cleaner that will polish the bore. There are others, if the JB isn't available where you are. Iosso Bore Cleaner is one I like that I've occassionally seen at Gander Mountain. Remington 40X is another, though slowest acting (most mild) of the group. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

March 27, 2007, 02:16 PM	#10
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,380	A few years ago a friend of mine got an M 1 Garand. Nice one, he was very proud, but he was very concerned and wondering if he should replace the barrel because of "the one really bad pit near the muzzle." Uh, Bob? You need that pit. That's your gas port... __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

March 27, 2007, 03:34 PM	#12
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,060	As long as the pits aren't part of the throat or the edge of the muzzle, and are shorter than the bearing length of your bullets, the bullets will mostly just skate over them. Especially if they are nearer the muzzle end, since obturating pressure is lower there. Nick __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

March 20, 2007, 01:49 PM	#3
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	A good first step is to buy a jar of JB Bore Paste and use it to give the bore a good cleaning. This will totally clean ALL fouling and rust out of the bore. http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/sto...ANING+COMPOUND Once the bore is really clean you can see what you've got. If the bore is pitted, there's absolutely nothing you can do to "fix" the pitting. Pitting is just that: tiny holes rusted into the metal, and there's no way to "remove" or "fill" the holes. This does not mean the barrel is no good, or that it won't shoot good groups.

March 20, 2007, 03:05 PM	#4
superpelly Senior Member Join Date: February 17, 2005 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 499	Thanks for the info

March 20, 2007, 10:46 PM	#5
Ruger4570 Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2005 Location: Rochester, New York Posts: 2,136	Dfariswheel has hit it dead on

March 22, 2007, 12:17 PM	#7
superpelly Senior Member Join Date: February 17, 2005 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 499	Used the JB did a great job cleaning , but the barrel is pitted.

March 22, 2007, 12:44 PM	#8
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Maybe it is because I have seen so many really bad bores, but I don't think you have much of a problem with that small area of pitting. The rifle should shoot fine. Jim

March 27, 2007, 02:03 PM	#9
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	My '03 Springfield is pitted from one end to the other, and will still shoot 3" groups at 100 yards.

March 27, 2007, 02:53 PM	#11
Tom2 Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 5,676	I would think deep pits on the lands would effect it more than the pitting you sometimes see in the grooves, but like they said it may shoot well with jacketed bullets, the pitted area may foul worse though. If there is a good crown on the barrel and the pitting is not right at the muzzle that helps too.

April 2, 2007, 01:25 PM	#13
zemlinrt Junior Member Join Date: October 11, 2006 Posts: 14	What about this stuff? Down towards the bottom of the page they have some for firearms. http://www.xado-us.com/products.html Looking at reconditioning my SKS barrel. __________________ Walther P22 - Steyr M9 - Yugo SKS - K98 Mauser - Ruger 10/22