[wannaBelkhuntin]

I can't even say it is bad, there is NONE. The guns bore is smooth. Is there anything I can do. Re-sleeve, maybe make it a 22 mag ? Or do I look for a different barrel. The gun functions fine but the bore is smooth. It is a 1946 39A "c"113 sn
Thanks Dave

 

[HIKayaker]

That would be very unusual, unless the barrel is badly, badly corroded. Even so, I would expect to see some trace of rifling.

Spend about an hour with a bronze brush and a good cleaner before you give up on the barrel. Many older guns have either never been cleaned or never been cleaned correctly. The rifling may be leaded so badly that the grooves are filled, chamber to muzzle.

If so, and if you can clean it, you may find that the rifling is still there and in ver shootable condition.

Good luck.

 

[wannaBelkhuntin]

Never thought of that. It looks as smooth and shiny as a shotgun bore but I will give it a try. The gun seems to be in good shape.

 

[JBan]

Maybe use it for shot, too bad you can't find any reference to "shotshell only" special orders. :hmmmm:

 

[Klewless]

Curious as to how the barrel looked after a good scrub. Rifling there?

 

[wannaBelkhuntin]

I destroyed a copper brush cleaning it. It shows rifling now but still seems thin to me. Gunsmith said it looked ok. It seems to string the shots up and down. I will put a different scope on it and shoot it some more to see if the scope is the problem. Gun works wonderfully, smooth and precise. Anybody know of some good bore cleaners ?
Sorry I did not respond sooner, I got tangled up in my archery obsession.

 

[chuckjordan2]

Forget cleaning the bore, find ammo.

I have a 60's model that the prior owner(s) cleaned with a metal rod. Needless to say that the rifling has been worn down too. Using a pin to feel the lands and grooves (of the rifling) there was no feel.

I found out that copper plated ammo (WW M22) shot great in it. At first I was using AutoMatch, and that patterend. The M22 grouped about 1.5" at 55 yds. The point being that different ammo made the difference.

If there's lead in the grooves, yes get that out with a cleaning. If there is any rifling left it'll spin the projectile as long as it's a tight fit in the bore (hence look for a cartridge with a wider projectile diameter).

 

[radio11]

You can use small pieces of copper "Chore Boy" kitchen scrub pads wrapped around a bronze bore brush--any lead will come out in shiney slivers. Never had to do it, but have seen it done successfully (and safely). Good luck and good shootin'

 

[njcioffi]

Sweet's 7.62 is what i would highly recommend.

Rather...first a treatment with the foamy bore scrubber stuff, then hit it with Sweet's and a copper brush.

Did this once on an old Mosin. I had cleaned the Mosin using regular methods and materials, and gotten it mostly clean...i thought. Patches were still coming out a bit grungy, so I tried the Sweets.

Man oh man....there was gunk coming out of it for days (figuratively speaking). I kept scrubbing and swabbing and scrubbing and swabbing, and the gunk coming out went from black, to grey, to green.

I wonder if that rifle had ever been cleaned during the war (II)...or since. All kinds of copper fouling.

In any case, I'm sure it will help break up the junk in your rifling.

 

[wannaBelkhuntin]

I finally tried some lower velocity rounds and it seems to shoot them fine so I will save the good stuff for my Remington 552 Speedmaster that I just picked up.