I have a lovely (on the outside) Lee Enfield No.4 Mk.1* which has a very crappy bore. I have tried everything that has worked for me before with little success. It was suggested to me that this product with 23% calcium chloride if poured in the bore and let stand will remove the corrosion. The barrel is not just dirty....not just copper or lead fouling...it is actually rusted especially near the muzzle. First hour the rags came out black....now they are coming out brown. Rifling looks strong although very dark. Ideas? Hope this is where this post should be! Dave
Calcium chloride for rusty bore....
- Thread starter Dantforth
- Start date
Big JD-From the hills
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Saskatchewan.
Hmmm is that the same junk in tire fluid? It seems to cause allot of rust! What about some foaming oven cleaner. I have used that to clean carbon out of intake manifolds... it seems to strip everything down to shiny metal/iron.
Calcium chloride is a highly hygroscopic (water loving) salt. It will pull moisture right out of the air. If anything it will just attract more moisture into the bore. I guess it would depend on what the other 77% of the product is made from.
Rust can be from corrosive ammo, or from excessive humidity/water. Both are hard to remove with brushes and solvent. Once you get the bore passibly clean, you can shoot it - that removes the surface rust nicely.
Mind you - if the rifle is badly rusted/pitted from corrosive ammo, you're wasting your time trying to get the bore clean and bright - the pits will foul again very quickly.
If its a localized rust spot it may clean up reasonably well.
Mind you - if the rifle is badly rusted/pitted from corrosive ammo, you're wasting your time trying to get the bore clean and bright - the pits will foul again very quickly.
If its a localized rust spot it may clean up reasonably well.
It is worst in the last twelve inches but is bad full length. I have tried "Blue Wonder" and lots of elbow grease. What a shame. I would replace the barrel if I could find a new one but I know that's hopeless. Thanks for the CC info thogu as I'll not use it. Dave
One of those electric bore cleaners will do it. Go to surplus rifle for instructions. Instead of amonia use washing soda & water & clean the electrode often. This will clean all rust off of anything leaving base metal. I used this on a very rusty gew 98 ( the whole gun, not just the bore) & it worked wonders, removing rust without harming the steel in any way(unlike chemicals).
BEFORE
AFTER
BEFORE
AFTER
Sounds to me like your barrel is toast. I'd replace it. If you check around gun shows, you should be able to pick up a used No. 4 barrel in fairly decent condition. Or, if the rifle really means something to you for sentimental reasons, you could buy a brand-new barrel from one of the premium barrel-makers and have it installed. It wouldn't be a cheap proposition, but such a barrel would probably shoot better than just about any mil-surp Lee-Enfield out there.
I got it at the local home hardware, I know it is also used to etch tile, on a side note I put a scrap piece of a barrel in a jar of the acid, talk about an easy way to remove blueing. I than washed the metal and wiped it dry, it has been about a week with no noticeable "side effects"
Yes HCl will take out any rust quickly. However it will slowly dissolve steel causing pitting and such. Another issue is that if any is left it will cause rust to form really really fast. The hardware store stuff is 31.45% and fumes acid gas(so dont breathe it in). However, I think you could dilute it to 5% or lower and rinse the metal with it quickly until the rust is gone, then quickly neutralize with windex so household ammonia then clean/oil from there. Very dilute HCl has almost negligible effect on steel, but be sure to try the entire process on a scrap part first.
Not so dangerous, dont drink it, suck down the fumes or get it in your eye and you will be fine.
EDIT: There is no chemical basis for CaCl2 to remove rust.
Not so dangerous, dont drink it, suck down the fumes or get it in your eye and you will be fine.
EDIT: There is no chemical basis for CaCl2 to remove rust.
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Instead of playing around with HCL go to Canadian Tire or Princess Auto and get some Naval Jelly. It's phosphoric acid and the most common brand is sold as Permatex Rust Dissolver Gel, it is usually in the automotive section where the paint spraybombs are.
Just wear gloves when you are using it and keep it off of anything you don't want the blueing removed from. Put a good coat of the gel in the bore, let it sit for 20 min then patch out. You patches will turn black and the bore itself may appear black as the phosphoric acid will turn the rust into iron phosphate, a mild parkerising job, but the black coating will be shot out in a couple of rounds.
Keep repeating until the rust is gone, then neutralize the acid with a mix of baking soda and water. Then clean as normal and oil the bore.
Just wear gloves when you are using it and keep it off of anything you don't want the blueing removed from. Put a good coat of the gel in the bore, let it sit for 20 min then patch out. You patches will turn black and the bore itself may appear black as the phosphoric acid will turn the rust into iron phosphate, a mild parkerising job, but the black coating will be shot out in a couple of rounds.
Keep repeating until the rust is gone, then neutralize the acid with a mix of baking soda and water. Then clean as normal and oil the bore.
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My dad has a similar bore condition in his .303 (maybe not as bad) that he has had for the last 40 years. You are wasting your time trying to remove it. Once it is pitted, it's pitted no matter what you try to do. Use regular rifle cleaning procedures after going to the range and live with it. It will just refilth itself into the pitted areas after every firing of ammo. Everytime you will pass your brush, it will show filth no matter what you do. When you finally think you got everything, two weeks later you'll pass your patch again and find some more blackish filth.
Of course, what's the fun in that?!!!! Try everything recommended here and more. This stuff is a pastime right?!!
Of course, what's the fun in that?!!!! Try everything recommended here and more. This stuff is a pastime right?!!
