SMLE barrel - bullet test, worn barrel or neglected/filthy?

flying pig

flying pig

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I recently bought another SMLE. Looking down the barrel it looks pretty worn, but it passes the bullet test very very well. Looking down the barrel from the muzzle they look noticeably sharper than from the breech. I wonder if its maybe just really bad build up or if its actually worn that much?

I'm using wipe out foam in it right now, but I'm wondering if there is something that may break that crap out of the grooves better if that's what it is.

Any ideas?
 
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I have had good success by using Wipe Out as directed, let it dry at least an hour, then run a spiral bore sized brass brush through it half a dozen times. After this, Clean with a solvent as usual.

Always clean from the breech end, not from the muzzle. If you do not have a long enough rod, get one!

On some rifles, I have done this several times before the bore starts to look half-way decent. Then, I go fire about 10 rounds through it, and repeat the Wipe out treatment again once or twice. Usually this will result in a shootable bore but if they are really gone then there is not a lot you can do about it.

However, I will say that some of the cruddiest bores you have seen can be salvaged to shootable condition, but maybe not bright and shiny inside.
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wipe out can be left in the bore a long time, IIRC it keeps working for up to 36 hours. If its really nasty sometimes it helps to patch it out every couple hours and reapply. Accelerator works to speed things up too. Are you getting blue patches or black/grey?
 
First application it didn't spray all the way through to the breech so I patched it immediately and it was navy blue. Applied again and left it over night and it came out black with a slight blue tinge to it.

Can Enfield barrels be that tight AND worn out? I used a factory prvi 174 fmj cartridge to check it and out of my 4 Lee Enfields this barrel is the tightest. It is the original 1915 barrel on it too.
 
flying pig said:
First application it didn't spray all the way through to the breech so I patched it immediately and it was navy blue. Applied again and left it over night and it came out black with a slight blue tinge to it.

Can Enfield barrels be that tight AND worn out? I used a factory prvi 174 fmj cartridge to check it and out of my 4 Lee Enfields this barrel is the tightest.
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I was going to suggest the foam too.

Stick to er and let us know how it comes out.

Once you have it to what seems like pretty clean, as mentioned fire a few rounds then start again. There can be layers and layers of crud in there and they hang on grimly...
 
Keep working with the wipe-out, it will get the barrel clean eventually. Can you see any copper or lead buildup in the bore? Is it still dark (possibly pitted)? or starting to shine a little? A pitted bore will hold troves of fouling, Ive pulled more black patches out of pitted milsurps in one sitting than I could carry with 2 hands to the garbage! There is definetely still some copper in there, and sounds like lots of carbon too. You will be able to feel metal fouling thru the rod as you push thru the bore, it will sort of "grind" a little and you'll feel the resistance. If this is the case then keep soaking with wipe-out and patch it out after a few hours. It may take days to come clean if its pitted bad enough. Hope this helps
 
Thanks for the replies. I have a brand new bottle of wipe out so I'll keep at it. The front edge of the rifling is sharper so I hope its just fouled. I've got hoppes too, maybe I'll try alternating and see how it goes.
 
flying pig said:
Thanks for the replies. I have a brand new bottle of wipe out so I'll keep at it. The front edge of the rifling is sharper so I hope its just fouled. I've got hoppes too, maybe I'll try alternating and see how it goes.
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Cordite ammo may have worn the bore from the Leade on...let's hope not.
 
I just picked up my new No5 this morning and its currently on the bench with Mpro7 copper remover, the first application worked wonders. Hoppes copper solvent is slower working, it works fastest when applied heavily. Personally I dont like to mix chemicals just to be on the safe side, you never know what could be in them to react with one another. Let us know how it goes
 
I think I've got it as good as its going to get. Wound up using wipe out, hoppes, and the peroxide/vinegar mix all at different times. When I started you could hardly see the rifling but its much more defined now. Wear looks fairly even all the way through with no pitting and its very bright now. But I'd say the rifling is about 25% as defined as my best LE's. On the bullet test it takes less of the bullet than any of my other 3. Is it possible that they just didn't cut the grooves as deep? Either way I'm happy now.
 
If it is a 1915 barrel, then it has DEFINITELY been shot with Cordite.

FLATBASE bullets are the cure.

Partizan uses BTs.

There is your problem.
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While the bullet method is an indicator, the only true way to check a bore is with the gauges......You can find them on Eslime for around $60.00 for the set, or find an old armourer who still has a set.
 
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