guys, i have a mkIII british 303 rifle. I know this is going to sound stupid of me but here goes.

I got this gun from my uncle about 18 yrs ago.
I have never done anything more than run a patch with gun oil down the barrel. Well, the other day i decided to really clean it. I have only shot this thing about 20 times in the the length of time i've owned it. I took a flashlight and shined down the barrel. HOly smoly,no rifleing i can see. So i filled with hoppes #9 and let it sit about an hr. doing this about 15 times and 120 patches later i can see the rifleing starting to show, but still look dull and rounded. looks pitted but i cant tell if its lead pitted or the barrel is pitted. I dont think i have started to scratch the surface of the lead depth yet. Any way, suggestions as to how to get this crap out of it.

Wrap some 0000 steel wool around a bore brush that is a caliber smaller than your barrel and go to work. If lead build up is your problem you will literally feel the steel wool pull the lead out of the bore and will be able to see it on the steel wool. Change the wool a few times and you should get the lead out in no time. Brass wool works too.

I have a Turkish Mauser that appeared to have no rifling, just faint ripples. I'd scrubbed out the bore with gasoline and Hoppe's #9 with a bronze brush. Fired it a good bit, and couldn't keep bullets on paper. Got another barrel and went to replace it. Had trouble getting the barrel unscrewed with a Wheeler barrel vise, and tried warming up the barrel with a torch, just hot enough for SAE 30 oil to begin smoking. Happened to look down the bore, and lo and behold, there was rifling there! The thing shoots pretty well now. I hate to think what kind of pressures I was getting with those hot loaded Turkish bullets getting squeezed down to bore diameter by all that dried, varnished cosmoline!

well,
I am starting to see rifleings but it's in pretty bad shape in there. i am gonna try warming the barrel slightley with a propane torch(Just warming, Not heating) to see if i can get some of this to turn loose. I have gone through 3 brushes now and its pitted pretty good in there. but i can also see brush marks which makes me think it's lead or copper, something thats soft enough for the brushes to make marks on anyway. I have used shooters choice, Barnes cr-10, outers nitro, Hoppes #9, and wipe-out and and outers foul out II. and have only gotten thus far. I cant believe i have had this rifle so long and never checked it out. Makes me sick. Not that it's any sort of collectors item or anything and it didnt cost me a dime. It's sort of like an old girlfriend i guess. Just cause you dont get any from her, dont mean you might not want to sometimes. LMAO

Try a foaming bore cleaner.. FILL the barrel, from the muzzle end.. stuff a rag in the chamber.

let it sit an hour, and brush it?
jeffe

And were is this supposed LEAD coming from? Have you not been shooting metal jacketed bullets?

If anything, it is copper fouling. Use a good foam, Wipe Out or Forrest, and leave in barrel for a<t least 3 hours. As long as the foam turns blue, repeat.
But I really think your barrel is past salvation.

quote:

Originally posted by Ricochet: just hot enough for SAE 30 oil to begin smoking. Happened to look down the bore, and lo and behold, there was rifling there!

Rocochet, Are you really saying it was storage grease in the barrel? That did not come out while shooting? That is.......I do not know what the hell that is, but it is not good!!!!!!! Anyway, wtman, if this is your problem, the foam will cure it!

Obviously, I cannot know what is in your bore.

IF it IS lead, then buy a packet of "Lead-Away" cloth at your local sporting goods emporium. cut it into patches, and try cleaning your bore with those patches. They will remove lead in chunks, stips, and smears...much, much faster than any brush and most solvents.

Lead Away is what many competitors at the Cast Bullet Association benchrest Nationals use to clean bores during the matches, if they have a barrel which shoots great when clean but leads very badly. Bev Pinney used it during the 1998 CBA National Championship Tournament (sometimes in the middle of firing a target) and took great long strips of lead out of his barrel about every 6-to-8 shots. It did the job so well he won the Grand National Championship!!