I have a 1970 Winchester M94 30-30 top eject that I took on trade a few years ago. I never owned a 30-30 and thought everyone's got to own one at one time!

This rifle hasn't been shot much I've been told but the barrel was never cleaned! It was gummed up with copper, lead and gun powder. I've been trying to get it clean off and on for the last 2 years.

Sweets 7.62 isn't even getting the copper out. The lands are not overly tall and I am wondering if this rifle has seen way more shots that what I was told. I want to keep the rifle and put on a peep sight.

Well I don't know what to do now. Patches of Sweets don't come out blue anymore but I can easily see copper in the bore. The lands are a nice copper colour and the grooves have off and on patches of copper. What can I do? Should I try some steel wool super fine through it? I don't want to wreck the barrel. I can't see any pitting on the inch or so I can focus a 10x mag glass.

HELP!

Dave I`d try to avoid the steelwool and see if JBs or Iosso (sp?) paste will work. The copper might be "coated" with carbon and after its removal the Sweets might just finish it up for you.
I`m not sure about the 30-30 chambered M94s but my 32spcl M94 has very shallow rifleing. The rifleing isn`t worn by firing and I doubt you can tell much by it from the muzzle end anyway. The wear on the bore comes mostly from the heat of the powder burning and will be most noticable at the throat. I would worry more the crown area of the rifleing has been nicked by a cleaning rod then damaged by fireing.

Dave,
You have an excuse to buy an Outer's Foulout apparatus.In case you don't know,It operates on a reverse plating principle,and works very well.
The barrel must be clean.Your barrel may be bad enough that you will clean it again,after treating it with the Foulout.Then treat it with the Foulout again.You must clean,then treat;clean again,if necessary,and etc,etc.
I used my Foulout to clean up a 1917 Enfield that was used,for many years,as a cerimonial rifle.It fired many blanks,but was never,ever cleaned.That barrel looks pretty good,right now.
good luck,
Frank

One of the slowest methods is Hoppe�s #9: if done long enuff it will get the barrel squeaky clean.

Procedure: patch with Hoppe�s, let sit until next evening. Dry patch, Hoppe�s patch, 24 hrs, until there is no blue.

For a really dirty bore I would start with a good bronce brush and Break free: pull it through with Otis "rod" with lots of Break free added. Store muzzle down overnight. This should get in the rifling�s edges. Both methods will not harm the bore.

Stay away from "quick" methods.

Hermann

[ 09-15-2002, 18:39: Message edited by: aHunter ]

Try industrial ammonia available from True Value hardware...about 4$ a gallon, YES...GALLON. You will not believe how this goes after copper. I used Sweets, Butchs, JB and everything else (that we pay too much for) trying to get copper out of a new Kreiger 30" barrel that was streaking bad due to load size/velocity. Tried this and was amazed.I spent an hour with the above products and still saw heavy copper streaks from muzzle end. Used the 10%ammonia on a mop and it started foaming immediatly. 10 minutes later the bore was clean. I ran several dry patches through followed by a light oil patch followed by another dry and was done. Now it is all I use. I would not let it soak overnight as it may pit regular steels but there is NO NEED TO. I have read all the warnings about damage so I put a capful on a piece of stainless plate for 24hrs....not even discolored. Do not eventhink about opening this in the house....you will be sleeping on the couch.