Cant get my 91/30's bore to shine.

[patrickM]

Ive tried to clean the bore of my 91/30 and it has helped alot but it always seems gritty inside and i cant get a good shine. I've used hoppes, hot water (being sure to dry well) and brake cleaner but im nervous to leave the brake cleaner in to long. I just want the bore to be as clean as possible it is possible that It wont ever shine?

Information

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[jmoore]

Probably not! If it shoots well now, trying to get a "shiney" bore will probably just ruin it. A good crown, and to a lesser extent, a good throat (leade) are more important. Mind you, it probably won't ever shoot 1 MOA groups, but it probably didn't when new, either.

One of my best M1 Garand barrels looks like a horror show when seen through a bore scope...

[JBS]

Unstock the metal. Plug the muzzle. Stand on muzzle in the garage or shop in a jar or can. Fill barrel and chamber to the top with Butch’s Bore Shine. Leave set for a week. Unplug, drain, and clean with patches. The bore is now stripped. Any frost, roughness, or pits is from corrosion not fouling. If you wish you can lap the bore with JB bore paste. As said a good square crown can do wonders.

[GRF]

I have had very good success with old barrels and JB bore paste. As per the comments from the 2 gentlemen above some old ugly bores can shoot very well

[gunner]

I use the JB paste too, with great succsess. And i have rifles where the bore won´t shine anymore but they are really great shooters.

Regards

Ulrich

[millman]

Ive tried to clean the bore of my 91/30 and it has helped alot but it always seems gritty inside and i cant get a good shine. I've used hoppes, hot water (being sure to dry well) and brake cleaner but im nervous to leave the brake cleaner in to long. I just want the bore to be as clean as possible it is possible that It wont ever shine?

It is absolutely possible that it won't shine. The best thing is to take it out and shoot it. This may help to restore a little shine. More importantly, you will know how it shoots, and this is far more important than a shiny bore. I have a few rifles, with less than stellar bores that shoot quite well. Enjoy you rifle, and don't sweat the shine. BTW, the brake cleaner will not harm the metal of your rifle. It can play hell with the wood, so just remove the stock when cleaning with it.
Good luck,
Millman

[/Longcolt44]

You will never get it to shine as others have said but if you want to get it cleaner than Hoppes or other commercial cleaners will do you can make a simple electronic bore cleaner. PM me if interested.

[kar98k]

another thing i'd recommend is this: Birchwood Casey Bore Scrubber.

you'll be surprised how much fouling and residue is left in the bore after the hot water and oil cleaning method.

just completely remove the stock from the action as that stuff can ruin finishes.

[Surplus]

Try "Never Dull", they sell it at the automotive section at WalMart.
It is a fiber that you can wrap around a jag and use it as if you were using a bore brush
I guaranty that it will make your bore shine

Surplus

[Thumper]

I have been following this thread with interest and you guys seem to have a hold on the issue.

Now let me throw a wrench in the mix.

I took my 91/30 to the range the other day. While there I had the fortune to meet a fellow member. He came over and we talked a bit about guns, ammo etc. I remarked that my bore was dark and gritty. So he took a look/see.
He then shared with me that he was a retired Marine armorer, and the best thing "they" did was to strip the rifle of all wood and unnecessary parts. Plug one end of the barrel. Fill with P B Blaster [found at most auto parts/Wal-Mart} Let it soak for a couple of days, drain, brush liberally with a bore cleaner and brush, clean and oil and ouila!
So I did that.....and my bore is remarkeably cleaner and much more shiney. It did not remove everything, there is still some grit in the grooves but I suspect that is corrosion from previously being shot with corrosive ammo many years ago.

Previously when I bore lighted the rifle, it was dark and dingy. Now it is at least shiney and appears clean. What came out was very black, thick-gooey with a tinge of rust, copper fouling, and what not.

There may be better answers to this dark bore question but this one worked for me and I thought I would share it.

Regards: Thumper