Muzzleloader Rusty Barrell question

[SAV]

How much is too much?

I have a .50 cal Chinese In-line ML that I got cheap as a project gun. The barrell has rust inside, and I have done lots to try to remove it: Sweets, Hoppe's, PB Breaker, WD-40. Then I got out the abrasives! A friend made me abrass jag that was just smaller than the bore, but could be adjusted. I smeared it with valve lapping compound, and dragged it through the bore numerous times. Then I rapped a 20 gauge brass rod with 000 stainless steel, coated that with lapping compound, and worked that through the bore for hours.

They all cleaned it up nicely so that you can see the lands and grooves, but there still remains spots of rust no thicker than the depth of a groove.

Where from here? My options are: Test Fire, Gunsmith, Toss It?

 

[magoo]

I would shot it.

 

[zerodown]

I would shot it.

+1

 

[MassMark]

Shoot it...I have a .58 Zouave that sat in my fathers basement for 20+ years and it was rusty as hell. I went a different route: I plugged the nipple, (he said nipple hehehuhuhu) and filled the barrel with Kroil - filled it. I let it sit for a few days, dumped out the Kroil and brushed the crap out of it. Barrel came out great, but still had a few spots. A .575gr Minieball took care of the rest...

 

[twogunwilly]

I would google-fu the gun and see what can learn about it before I shot it with a full 100g load. IIRC not so long ago some muzzle loader barrels were not proof tested and have had catastrophic failures, likely user error in some cases, proceed with caution.

 

[SAV]

Thanks for the advice. I like MassMark's for the like experience. I'll throw it back together and get out and try it out in the next few weeks. Deer bow season starts Monday!