Dark Bore- could it be Parkerized?

[Ken in Iowa]

Thanks for all of the replies.

The rifle shoots OK, but nothing fantastic. At 50 yards, M2 ball shoots 3-4" or so. M72 Match is much better at 2-2.5" An experimental handload shot about 2.5" with 150 gr Sierra SP.

I will try the hot wash with soapy water and see what comes out, brush it with Hoppes and follow up with JB.

Good read on the chrome-lined M14 barrels. It reminded me of the days shooting a DCM loaner NM M14.

[Ken in Iowa]

The hot-soapy water yielded very little.

I decided to try Shooter's Choice instead of Hoppes. Wet patches were pretty clean, so I hit is a few strokes with a bronze brush. The next wet patch was quite black. I'll keep on this routine for a while and see what happens.

[4F4Nam]

The hot-soapy water yielded very little.

I decided to try Shooter's Choice instead of Hoppes. Wet patches were pretty clean, so I hit is a few strokes with a bronze brush. The next wet patch was quite black. I'll keep on this routine for a while and see what happens.

Between brushing with bronze, shoot it. Brush, shoot, brush, shoot, and repeat. Sometimes it works.

Ed

[Dad]

Try full strength Simple Green® with hot water and a bronze brush.
You will be surprised at the amount of junk that comes out.

D.

[madsenshooter]

I have a Krag that was parkerized. I now have around 400rds through it and the barrel has turned out to be pretty shiney and smooth. I originally thought it was pitted in the middle, but I see no trace of the pitting now. If parkerizing is what you have, it'll wear out.

[oldtirediron]

I have seen a lot of US Military fireams that were re-parkerized and the plugs leaked the parkerization fluid into the bore--FWIW i have never seen a U.S. Military re-park with this problem-- usually these firearms were refinished after they left the military stores or were refinished in a foreign country like the early Blue Sky Korean imports!! Some that I looked at appeared to not even have had the bore plugged when refinished but most of those guns had poor or junk barrels on them anyway-- Typical Blue Sky M-1 Garand had a barrel with a 6 or 7 TE and a 35 caliber muzzle and were stove pipe condition inside- however maybe the people who brought them in figured most would be re-barreled anyway so why should they take the time to plug the barrels before sandblasting and refinishing-- I concur with the JB Bore paste but don't leave Shooters Choice in a bore for more than the recommended time- or your barrel may suffer from ammonia related pitting!

[Col. Colt]

I have worked on two M1917 barrels that had LAYERS of fouling. I used the "Wipe-Out" Foaming Bore Cleaner, and on the worst one I found seven alternating layers of powder/copper/powder/copper/powder/etc! Wipe-Out is used by Benchrest Shooters, and will not harm the bore, no brushing. Foam it, leave it set an hour or two, push out a layer. Repeat. It is not quick on badly fouled bores, but will do no harm. A stainless brush reportedly will scratch up a barrel, but is a quick older method. If you are hoping to reclaim a good barrel, I would not use a SS brush, until I was satisfied nothing else would work. CC