Took the Renegade out for the first time in about 30 yrs.

[LHR]

I bought this old Renegade from a pawn shop over 34 years ago. I hunted with it a couple of years before I joined the Navy and left it to my younger brothers. I had completely forgotten about it until my brother gave it back to me a year or two ago.

Took it out today and did some shooting using 777 and sabots since I didn’t have any patches. It didn’t shoot too well, but when I got home to clean it I think I can see why. Lots of rust coming out on the patches. What’s the best way to restore a neglected barrel?

Nat’l Guard guys wanted the range too!

 

[Fastleo]

It depends on the condition of the rust. Soap and water and a bore brush. I also sometimes use steel wool with some oil on it. If it’s too far gone it’s time to bore it out to a larger caliber or get a new barrel.

 

[moose23]

I’ve also read on forums that a lot of shooting will get all that crud out of there. I’ve never tried that though, so only relaying what I’ve heard.

 

[4stringdude]

I followed this process on a roached out barrel. It worked really well for me.

https://www.brownells.com/aspx/learn/learndetail.aspx?lid=12621

 

[moose23]

By the way…nice pics. Scenery looks awesome!

 

[Frank in Fairfield]

Mine is a .54.
I tried .50 bullets in a .54 sabot.
No good.
You might try and de-breach the barrel and scrub it well.
It should not take long.
Green Mountain makes some good barrels for the Renegade..

 

[Retiredusn]

I followed this process on a roached out barrel. It worked really well for me.

https://www.brownells.com/aspx/learn/learndetail.aspx?lid=12621

Thanks for posting I was just looking for that to show to a friend

 

[LHR]

I followed this process on a roached out barrel. It worked really well for me.

https://www.brownells.com/aspx/learn/learndetail.aspx?lid=12621

Thanks for sharing, I need to give that a try.

 

[eekjellander]

I bought this old Renegade from a pawn shop over 34 years ago. I hunted with it a couple of years before I joined the Navy and left it to my younger brothers. I had completely forgotten about it until my brother gave it back to me a year or two ago.

Took it out today and did some shooting using 777 and sabots since I didn’t have any patches. It didn’t shoot too well, but when I got home to clean it I think I can see why. Lots of rust coming out on the patches. What’s the best way to restore a neglected barrel?

Nat’l Guard guys wanted the range too!View attachment 19564View attachment 19565View attachment 19566

Try Lee Shavers bore treatment 1st /Bob Hoyt 2nd /Ed

 

[deermanok]

IMO saboted bullets and Triple 7 aren't the best combination for a traditional side hammer gun.
Real black powder, patched round ball or all lead conical bullets are better choices.
I would say to remove the barrel, plug the nipple best you can, then stand the barrel upright in a bucket. Fill the barrel with Evaporust. Let sit for a couple days. Pour it out then bore brush the barrel good and start on it with patches till they come out clean.
You might have some pitting but the gun will probably still shoot good.

 

[muzzlestuffer]

I bought this old Renegade from a pawn shop over 34 years ago. I hunted with it a couple of years before I joined the Navy and left it to my younger brothers. I had completely forgotten about it until my brother gave it back to me a year or two ago.

Took it out today and did some shooting using 777 and sabots since I didn’t have any patches. It didn’t shoot too well, but when I got home to clean it I think I can see why. Lots of rust coming out on the patches. What’s the best way to restore a neglected barrel?

Nat’l Guard guys wanted the range too!View attachment 19564View attachment 19565View attachment 19566

Use a bronze brush "one of the good ones that won't come off in the bore" wrap it with 0000 steel wool soaked in kroil and jb bore paste grab a couple beers and scrub a dub and keep patching it out should really help !

 

[Caniborrowsomeammo]

^^^^^^^^^^^ Use an UNDERSIZED bronze brush, lest get it stuck in your barrel.

 

[edmehlig]

How did your 54 do against those Tanks??

 

[eekjellander]

^^^^^^^^^^^ Use an UNDERSIZED bronze brush, lest get it stuck in your barrel.

Or do as Lee Shaver suggests ,use a well lubed patch as normal but instead of replacing patch (DON"T) just add the same sized oooo steel wool patch over it ! Like he stated it will be difficult to start (short starter) but it will go and then just change out the well oiled steel wool . Do that till the pad is gone and you have just completed what Lee charges outrageous money for and just maybe win some major titles at some matches too !

 

[Caniborrowsomeammo]

^^^^^^^^Or that

 

[bstorric]

Try Lee Shavers bore treatment 1st /Bob Hoyt 2nd /Ed

Agree, also my 1:48 twist TCs where picky with sabot/bullet combos. About the only thing that worked for me (before switching to full size lead) where XTPs or similar length bullet. And the XTPs also happen to be cheap and a solid performing hunting bullet

 

[muzzlestuffer]

^^^^^^^^^^^ Use an UNDERSIZED bronze brush, lest get it stuck in your barrel.

I had one used gun I bought a while back it worked well for me got down into the grooves nicely just have to use common sense when you do things if it doesn't seem right then you know what to do "stop" and try something else !!

 

[Boommeup]

If this renegade is a early gun you should be able to get the breech plug off the end of the barrel. TC made a wrench for this. Some guys have made there own or eBay. I picked up a renegade awhile back that needed some love! I ran numerous patches of kroil maybe some wd-40 anything that’s going to lift the rust. Keep it damp swabbing two three times a day. I did this for a week or two! eventually you’ll start getting cleaner patches. Go easy on the brushes they can get stuck real easy if your not careful. Might want to try a little flitz polishing compound. Also Chore Boy pads will not hurt your bore for cutting through the rust. Kroil’s your friend go slow and LET IT WORK Thanks for your service…

 

[snapbang]

LHR

You might have some pitting but the gun will probably still shoot good.

A few years ago I had popsession of an old Knight that was fired and put away. The inside was like a rusty junk yard. I did the Lee Shaver oily patch and 0000 steel wool on it. It was not pretty but the first 3 shot I put through it printed about 1 1/2 inches at 80 yards. So in my mind the barrel has to be REEEEAAAALLLL bad before it will not shoot somewhat accurate.

Having said that these pitted barrels are difficult to clean. Cant scrub the pits so some residue will remain. The rusting process will likely continue in those places you cant reach with a brush or patch. So once you have it shooting and you clean it for storage use a bunch of oil in the barrel to try to get in those hard to reach places.

 

[user 25154]

Hello, ive had similar rust problems. The shavers method works. And then there's alot of variations of it. Like bore mop and mp45. It's like nickel drill shavings. Kinda. Spun in a pad. Midway and baco sell it. Use with kroil. Let the kroil sit 10 minutes. Might need undersized mop. Can wrap around brush also. Nylon r brass. A tight brass brush can be hard to remove sometimes when it's trying to turn over it can hang up. Make sure it fits threads on cleaning rod tight. R just use Nylon. I like a mop. Holds lots of oil, fills rifling well. There r different kinds of wool also. Brass wool is nice. When u think u have knocked it down pretty good u can switch to it. Also if u want that rusting to stop. U can kill it. Yep just like rust browning r bluing. Lots of hot water just poured in barrel is better than nothing. A homemade trough that will hold 4 inches of demineralized water. Heat source can be camp stoves. 240 degrees for 20 minutes then see how it looks. U can't hurt it like this. Anything left will turn black. Might only shoot big lead if it's really ate up inside. And foul quickly. That being said I have some really bad pawn shop barrels. And they all still shoot big lead good. Doesn't sound like your barrel is all that bad. I mean u got sabots down it. Probably clean up just fine. Hope this helps. Oh and I personally wouldn't pull a breach plug fir a job like this. U just might open a whole knew can of worms. Take the nipple out. Remove clean out screw if it has one and will come out. A big pot of boiling hot water and a mop r patch and jag is better than nothing. Flush and flush. Then flush and flush.