Stainless ROA - is this barrel ok?

[robpark]

Hi,

I've not had the ROA too long, but thoroughly enjoying the experience. I'm using 777 with a lubricated Wonder Wad, and find the cleaning pretty easy and straightforward. However, although I've checked the bore previously and it seemed to be clean and shiny, last time I took it out to shoot I realised that although it appears to be clean, the bore is actually very dark/black. So, is this usual or something I need to deal with? (There are no signs of residue or corrosion anywhere else on the gun)

I normally clean the bore with hot soapy water and a bronze brush, then mop it through with wet patches and then dry ones. I finish off by swiping a lightly oiled patch through before putting it away.

http://i654.photobucket.com/albums/u...psffaa884d.jpg

[tacfoley]

Hi,

I've not had the ROA too long, but thoroughly enjoying the experience. I'm using 777 with a lubricated Wonder Wad, and find the cleaning pretty easy and straightforward. However, although I've checked the bore previously and it seemed to be clean and shiny, last time I took it out to shoot I realised that although it appears to be clean, the bore is actually very dark/black. So, is this usual or something I need to deal with? (There are no signs of residue or corrosion anywhere else on the gun)

I normally clean the bore with hot soapy water and a bronze brush, then mop it through with wet patches and then dry ones. I finish off by swiping a lightly oiled patch through before putting it away.

http://i654.photobucket.com/albums/u...psffaa884d.jpg

My ROA is bright all the way through, but my P-H Musketoon is black. Not sure why that should be so, since both are cleaned most assiduously after shooting - as soo as practical. What I do is to immediately sway out with baby-wipes to get most of the crud off before leaving the firing point.

I'll ax some more knowish folks than me on another forum, and see what answers we get.

tac

[enfield2band]

Stainless can have the surface taken off if someone previously has used acid or something corrosive to clean the bore. Once the stainless "skin" has gone it can react in a similar way to ordinary steel.
A barrel can appear to be black or dull due to the nature of the steel. I have had this with a .303" Lee-Enfield, and I could not get it shiny, but it did not affect the gun.
There is obviously a scientific answer so hopefully tac will come with something, and we all will be a bit wiser.

[Turnup]

My ROA is bright and shiny throughout. Can't imagine what would turn SS dark other than lead, bit not seen significant leading is a BP gun before.

I get dark staining on my Taurus SS, but that is using nitro powder so not sure if this is relevant, however a rub over with Birchwood Casey Lead Remover Cloth brings that up a treat.

[steve medlock]

The frame on mine isn't all that stainless - if I don't clean it immediately after use the residues will stain the surface of the metal. The cylinder and barrel seem better though. you could put it in the dishwasher of course.....

[tacfoley]

Stainless can have the surface taken off if someone previously has used acid or something corrosive to clean the bore. Once the stainless "skin" has gone it can react in a similar way to ordinary steel.
A barrel can appear to be black or dull due to the nature of the steel. I have had this with a .303" Lee-Enfield, and I could not get it shiny, but it did not affect the gun.
There is obviously a scientific answer so hopefully tac will come with something, and we all will be a bit wiser.

Sir, you have said it all.

Blackened bores are only black, not shot out. As you note, it's a chamical thang. Thanks for posting.

tac

[robpark]

Thanks for the comments

....I'll happily accept "it's a chamical thang" and continue with routine cleaning

[tacfoley]

Thanks for the comments

....I'll happily accept "it's a chamical thang" and continue with routine cleaning

You are very kind. As they say, 'À la fin, tout sont noirs..'.

tac

[steve medlock]

Surely the stainless steel used in firearms is a homogenious alloy rather than having a protective surface like case hardening on mild steel. If the latter, the machined surfaces would be prone to corrosive attack.

[Turnup]

Surely the stainless steel used in firearms is a homogenious alloy rather than having a protective surface like case hardening on mild steel. If the latter, the machined surfaces would be prone to corrosive attack.

+1 to that.

NEWSFLASH; Examining my ROA in bright sunlight reveals that it too has a dark bore, a lot like the colour of very dark bluing. It is shiny but not silvery. The chambers are shiny and silvery.

Chemical thang strikes again!

[enfield2band]

Surely the stainless steel used in firearms is a homogenious alloy rather than having a protective surface like case hardening on mild steel. If the latter, the machined surfaces would be prone to corrosive attack.

I am not an expert on this, but I do know If stainless is machined it retains stainless properties. When the surface is attacked by a chemical it loses this property and goes dull. We are talking of discolouration of the surface in microns here, not heavy corrosion.

Any scientists or metalurgists out there????

[tacfoley]

ANY chemical-based cleaning product that you put down the bore of a stainless steel gun is likely to alter the appearance of the surface. Note that I said 'likely'. Some products do, and some don't. You barrel had one that did.

Remember that back in the day there were none of the chemical-based cleaners that are commonplace now. Just hot water first and oil - usually whale-derived oil - afterwards.

My Musketoon, almost forty years old, has a bright bore, and so does my Walker. Another BP rifle that I shoot in OR has a blackened bore due to having been clone with stuff that was designed for a nitro-dirtied barrel. It's black.

tac

[robpark]

I'm relieved that it seems to be just a discolouration (there are no signs of corrosion in the barrel ), and not a 'problem' (particularly, that I'm not doing anything wrong)

- though I'm still intrigued to know how it's happened....

[shabee]

Bit of a myth really, it shouldn't be called stainless because it isn't, it maybe ought to be called something else like maybe non corroding or non rusting steel, there are many and various chemicals that will discolour stainless steel, but that's all it is "discolouration".
eric

[airgunnut]

is it stainless or is it London gray? my euroarms R&S is london gray and its described as rust resilient