"Seasoning" a barrel

[lik2hunt]

I see this subject come up a lot and I must admit, I really don't fully understand what it means or how to go about it om my own gun. Can someone or two share a little about it for me please? I have a CVA Optima Elite stainless 50 cal barrel and want it to do all it is supposed to do.

[sabotloader]

lik2hunt

Conventional wisdom will tell you you can not 'season' a modern barrel... I disagree totally all metal can be 'seasoned' or maybe 'conditioned' is the better term.

Montana X-Treme is making a product just for that...

http://www.montanaxtreme.com/products/

Bore Conditioner
 
Montana X-treme™ Bore Conditioner is a bore lubricant specially formulated for x-treme accuracy in today's precision match grade barrels. It is a super refined, low residue oil that has been processed to eliminate the factors that cause oil to gum and congeal. This formula contains no P.T.F.E., silicones or synthetics of any kind which leave residue behind that can affect accuracy.

Available in 4 oz. plastic bottles.

For information on purchasing our products, please contact us.

Size Product #
4 oz 01-706

Copyright ©2008 Montana X-Treme

you might check it out...

[Redhawk1]

I just used T/C's bore butter. When I first got the gun, I would clean it and run bore butter down the barrel. I would  shoot the gun at the range, and after every 5 shots I would clean the barrel, and then run bore butter down the barrel.

After a session of shooting, I would again clean the gun and finish by running bore butter down the barrel, and store it like that.
But that is what worked for me.

[OLDHandgunner]

Over the many years of hunting with muzzleloaders I have always used bore butter of some sore. It worked in my old T/C 50 cal Hawkens & T/C Black Diamond 50 cal in S/S. Just bought a new G2 in 50 cal in S/S and have had problems with it's accuracy. Called & e-mailed T/C with my problem, they got back to me by e-mail ( finally ) telling me that all there new muzzleloaders are NOT to use any seasoning or bore butter, because of the tighter bores. They told me to just use the T/C Super Glide Sabots in a dry bore. So I had to clean out all of the bore butter and start over again. It worked.

[hogrdr]

Over the many years of hunting with muzzleloaders I have always used bore butter of some sore. It worked in my old T/C 50 cal Hawkens & T/C Black Diamond 50 cal in S/S. Just bought a new G2 in 50 cal in S/S and have had problems with it's accuracy. Called & e-mailed T/C with my problem, they got back to me by e-mail ( finally ) telling me that all there new muzzleloaders are NOT to use any seasoning or bore butter, because of the tighter bores. They told me to just use the T/C Super Glide Sabots in a dry bore. So I had to clean out all of the bore butter and start over again. It worked.

After switching to BH 209 I started cleaning and oiling same as center fire rifles no more bore butter. Only shot two outings but gun loads easier and shooting tighter groups. Still new at this and working on loads but with non corosive BH 209 didn't see any reason to do any different than other guns. Makes me feel better about my choice. TC should change there DVD that comes with new guns as the one that came with my Pro Hunter said to use bore butter!
Hog

[rks1949]

I'm not sure you can really "season" a barrel. You can leave a film of some sort,oil,bore butter,grease,ect. I have allways used BB,to protect  my barrels during storage!  Last year I also discovered that by using a tiny amount of BB on the sabots,they loaded easy,and actually shot better,using magnum loads (3 pellets). My friends have tried it too,and now allways lube the sabot with BB. We aren't sure if it helps the sabot survive under the extra pressure of heavy loads,or cuts down friction as it travels down the bore? What we do know is it improves loading,and accuracy. Before using the BB on the sabots,the ones recovered down range were pretty much destroyed(petals missing,powder cups ragged(bases),ect). Now the recovered sabots look as though you could use them again,but as far as the BB penetrating the metal in the bore,I don't think so. Ron

[mechanic]

One of the biggest problems is that conventional gun oil makes tar when its left in the barrell when a round is fired, whether with black powder, or with pyrodex or 777.  If you oil your barrell, you need to clean the oil out before firing it with anything other than Blackhorn 209.  I used the bore butter exclusively with other powders, but since trying the blackhorn, I'm hooked on it.   Much easier to clean and maintain, and more consistent accuracy.  My rifle is more accurate after a fouling shot.  With the Blackhorn, I just wait until the season is done before cleaning the bore.  I dry patch occasionally only.

Ben

[lik2hunt]

OK, great replies. This barrel has been fired and then cleaned with center fire cleaning agents, soaked in hot water, lightly lube/patched and put away. It was this way when I got it and I've done nothing to it since.
I don't know if any of you have a CVA Bergara barrel, but here are my plans. Dry patch until dry before firing. After dry patching until dry, then push one patch lightly coated with Bore Butter down the bore, then one dry patch. 110 grains of loose 777, a sabot/bullet load, 209 primer, and KA-BOOM! Repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat. Hopefully I'll be sighted in close enough by then. A full cleaning will then be done on all firing mechanics, breech area of the receiver, breech plug, and bore. I'll use TC black powder solvent for this. Then back at it again w/the five shot sequence until I figure out the right load/sabot/bullet combo.
Remember mine is a stainless barrel.

[wgr]

the old timers seasoned their bores with tallow but the barrels were iron not steal and they didn't use soap to clean the rifle. its just like seasoning a iron skilet  you cant wash it with soap are it will need to be re seasoned.

[kyelkhunter3006]

With the molecular structure of the steel being used in barrels, you can't season it because the pores are so small and shallow.  Anything that you built up would be burned out when your powder goes off.  ML barrels are made from the same steel with the same processes as centerfire barrels, but no one bothers to season them....     You can lap a barrel to smooth it out internally, and that will help it load easier and generally shoot more accurately.

People seasoned cast iron because the pores of the metal are huge, that why it's rough feeling.  They seasoned them to keep food from sticking to them and to keep them from rusting.  Seasoning fills the pores of the metal.  After you seasoned them, you didn't wash them with soap, or you'd have to do it all over.