Uberti lever rifles.

[Ian]

If it's an Uberti, particularly if color-case-hardened, it's a really good idea to FIRST take it down to parade rest and strip-clean every metal part, wax under the butt plate, wax the tangs, and go over each piece with a shaving brush/oil. There is likely carbon packed in every crevice of the receiver and rust underneath that and the oil they dunk the parts in. The oil dunk after case hardening is probably the only lubrication the innards have had, and it's already been fired in the Italian proof house and boxed up dirty to be shipped across the Atlantic and transferred no telling how many times. The barrel probably still has bluing salts rusting away the corners of the grooves, so a good brushing and even steel-wooling of the bore may be in order.

 

[fiver]

not sure what load level your looking for but I doubt you could go even close to wrong with a 38-158 RNFP mold and a bottle of bullseye.
start at 3 grs and go up until you find the accuracy you want at the distance your gonna shoot, or the speed that coincides with your sight clicks form 50 to 100 yds. [probably around 6grs]

 

[uncle jimbo]

OK, got this rifle to day and commenced to clean it and getting ready to shoot. I have read ,but really don't know, that for a new rifle that is going to shoot lead bullets, that I need to run a patch down the barrel with some bullet lube on it. Something like Lee's tumble lube? Yes, No.

 

[Bass Ackward]

OK, got this rifle to day and commenced to clean it and getting ready to shoot. I have read ,but really don't know, that for a new rifle that is going to shoot lead bullets, that I need to run a patch down the barrel with some bullet lube on it. Something like Lee's tumble lube? Yes, No.

Can if ya want. Just be careful not to gunk up the chamber. I prefer the lube you’re gonna have on the slugs, but LLA is ok if that’s what it is. I prefer to load a couple “poofies” just as well.

 

[fiver]

my barrel break in procedure.
cast jacketed, combo of the 2.
bang,,,,, bang,,,,, bang, or bang, bang, bang.
as long as the barrel don't get hot for the first 20 or so rounds I'm happy.

 

[Cherokee]

I have never pre-lubed the barrels of any new cast bullet rifle. Just clean, then shoot. The barrel will become seasoned as you shoot.

 

[uncle jimbo]

Well I think I am just going to go out and start shooting it now that I have cleaned it. If it stops raining. suppose to rain for the next 3 days.
Thanks for the comments.

 

[Ian]

After strip-cleaning a barrel I typically smear a hint of bullet lube on a patch and jog it through the bore, followed by a clen one straight through and wipe the chamber clean with a bore mop just dampened with mineral spirits. If I don't initiate the prelube I have often had trouble with lead fouling in the corners of the grooves which seems to persist eternally afterwards. We all have our rituals whether they really perform a necessary function or not.

 

[Intheshop]

Concerning new brrls.....

My first order of bidness is fireforming cases.... so we can get this show on the rd. Next,and this "is" breaking in a brrl to some? which if that's how they see it,fine by me but....

I want to see,and "know" what this barrel will do.... "coming off the bttm". Translated to how fast after a deep clean( or new barrel) will this thing season or get ready for tearing up X rings. So,fireform 10 cases and deep clean.... try again. Where's that first shot going? Is the fireforming load behaving? Deep clean..... repeat.

60 cases will see me in fine shape for a hunting/blasting rig. After they have been loaded once..... the barrel has seen them all. I should be getting a handle on this rigs personality. But learning how these barrels come back after a deep clean is very important to a field gun. Bedding and other stock work would be considered at this time.... mainly based on cold bore and how picky the tube is twds fouling?

Generally, barrels get their game on about 100-200 rounds..... velocity should be settling in and the fouling picture should be in focus.

Edit; JB bore paste and Remington 10X. Old wore out bronze brush with specifically Viva brand kitchen towels tore into strips and wrapped around brush. Adjust wrap count to how tight you want it. Clean out pastes with shooters choice or Hoppes..... anything really. No oil or lube after,shoot from squeaky clean.

 

[Bass Ackward]

Nice to see that there are issues folks are STILL passionate about. And man this USED to be a regimented ritual for me.

Now, I sorta feel that you get what you got. It's gonna do what it's gonna do & end up the way it does, no matter what. Cause there's no way to prove that if I had JUST _______, it would have ________.

Unless it's crap and you have to fire lap, keep your ritual going cause the one thing ALL rituals have in common is, they satisfy our psyche to get us shootin. And that's what every barrel needs.

 

[Ian]

Exactly, Bass. Tea rituals, stuff we do just because we do.

I have a brand new one to break in this afternoon. It's been proof fired but that's it. Already cleaned and lightly oiled, might not worry about prelubing if I start out with pc/lubed cast.

 

[Pistolero]

Well, if you don't wear your lucky hat and you can't shoot worth a damn that day,
and the next time you remember the hat and shoot nothing but good to great groups
that day.......you will remember. And if it works, who cares why? Just because or confidence
builder or it keeps the sun out of your eyes just right or maybe it is a lucky hat - or a better
way to break in a barrel.

And usually, it doesn't cost much to satisfy these little "tricks and superstitions", either.

If it works for you, it must be a good idea- for you. Might or might not be a good idea for me.

I've spent a whole day breaking in a new barrel. Did it help it shoot better? Not certain, but it
DOES shoot well, and I had a nice day shooting and fiddling on a sunny, warm range. No downside
and maybe an upside.

Bill

 

[uncle jimbo]

I still haven't got a chance to shoot this gun. Been raining , windy and very cold ever since I got it.
So I guess, my concern right now, is how to keep the gun from rusting.

 

[fiver]

wipe a little G-96 on it.
it puts a super nice shine on the wood and the bluing.