Well in about 83 or 84, my grandad gave me a CVA 45 rifle kit, a box of 20 TC maxiballs and a pound of a new fangled powder pyrodex. My 6th grade hands put it together and I'd guess more than 1/2 those 240 grain maxi-balls accounted for deer in the next 15 years or so. THe grandpa the powder and the bullets are now all gone beyond where eyes can see. Well I rushed off last year leaving my wife and 2 week old daughter to get in a quick hunt. I saw a nice buck several times, but didn't get a shot over two days. Walking back to the stand I decieded to take a small forkhorn I caught standing in a field a get on home to my girls. Well you guessed it in the rush of cutting meat and the new baby and all, can you believe I forgot to clean the gun. Yesterday to my chagrin I realized my mistake and the bore is a mess and is now shooting 6" groups at 50 yards, at this distance I used to occassionally shoot cloverleafs. Can I lapp the bore? I like this old smoke pole and hoped my girl would get her first deer with it someday.

I don't think firelapping would work, how do you cast a slug to hand lap?

Matt

Surface rust should clean up fine. If you can't clean as normal there are lots of solvents to go with. If pitting has occured it may continue but should not effect your accuracy for now. Try these products if you have not already, after cleaning as normal. Kroil, wire brushes with a bore paste on a patch, finish up with a preparation of Flitz.

I cleaned up my rusty bore with fine steel wool wrapped around a cleaning jag. Wrap enough to barely fit tight in the barrel and swab all the way up and down. When it gets loose, wrap on some more steel wool and go again. Do this till all the rust is gone, and once more. My gun, which was neglected and then given to me, now shoots 3 inches at a hundred. Good luck.