How tough is a barrel?

[-Mongrel-]

...to be more precise, how aggressively can I abuse one?

 

I am in the process of refurbing a couple of hammer guns, each throwing up their own particular challenges, but I moved onto the biggest 'problem' with one of them today, namely a detached rib.

 

I took this on knowingly and in the knowledge of the fact that A/ It's only soldered on and B/ I'm a plumber, therefore I can do soldering ! That's the logic anyway!

 

So, I clean everything up, wire it all down tight and heat the barrels, all appears to be going ok and after about 8" I decide to stop, clean it all up and check progress. One side fine, the other side not so, a large area where the solders not taken. Unsolder the rib again and establish that its down to the barrels not being clean enough. My fault completely, should know better etc etc.

 

Now, the problem is that it's pitted in the area under where the rib would be, and while I can get the metal around the pitting gleaming I can't get into the pits. The obvious answer to me would be to go at it with a wire wheel, will this cause too much damage to the barrels though. I don't want to be left with scratching when it gets refinished.

 

Oh, should add, not too concerned about the pitting itself to be honest. It's just been nitro proofed.

[Andy135]

If you're careful you may be able to hide any scratches under the rib when it's replaced. I'm guessing you plan to use a small wire wheel on a Dremel tool?

 

Or for a really painstaking job, you could try one of those miniature diamond ball type bits in the Dremel. Very precise but would take you a long time to clean up the entire barrel.