Rusty Lyman deerstalker how far gone is too far gone

[Jrmccoog]

I picked up a 70s maybe 80s lyman deerstalker from a friend for 100 bucks being a public place I didn't check it out too extensively... My mistake it was fired and then stored dirty for 12 plus years so there is heavy rust and pitting inside the bore. plus the set screw for the nipple won't budge and is starting to strip out so I can't remove it and clean the hole and put a new one in. It looked like a nice rifle on the outside but don't know if I can save it please help

Joe
Newberg

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[po18guy]

Kroil that nipple and let it set. If the rifling as as shown, it is far from the worst. If round balls do not shoot well (try different diameters within reason), you can shoot hollow-base Minié slugs which obturate under firing pressure and fill the bore.

Before applying any heat to help loosen the nipple - after penetrating oil soak - run a rod down the bore and make CERTAIN that it was not loaded and put away. Stranger things have happened.

 

[UnionMillsNW]

I'm not a gunsmith so please take my advice with a grain of salt.

For the set screw: I'd use either heat (like a propane torch) or anti-seize spray to see if it helps loosen the screw. Just don't force a flat head.

For the barrel: give it a good cleaning and see where you're at. If the pitting is so bad you think it will effect the integrity of the rifle then don't shoot it. Consider picking up a new barrel. Otherwise I'd clean it, shoot it, and then make a choice.

Good luck! Either way $100 is a good deal even for a project.

 

[Jrmccoog]

Kroil that nipple and let it set. If the rifling as as shown, it is far from the worst. If round balls do not shoot well (try different diameters within reason), you can shoot hollow-base Minié slugs which obturate under firing pressure and fill the bore.

Before applying any heat to help loosen the nipple - after penetrating oil soak - run a rod down the bore and make CERTAIN that it was not loaded and put away. Stranger things have happened.

I ran my bore camera down it as well as measuring with a cleaning rod but I had to laugh because before I checked I was heating the nipple with a torch and that would have been a disaster can you tell me more about minié slugs I'm very new to muzzleloading

 

[Jrmccoog]

I'm not a gunsmith so please take my advice with a grain of salt.

For the set screw: I'd use either heat (like a propane torch) or anti-seize spray to see if it helps loosen the screw. Just don't force a flat head.

For the barrel: give it a good cleaning and see where you're at. If the pitting is so bad you think it will effect the integrity of the rifle then don't shoot it. Consider picking up a new barrel. Otherwise I'd clean it, shoot it, and then make a choice.

Good luck! Either way $100 is a good deal even for a project.

I think that it would be ok to shoot considering it is a muzzleloader however I don't know enough about them to be sure

 

[orygun]

@Andy54Hawken , where are you when a new shooter needs help? You can't be too far away.

Hang tight, @Jrmccoog , Andy's a blackpowder shooter with a ton of knowledge.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

KROIL will be your friend here.

I'd remove the barrel from the stock...and clean the bore with patches and a bronze brush using KROIL....
Then I'd Let the breech sit for a day or two in a container of KROIL to see if that loosens the stuck clean out screw.

Is the Nipple stuck also....?
If so let it soak before trying too hard to remove it.
A proper nipple wrench will be helpful here.

I would also give the lock a good cleaning with KROIL as well.
Don't take the lock apart...just remove it from the rifle and clean it.

After the rifle is all clean....and the clean out screw issue is resolved....be sure to check the tightness of the breech.
If all works and looks good , lets go shooting.

I wouldn't overly worry too much about the bore...I have done some good shooting with bores that have been neglected for a hundred plus years.

Now before someone pipes in with :
"That is not how you clean a muzzle loader".
The above advice is to clean this rifle , in order to get it into shooting shape....
Not how to clean the rifle after shooting.

For regular cleaning I :
Remove the lock and barrel...
Remove the nipple...

Fill a bucket with hot soapy water....
Place the barrel into the bucket , breech end first ...
Wet a patch...and rod the barrel with the patch , while the barrel is in the bucket...
This will flush out the fouling...

Drop the lock and nipple in the bucket...
Clean off any fouling from them...

Remove the rifle parts from the bucket...
Pour the water out...
Refill the bucket with hot soapy water and pour that down the bore...
You should get clean water out of the bore and or nipple area....

Dry all the parts...
Give the metal parts , a light coating of oil...I like to use CLP
Reassemble the rifle and check in a few days to see if you have rust.

Please feel free to ask more questions regarding the rifle , loading , shooting , items needed etc...
Andy

 

[Medic!]

As to the frozen screw holding the nipple?
After letting it soak overnight with WD40. Stick a proper fitting screwdriver in the slot and give it a rap from a small hammer. This should break it free.





Good luck.

 

[Jrmccoog]

KROIL will be your friend here.

I'd remove the barrel from the stock...and clean the bore with patches and a bronze brush using KROIL....
Then I'd Let the breech sit for a day or two in a container of KROIL to see if that loosens the stuck clean out screw.

Is the Nipple stuck also....?
If so let it soak before trying too hard to remove it.
A proper nipple wrench will be helpful here.

I would also give the lock a good cleaning with KROIL as well.
Don't take the lock apart...just remove it from the rifle and clean it.

After the rifle is all clean....and the clean out screw issue is resolved....be sure to check the tightness of the breech.
If all works and looks good , lets go shooting.

I wouldn't overly worry too much about the bore...I have done some good shooting with bores that have been neglected for a hundred plus years.

Now before someone pipes in with :
"That is not how you clean a muzzle loader".
The above advice is to clean this rifle , in order to get it into shooting shape....
Not how to clean the rifle after shooting.

For regular cleaning I :
Remove the lock and barrel...
Remove the nipple...

Fill a bucket with hot soapy water....
Place the barrel into the bucket , breech end first ...
Wet a patch...and rod the barrel with the patch , while the barrel is in the bucket...
This will flush out the fouling...

Drop the lock and nipple in the bucket...
Clean off any fouling from them...

Remove the rifle parts from the bucket...
Pour the water out...
Refill the bucket with hot soapy water and pour that down the bore...
You should get clean water out of the bore and or nipple area....

Dry all the parts...
Give the metal parts , a light coating of oil...I like to use CLP
Reassemble the rifle and check in a few days to see if you have rust.

Please feel free to ask more questions regarding the rifle , loading , shooting , items needed etc...
Andy

I have the kroil on the way I will try all of this thank you!

 

[Andy54Hawken]

You are very welcome.
And again....please feel free ask any questions about :
Loading...
Shooting...
Items needed...
As well as any other related muzzle loader questions...What I don't know...I'll make up...
Andy

 

[Stomper]

@Andy54Hawken mentioned a "nipple wrench".... (most) everyone has two of them.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

@Andy54Hawken mentioned a "nipple wrench".... (most) everyone has two of them.

View attachment 791424

Never use those and make "Air tool noises " or such , when adjusting the nipples on your.....Err....Wait wrong forum....
Andy

 

[orygun]

@Andy54Hawken mentioned a "nipple wrench".... (most) everyone has two of them.

View attachment 791424

Those are the kind used to "Tune in Tokyo", not a muzzleloader!

 

[jbett98]

I heat the part, then apply Kroil. It seems to wick down into the threads faster.

 

[tac]

When I saw this I thought that Rusty Lyman was a poster's name. Hmmmmmmmmm.

Wisht' we could get Kroil over here - seems it's one of the proscribed chemical products that the EU doesn't care for. When we finally get to kiss their asses goodbye effect our leave in January it will STILL be banned here, as it seems that anything that the UK gubmint actually signed up to is 'in perpetuity' - and at least EIGHTEEN different US-made reloading powders, including the immensely popular Varget, have gone, too. x 250.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

"Rusty Lyman" would make for a excellent screen name...
Too bad about KROIL and Varget...sigh
Andy

 

[po18guy]

@Andy54Hawken mentioned a "nipple wrench".... (most) everyone has two of them.

View attachment 791424

That's fine as long as you're not a self-wrencher...

 

[po18guy]

I ran my bore camera down it as well as measuring with a cleaning rod but I had to laugh because before I checked I was heating the nipple with a torch and that would have been a disaster can you tell me more about minié slugs I'm very new to muzzleloading

Here ya' go. Upon firing, gas pressure forces the sides of the hollow base outward against the rifling. Thus, it has the ability to accommodate certain differences in bore diameter. The same concept as used in the ever popular .38 cal. 148 gr. HBWC (Hollow-base wad cutter).

Minié ball - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Stomper]

That's fine as long as you're not a self-wrencher...

But, my wrenches know what I like...

 

[Lesliet]

Kroil is amazing stuff. I've had pretty good results using it for getting leading out of a barrel, as well. Run a saturated patch through, and let it sit for some hours, it seems to creep under the lead, so when you run a brush through, it comes out much more easily. I work as a mechanic, and have worked in the rust belt... got more than a few severely rusted exhaust manifold bolts to come apart the good way instead of breaking off in the head, using this stuff. In my experience,
Kroil>PB Blaster> WD-40.