Barrel Pitting

[Hammy]

I have a 91/30 Mosin-Nagant I recently acquired and at the time the gun looked to be in good condition. However, after removing the stock, I found 3 spots on the outside of the barrel where pitting had taken place. These spots are between 1/4 and 3/8 inches in diameter. After removing the rust with a dental pick, I measured the depth of the worst pitting. It is approximately .030 inches deep. Should this rifle become a wall hanger or is it still reasonably safe to shoot. I know this is a stupid question but I still have to ask if the barrel can be welded to fill in the pitting or will this just weaken it further?

 

[Mike Irwin]

Where exactly is the pitting in relation to the receiver? That is the big consideration.

However, you're taking about pits that really aren't all that deep. The interior of the barrel on an old gun can be pitted just as badly, and it still remains safe to shoot.

As for welding it, why bother? It's covered by the stock, the gun isn't worth all that much, and it would probably cost you a lot more to have the job done than what you paid for the rifle.

Have it checked over by a good gunsmith for any other problems, but I really don't see the exterior pitting to be much of a problem at all.

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Beware the man with the S&W .357 Mag.
Chances are he knows how to use it.

 

[Badger Arms]

Ham, the pits do create stress concentrations. Your gun, however, is probably perfectly safe. If you are REALLY worried about it, the safe thing to do is to dish the pits out with a dremmel and then polish out the ground areas. A 10-to-1 blending ratio is optimum here. (10 times as wide as the depth of the pit or .3") Since, as you said, it's under the wood there is no concern here for beauty. It might look weird, but this will indeed reduce stress concentrations in the area and be safer than the pits themselves. Were I to own the gun, though, I'd leave it like it was. Make sure you have removed all traces of rust and coat the whole gun in oil.