"Dark" bores

[TMB2]

My recently aquired WWII Mauser has a bore that has no accumulated "crud" but no matter how many times I scrub it with my bronze brush, patches and MPro7, it remains very dark. What causes a bore to turn very dark and why does it not seem to want to be bright again? Is it safe to shoot a rifle with a very dark bore?

 

[johnwill]

It's perfectly safe, lots of old rifles have dark bores. It's corrosion from corrossive ammo. As long as it shoots accurately, there's no reason to be considering a new barrel. One problem with a dark bore is it's a bit rougher than a bright bore, so it'll foul a bit quicker.

 

[beemerb]

Get a Brownells fire lapping kit and clean the bore up.Will smooth it out make it look better and be more accurate.

------------------
Bob--- Age and deceit will overcome youth and speed.
I'm old and deceitful.

 

[George Stringer]

TMB2, some of the most accurate shooting surplus rifles I've ever seen had sewer pipes for bores. George

 

[Cherokee]

George is right. I got a 39 Turk and the barrel looks like somebody crapped in it but it shoots great...not bad for less than $50.