This look like pitting to you?

I don't think any of us will see it any better than you can. I agree that it could be dirt or it could be pitting. I suppose I'd ask the seller if the barrel has been cleaned. If it has, and that is what is left behind, I'd pass.

Best of luck, and please let us know how it turns out.

<edit> The first line seems kind of rude upon re-reading and I don't mean it to be. I am just trying to say that it's unlikely that any of us will be able to tell you anything that you don't already know, and none of us have any skin in the game!

Can't tell, need better pictures. Could be dirty, could be fouling, could be pitting. Not that I've looked at a lot of bores, but basically every used firearm I've purchased looked like a bore fail before cleaning, and then after - some looked pretty good and mirror like, so - for what it is worth.

If its just in one spot and the rest of the barrel looks clean I would think it pitted.If you look close at it looks like pitting.One thing about muzzleloaders I've seen ones that looked fine on the outside and the barrel was toast.How much it will clean up and how it will shoot I don't know but a pitted barrel is not a plus.

double post

For my money...…..A better pic is a must.

IMO there does look like there's a splotch of rust in the 6 o'clock position inside the bore.
I would assume the worst.
The seller should be able to hold the camera at different angles to get a clearer photo of the crown and to focus on the upper part of the bore.
He just needs to shine the light on the front and experiment with the focus by moving the camera around.
I think that he's giving you a poor excuse to not provide more photos and a full detailed description.

It's possible that a splotch of rust can be fairly smooth and not a major detriment.
I've seen it on a like new Ruger Old Army that was maybe once fired.
The rust splotch was smooth as silk yet it was etched into the barrel almost like a rust stain.
But the price needs to make the risk of purchase worthwhile.
The cost of a new Pietta SS target barrel is $157 plus shipping.

JB compound on a tight jag/patch and a hundred full strokes will tell you what you have. I've brought more than one barrel back from the supposed brink of death with the method.

Pitting does not necessarily mean the barrel is ruined, I have a Ruger old army with a pitted barrel that shoots very well. What really effects accuracy is damage at the crown and possibly the other end at the forcing cone, both areas can be fixed if not severely damaged.

If the price is right and your only investment is shipping, assuming the return guarantee is legit, how much do you want a NMA.
Zooming in that doesn’t really look like pitting, more like raised surfaces, JMO, and the fact it’s stainless would also indicate it’s just crud. Light bore damage isn’t necessarily the end of it in many cases especially in black powder revolvers.
The fact that the seller published the photo speaks for their honesty also.

Howdy

Sorry, I can't tell a thing from your photo.

Stainless steel is not really stainless, given the right circumstances just about any 'Stainless Steel' will corrode.

I will tell you that I have lots and lots of antique revolvers and rifles. In my experience some pitting in the bore seldom makes the gun completely useless. I have found that as long as the rifling is still strong, it almost always puts a good spin on the bullet.

A long time ago, when I first started shooting Black Powder I read that BP should never be fired through a pitted bore because it takes a huge amount of elbow grease to completely clean 100% of the fouling out of the pits. I have since found this to be untrue. It really does not matter if a little bit of fouling is still lurking at the bottom of the pits in a pitted bore. Running a patch soaked with Ballistol through the bore as the last step will coat whatever fouling is still lurking in the bore with oil. Once soaked with oil, BP fouling does not cause rust. Saturating it with oil prevents the fouling from sucking any moisture out of the air. Think of it as a sponge that has already been soaked with water. A saturated sponge cannot absorb any more water. The very last step after I run the soaked with Ballistol patch through the bore and chambers is I follow up with a dry patch to soak up any excess. This leaves a thin film of Ballistol in the bore.

Not really what you wanted to hear, but I never let a little bit of pitting prevent me from buying a revolver or rifle, if the rest of it checks out.

to tell you the truth to me it looks like its just dirty and a good cleaning will take care of it!

The reason why I think that the seller is making excuses is because he should be able to see the color difference
between reddish rust and black carbon fouling with his naked eye using a light source or two.
Even without more photos he should be able to state whether there's any observable rust, even of it's minor.
To me his offer of a refund indicates buyer beware.
He may be hoping that you won't mind a little rust.

arcticap said:

The reason why I think that the seller is making excuses is because he should be able to see the color difference
between reddish rust and black carbon fouling with his naked eye using a light source or two.
Even without more photos he should be able to state whether there's any observable rust, even of it's minor.
To me his offer of a refund indicates buyer beware.
He may be hoping that you won't mind a little rust.

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That is a good point that I hadn't thought of. I can grab any revolver I have and with a glance down the barrel tell you if it is clean, dirty, rusty, or pitted. I might have trouble taking a picture of it, but that doesn't mean I can't see it myself.

Mr.ttv2...i think that a 7 day return policy seems fair. Atleast u know you can get your money back. And only you can say if the price is worth the time and also if it is lightly pitted etc....if its worth the price. Ive seen some guns with rust blotched be brought back to life with a brass phosphorus brush and bore polisher

It has some pitting for sure. BUT, without running a couple patches through, it's hard to tell. Better yet, run an endoscope down it to see. Even if it is pitted, that doesn't mean it won't be a great shooter. I've seen some original CW guns that looked bad, but shot great. It just means more in the cleaning side of things.

If it is pitting. Its up to you.I don't normally buy damaged guns unless I want a project.If you get it will it bother you that its rusted some people don't care some it would bother.For me the price would have to be very very good.And I think the seller probably knows its pitted

double post

Yikes i can already see the surface rust on the entrance to that barrel. To allow a stainless gun to rust it must have been really neglected aftee shooting. Dont get me wrong...we all know stainless can rust...but its not as sensitive as the regular steel used in our common cap n ball guns. You'd think he would try and get rid of what surface rust he could atleast for the sake of selling and preventing further damage

Pyrodex?

TTv2 said:

Didn't come off as rude at all and I'd prefer it if people said what they meant and meant what they said than beating around the bush.

The seller has been responding well and is offering a 7 day return period and has a good reason for not being able to send more pics of the bore given its length. Given the outside appearance it looks like it's been taken care of, better than other used C&B's I've bought cheap. The worst case would be it is pitted and even then that doesn't mean it'll shoot bad and it doesn't mean I can't replace the barrel in the future.

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One of my stainless ROA's had a badly pitted area about 1" back from the muzzle, a squib left in too long I suspect, anyway it shot every bit as well as my other pristine ROA, shot it for yrs till I had the chance to pick up a frame with barrel from Ebay for less than barrels had been offered or smiths were charging for changing out the old barrel. The only reason I changed it out was that I wanted both guns as good as I could get them.