Just got my Belgian 1889/16 Carbine in the other day, and took the barrel shroud off to have a look at the barrel. I saw several spots on both ends of the barrel. Is this something I can fix? If so, with what?
I recommend 0000 steel wool and a penetrating oil. I use WD-40 due to availability. And then I clean it off and put a preserving oil or grease on it. Just spray some oil on it and give a light scrubbing.
For the rust, some bronze or 0000 steel wool and penetrating oil will work just fine. In the event that there is some dried grease that's become petrified, you can use mineral spirits or brake cleaner as a more aggressive option.
Thanks for the advice guys. I got some brushes and some oil, and was able to remove the rust and grim form the tip and most of the lighter stains.
Couldn't get the petrified grease off or some of the deeper stain spots without risking damaging the barrel, but it's a lot better than it was before.