i have an old thompson center hawken that is rusted at the bore. What would be the best way to clean it? it is still shootable but can you clean out the grooves?

Depends on the level of rust. Is it deep pitting and is the breech seized?

Worst case:
I’d get some foaming bore cleaner, let it soak, then scrub scrub scrub with a wire brush.
Do that a few times, put it in the bathtub in hot water for 30 min. Then more scrub.

Take it out, then immediately do more scrub scrub scrub with another wire brush and bore cleaner. (It’ll start rusting back immediately once you take it out of the hot water).

That’ll get it clean and remove 99% of the rust.

Depending on how it looks afterwards will determine how shootable it is.

^^^ this, plus you can take some smaller cal. (.45) wire brushes and wrap them with steel wool for some extra scrubbing power. Breakfree CLP/CRP works pretty good also. I've zip tied a latex gloves over the end of a barrel before and filled it with this and let it soak prior to cleaning.

thanks for the tips i got the steel wool going. It is a beautiful old gun that i would like to hunt with.

Transmission fluid is your fried