Alcohol?

[tiger955]

I have read in many posts on here about swabbing the oil, etc. out of a bore before loading a clean gun. I usually just use a dry patch, but many mention using alcohol. I am curious as to what kind of alcohol is being used. Isopropol (rubbing alcohol) is generally mostly water, ethyl alcohol? Jack Daniels? :hmm:

 

[Tumblernotch]

91% Isopropyl Alchohol (rubbing) works fine. I mix some in with plain tap water for wiping at the range. It will keep it from freezing in cold weather and it will help cut fouling.

Regular 70% works good but the 91% is a bit stronger. Also works in patching solutions.

 

[David W.]

Save the Jack! Use denatured alcohol.

 

[Semisane]

I use straight 91% Isopropyl.

 

[smo]

Save the Jack! Use denatured alcohol.

Same thing for me as well :thumbsup:

 

[Stumpkiller]

Some rubbing alcohol is 30% to 50% water. It will have a percentage listed on the label. Get the Isopropyl 91% from a drug store, or stove or solvent alcohol from a hardware store. These have single-digit water percentages.

 

[tiger955]

Thanks guys, I was wondering. I was looking at a bottle I have today and it is 70%, I have seen some that is 50% water. I use RemOil in my bores for storage and it is rather thin, I usually just wipe with a dry patch before shooting and haven't had any problems.

 

[Zip]

Thanks for asking that Tiger. I've always wondered myself about the alcohol thing. Of course, being in CA I guess I can save my chardonnays for basting the locks in now. :rotf:

 

[William O.]

91% isopropyl (rubbing alcohol), I figure the least amount of water the better and it evaporates quicker.

 

[courdebois]

i use windshield washer fluid(the blue winter stuff)and wd 40,pre-clean, after shooting,everything, cheap,easy,effective,

 

[paulvallandigham]

Isopropyl Alcohol is NOT MOSTLY WATER. The other way around. Yes, it has water in it- about 8%, but that evaporates easily with the alcohol.

If You worry about those things, go to the hardware store and buy a quart can of Denatured alcohol,which is closer to 100%( it has additives so people don't drink it.)

Both alcohols work fine. The purpose of flushing- not just running a dampened patch down the barrel, or a dampened "swab" is to dissolve any grease, or oil in the breech of the barrel, and if one exists, in the powder chamber, and the small holes that connect the chamber or breech to the TH on flintlocks, or to the base of the nipple on percussion locks. Flush the barrel with some alcohol- the amount varies with caliber, and barrel length somewhat---- and pour the mix out the muzzle. NOW, run a drying patch down the barrel to gather any remaining oil and alcohol, before you load that first powder charge. Don't be afraid to blow down the barrel to push the last of the fumes Out of that flash channel, either. :thumbsup:

I have also used Alcohol as a Cleaning fluid between shots when shooting in sub-freezing temperatures. But, I always follow the damp patch ( with alcohol) with a dry patch to get any remaining alcohol out of the barrel before re-loading the barrel with the next charge. :hmm:

Some people mix alcohol in their water based cleaning fluids, to keep the water from freezing in the barrel. That works in conditions where you are going to fire the next shot fairly soon, but will not protect the bore from rusting where the PRB touches the rifling if you leave a patch dampened with any water in subfreezing temperatures long enough for the water and alcohol to evaporate( as in hunting.) That is why I use straight alcohol to dampen patches, or OIL only, to dampen patches for sub-freezing hunting conditions.

There are a number of oils, both vegetable based, and synthetics, that work well down to below zero Degrees F. A thin mix of beeswax, and vegetable oil will keep the patch soft enough to run down the barrel, and oil the barrel to fight condensation in freezing temperatures.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Paul is correct. However, I see no point in even considering using alcohol in a ml rifle barrel. It attracts water and evaporates. It performs no useful purpose that I can see.

 

[hanshi]

I normally just run a couple or three patches down the bore prior to shooting but have occasionally used alcohol as well. I never could tell any difference.

 

[Tony Logan]

While alcohol is being discussed. Has anyone ever heard of wiping the bore with a damp alcohol patch down the bore between shots? The object is not to totally clean the bore but to just keep it consistently dirty? It is something I picked up at Friendship this June from a pretty fair shot. I just haven't tried it yet.

 

[Tumblernotch]

Paul is correct. However, I see no point in even considering using alcohol in a ml rifle barrel. It attracts water and evaporates. It performs no useful purpose that I can see.

I started using the 91% mixed in my spray bottle of plain water for range use just to keep the water from freezing on my patches and in the barrel. However, I did find that my patches were removing a little more fouling than before I started using it. Not much more, but enough that I could notice it. So I'd say there's some benefit and it's cheap. I still put a little in the bottle even in warm weather.

 

[tg]

I have often used 91% rubbing alch. for part of the barrel cleaning process some use denatured no one has shown and I have not seen and problems with the use of either, far to many people use it for it not to have shown problems if they exist and if any isolated problems have occured it is likley due to using the wrong method somewhere along the line,a damp spit patch followed by a dry was all I ever needed now and then between shots with some guns/loads, I would not be afraid of using some alch. if you choose, you will hear of many ways to do it, all probably get you to the same place.

 

[roundball]

I don't have a need to keep anything from freezing where I hunt, but the individual sealed foil packs of small disposable alcohol wipes are a standard part of my supplies.

In preparing a Flintlock for loading in the garage before leaving for a day hunt, I use a disposable alcohol wipe to clean the flint, pan, and frizzen of any oils that might have migrated to those surfaces since last cleaning. (A disposable alcohol wipe is also in each pocket field cleaning kit).

But as far as the bores goes here in NC, I just dry patch the bore & breech, then follow that with an NL1000 lubing patch.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Alcohol, like water, is a solvent when it comes to cleaning barrels of BP residue. I only use alcohol to wipe the bore between shot when I am shooting in sub-32 Degree F. weather, when water, including spit, freezes!

MY experience under these weather conditions is that the alcohol dampened cleaning patch leaves the barrel "one-shot dirty", just as water, or spit, or some water based cleaning solvent does when shooting in warmer weather. :thumbsup:

 

[Tony Logan]

"one shot dirty" is what I was referring too. I was told it was to keep everything as consistent as possible.

 

[woodse guy]

I always run a couple of alcohol soaked patches just to clean the oil out before I shoot after the rifle has been stored.