C leaning Soft Iron Barrel

[Bob J]

The clean-up of my modern steel barrel MLs (Lyman GPR, TC Hawken)is a snap with water, dish detergent, a little scrubbing, drying, and a coat of Ballistol, Break-Free, or Cleanzoil. Typically a quick swab a few days later results in a snow white patch...Squeeky clean!

The .36 I just bought has a 25 year old H & H barrel which the builder said is a softer iron. Being a fullstock, I decided to just swab with a cleaner, dry patch, swab with cleaner.......repeat 1000 times :: and the patches NEVER end up coming out snow white :: Is this typical of softer iron barrels?

 

[roundball]

The clean-up of my modern steel barrel MLs (Lyman GPR, TC Hawken)is a snap with water, dish detergent, a little scrubbing, drying, and a coat of Ballistol, Break-Free, or Cleanzoil. Typically a quick swab a few days later results in a snow white patch...Squeeky clean!

The .36 I just bought has a 25 year old H & H barrel which the builder said is a softer iron. Being a fullstock, I decided to just swab with a cleaner, dry patch, swab with cleaner.......repeat 1000 times :: and the patches NEVER end up coming out snow white :: Is this typical of softer iron barrels?

A couple of thoughts that come to mind:

1) Not sure what 'cleaner' your using, but I've seen certain 'cleaners', even something like WD-40, when in contact with barrel metal always seem to discolor a white patch some, grey looking, etc...so it might just be that;

2) Depending on the cleaner you're using, it's particular cleaning ability may not be strong enough...no telling what all is built up in that bore after 25 years...could be just slowly and gradually leaching stuff out of the metal and could take a long while;

3) A used barrel that was troublesome coming clean for me, cleaned up in no time when in desparation I finally tried Shooter's Choice Black Powder Cleaning Gel...potent stuff...dissolved whatever in the world was in the bore in no time, and I finally started getting clean patches out.

It is very strong...and it cautions against leaving a bronze brush coated with it as it will dissolve it over night...I learned that the next morning when I discovered mine was half dissolved, and reread the instructions on the bottle.

That's all I can think of

 

[2172]

roundball makes a good point about some stuff never coming out more than light gray on the patch..I've been cleaning guns for over 60 years (got my first .22 at 12) and realize that a snow white patch is often hard to come by. As it kid, using clean bore ammo, my dad pointed out that I was cleaning so often, and for so long, that I was in danger of turning the gun into a .30....I've had really good luck lately with Butch's Bore Brite...I think it is a Lyman product...just don't get it on the stock as it is a great finish remover, too...Hank

 

[sfruhwirth]

Hi just catching what you all have said about cleaning and such. I've also found it true that some rifles will just be next to impossible to get back to pure white clean patches, as hard as we may try. Depending on who the previous shooters were of the rifle and how they cared for them also makes a big differance.
Our shooting group uses a home brew for cleaning up our rifles, we also use this same cleaner as pre patch lube as opposed to spit patches for shooting. (Yes patch and ball shooter here)
Any who here it is if anyone is interested:

4 oz. water soluable oil
(most machine shops carry this, or grinding oil)
4 oz. rubbing alchohol
4 oz. hydrogen peroxide
4 oz. lysol all purpose cleaner

mix all ingrediants togeather in a 1 gallon container filled with water and shake.
contents will of course turn a milky white and makes a wonderful gun cleaner and patch lubricator.

we have found by loading and shooting with this we are able to shoot 50 - 60 rounds with out worry of buildup, it also seems to speed-up our cleaning time at the end of the night.

If it works for ya, share it with a friend.

by the way we call it:

"MOOSE MILK" and other assorted names

Good luck and good shooting!