This is probably a dumb question, but is it a big deal if I can't get the very back/bottom of the barrel clean? If I look in there under a strong light, there's a dark ring around the breech port where my cleaning jag and patches nor my brush seem to be able to contact.
Can't get very back of the barrel clean. Is it a big deal?
- Thread starter SomeDude
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Try using a smaller jag than the caliber of the gun with a square of scotch brite solvent soaked cloth to scrub the breech area to remove the crud ring.
You can get a tool called a fouling scraper. It's a ramrod attachment.
Works good to get that black stuff out from the outside edges.
They make them for specific calibers.
Works good to get that black stuff out from the outside edges.
They make them for specific calibers.
jcs266
40 Cal
Is it perhaps down in the deeper recess of the patent breech where the full caliber jag won’t reach? As said a smaller diameter jag should do it.
Use a breech brush. It spreads out to the corners and cleans well.
I don't think I can get a good picture, but it's not really around the corners of the barrel, it's just a dark spot in the center of the bottom of the barrel that surrounds the port where the spark from the percussion cap would come through.
If you have a rifle with a patent breech (like mine, a Lyman GPR), you need a smaller fouling scraper or jag to reach that recessed area. I have both in .32 cal for my .54 cal rifle.
However, if you can clean right after shooting, I have found that flushing the bore with hot water gets almost all of the residue out of the breech. Then I use the undersized jag to get a little Ballistol in the breech, then dry.
The patent breech on my GPR looks darker than the rest of the bore, even when clean. Probably because it is not polished.
However, if you can clean right after shooting, I have found that flushing the bore with hot water gets almost all of the residue out of the breech. Then I use the undersized jag to get a little Ballistol in the breech, then dry.
The patent breech on my GPR looks darker than the rest of the bore, even when clean. Probably because it is not polished.
I pull the nipple off and run a few pipe cleaners through the fire channel. Gets most of the crud out. I also use a small hand held steamer to clean my guns with. That really helps loosen up the black powder residue.
Hmm not really sure what a patent breech is. Mine is a Traditions Kentucky pistol. I have noticed the very bottom nod the barrel is a bit concave where there a port for the spark from the percussion cap to come through. I also wondered if it was just because not was not polished like the rest of the barrel, because I out some blue tack u set a patch so that it would conform to the shape and scrubbed with that and it still looked dark when looking down the barrel.
Also what I've been doing is running a 99% isopropyl alcohol + mineral oil soaked patch through the barrel, then pouring very hot soapy water down it and blowing it out of the nipple and breech until it comes out clear without any black residue, and following up with more patches soaked in the alcohol and mineral oil until they come out clean. I heard somewhere on YouTube that the soapy water "neutralizes" the black powder so that it's not corrosoive anymore, but not sure if that's true. It usually takes me about 15-20 minutes to get home from the range after shooting to do this.
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If you can remove the barrel from the stock, do so. Then get a small bucket, put some hot water and cut a few small slices of bar soap into the water. Place the breech in the bucket and put a patch on your jag. Run the patch in and out several times, until the barrel gets hot.. The fouling will start to darken the water. remove the barrel from the water, drain any leftover water and follow up with dry patches until they come out white. The heat from the water will aid with drying the barrel. Then finish with your choice of rust preventative. Reassemble and store away.
Gotta figure a guy with the confidence to take the name ord sgt knows whereof he speaks on these matters.
Get yourself a good patch worm, not the TC type with just two wires. Then get some TOW (flax or hemp; Jas Townsend has both)
Wrap the TOW on the worm leaving a good amount hanging off the end, wet it with cleaner, run it down the barrel and 'Thump' it in when you reach bottom.
Turn it several times (CLOKWISE!!).
Pull out a little, thump it back in and twist some more (CLOCKWISE!!)
The TOW will reach down into the boar and shape itself into all the areas your patch is not reaching.
May have to do it a few times if you let it get too bad down there...
When do e, wipe it all clean and dry, run a little alchohol to flush those bottom edges - oil, done.
There are some nice Forged Worms you can get too, modeled after real o es from the good old days and you would be 100% authentic!
Wrap the TOW on the worm leaving a good amount hanging off the end, wet it with cleaner, run it down the barrel and 'Thump' it in when you reach bottom.
Turn it several times (CLOKWISE!!).
Pull out a little, thump it back in and twist some more (CLOCKWISE!!)
The TOW will reach down into the boar and shape itself into all the areas your patch is not reaching.
May have to do it a few times if you let it get too bad down there...
When do e, wipe it all clean and dry, run a little alchohol to flush those bottom edges - oil, done.
There are some nice Forged Worms you can get too, modeled after real o es from the good old days and you would be 100% authentic!
Griz44Mag
70 Cal.
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Remove the nipple - send a blast of brake cleaner in. That will clear it out.
Just DON'T get any of it on the wood.
Another methods is to plug the nipple and stand the gun up. Pour a little MAP into the barrel and let it soak for 10-15 minutes. The MAP will do a great job of boiling out any residue.
For patent breaches - especially on a Pedersoli - I "screw" a Q-tip into the end of a rod and dip it in MAP or solvent and use that to mop out the small end of the breech.
It works great and is quick.
And no - I have never "lost" one of them in the breech.
Just DON'T get any of it on the wood.
Another methods is to plug the nipple and stand the gun up. Pour a little MAP into the barrel and let it soak for 10-15 minutes. The MAP will do a great job of boiling out any residue.
For patent breaches - especially on a Pedersoli - I "screw" a Q-tip into the end of a rod and dip it in MAP or solvent and use that to mop out the small end of the breech.
It works great and is quick.
And no - I have never "lost" one of them in the breech.
hanshi
Cannon
Soapy water doesn't actually "neutralize" fouling, it removes it which is what must be done to keep rust from forming. Fouling does dissolve in water and can then be wiped away. A good rust preventative is then applied after thoroughly drying the metal. The suggestion of removing the barrel and "pumping" with a patch from a bucket with any gun that has a hooked breech is a good one. I often do that with mine and it cleans up the bore and fire channel.
smoothshooter
50 Cal.
Does it bave a “ patent breech “ ?
I’ll let you look it up because you will find diagrams of one, which will show you why you are having problems if hat is the case.
I think so, but that's really what I'm questioning myself. I found this thread with some diagram pictures and I think it's this "Modified Nock's Patent Breech"
It seems to have that bowl-shaped cup at the bottom of the barrel.
I managed to get a picture of inside my barrel...
smoothshooter
50 Cal.
Yes, it IS a big deal.
You need to get another copper cleaning brush to get the fouling out of that breech. Flush out with water, 70% isopropyl alcohol, or diluted Ballistol. Wipe bore with oil afterwards if using the alcohol.
You need to get another copper cleaning brush to get the fouling out of that breech. Flush out with water, 70% isopropyl alcohol, or diluted Ballistol. Wipe bore with oil afterwards if using the alcohol.
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How do you know it's not clean ? Eyes lie.
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Yeah that's why I'm trying to figure out a way to get a patch down there and in contact with the concave feature to see if it comes back clean. This is what I've tried...
So you can see where the blue tack had pressed the patch up against the bottom of the concave area, and it seems clean... I mean slightly gray but not soot-covered like I'd expect if it were fouling that was as black as what it appears to be.
I also rolled a patch up into a cone shape and shoved it down there and twisted it with the patch worm a little bit and pulled it back out.
And that seems a little bit more than just gray so it seems like it's actual fouling rather than just that portion being non polished and dark. Or maybe a combination of the two?
Get a Tow Worm for your sized barrel, get some Tow. Wrap the tow so you have a good inch or more hanging off the end. Soak it is BP solvent or your trusted cleaner.
Ram it down with the extra chuck first, this will fill and conform to the bottom of the breach filling ALL the areas your patch can't reach - Scrub and pump it.
The old ways are sometimes the best ways.
I recommend getting the hemp tow, it's more course then flax.
Ram it down with the extra chuck first, this will fill and conform to the bottom of the breach filling ALL the areas your patch can't reach - Scrub and pump it.
The old ways are sometimes the best ways.
I recommend getting the hemp tow, it's more course then flax.
