Cleaning Jags for Smoothbores

[rickystl]

Do you guys use the same size cleaning jag for a smoothbore as a rifled barrel? That is, a jag for a .62 would work for a smoothbore as well as a rifled barrel? Do the cotton shotgun swabs work better in a smoothbore? Thanks.

 

[Robert Egler]

Well, I don't know what you're suppoded to do, but I use a 54 cal jag in cleaning my 54 cal smoothbore, and it works fine.

 

[PaulN/KS]

I use the 62 jag on my smoothbore with cotton T shirt patches and it works just fine. Thicker patches sometimes work better with the next size down but with a smoothie ya don't have to worry about cleaning the lands and grooves...

 

[paulvallandigham]

Ricky: Smoothbores come in different diameters, and every gun needs to be measured with calipers to get an idea of its exact bore diameter, in thousandths of an inch. It makes a difference, not only in choosing loading components, but in cleaning equipment.

Measure first. Then choose a jag size for the barrel. If the bore is smaller than normal, you can chuck it in a drill, and use a file on the soft brass to reduce its diameter so that it works for your barrel.

For the most part, the same jab sold to clean a .62 caliber rifle can be used to clean a 20 gauge smoothbore. BUT-- there is always a 'but'--- You will find different dimensions on jags sold commercially, depending on who makes them. I have three cleaning /loading jags in .50 caliber in my range box, and they were all different diameters when I bought them. I didn't have my micrometer with me when I bought the first one, but I did when I bought the next two. Even the clerk in the booth where I bought the last two was surprised that they were different dimensions, as they came from the same sub-contractor.

 

[pmwest]

For 12 ga. Shotguns I like a bore brush with a 2 ½” square cotton flannel cleaning patch instead of a jag. I use the brush bare for removing leading and heavy powder residue and then center the patch over the bore and push it in with the brush for further cleaning. My favorite bore brushes are the stainless steel “tornado” brushes.

 

[roundball]

"...That is, a jag for a .62 would work for a smoothbore as well as a rifled barrel?..."

I think one of the main considerations for a smoothbore is when shooting shotloads...if you use a RB cleaning/seating jag, the concave face will apply more pressure around the edges of the over shot card and bend the edges down, effectively making the tight fitting diameter of the OS card smaller.
It will not have as good of a grip on the bore walls and may not stay in place...flat faced cleaning/seating jags available for use in smoothbores when using shot loads eliminate that worry.

 

[rickystl]

Thanks to ALL of you for the information. I have a couple of odd bore sizes, .53 and .67 The .54 and .69 cleaning jags are too large. But, as said, I can turn these down to fit. Thanks again for the help from all of you. Just another thing that makes the Forum great. Rick.