Cleaning Problem/Dry Patches

[ccmountainman]

what kind of jag are you using?
slotted tip or the round brass?

Your patch is not a one size fits all no matter what it says on the package. Trim the patches down a bit.
If using the round brass jag, tie the "tail"of the patch back to the rod with a bread tie, to keep it tight.

 

[khavell]

Many people have different methods of cleaning non hook breach percussion rifles.

I would wrap a little plumbers tape around the thread of the nipple to make taking it off easy. Then I would put a plastic tube into the hole and swab through lots of hot soapy water. I would follow this by pouring boiling hot water down the barrel and swab dry and finish off with a little oil.

Some people use a little household steam cleaner with a long pipe and steam clean all the rubbish out.

Getting caught patches out. For this I use curtain wire and hook the patche.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Rifleman_1776,

Are you sure you want to reduce the diameter of the cleaning jag, if the jag/rod are getting stuck/wedged down in the bore? Now, I may be wrong but it seems more logical that the jag's diameter is too small that allows the patch to bunch up among the jag's rings. For a 50 cal bore, Shumway/Alexander suggest a jag diameter of 0.470 inch. Also, the problem may not be with the jag diameter, but rather using a jag with a short neck and large cleaning patches. I would suggest purchasing a jag with a longer neck rather than trying to cut patches from bulk material a particular size.

George

In many cases, yes, I want to reduce the jag diameter. The 'rings', IMHO, are not really necessary. The rebate behind/above the jag is where the patch bunches up to provide the cleaning action. Many original 'wiping sticks' I have seen in museums are similar to our brass thingys and have no rings but they do have the rebate behind the tip/jag. I have tried greatly undersized jags at times and they work fine. Yes,Tenngun, brass is soft, going easy is important.

 

[Danny Ross]

The brass bore guide won't hurt the steel on the barrel. What it is for it to keep your Range Rod centered in the barrel. That way IT is not rubbing against the sides of your muzzle, while you are working it up and down when you are loading or especially when cleaning. The abrasion of a Rod will do way more damage if there is no bore guide used. The bore guide just sets there, it really can't do any damage. It's not like you are setting there twisting it back and forth while running the rod. DANNY

 

[Col. Batguano]

I regularly use 45 cal jags with 2 patches on it in a 50 cal, or a 36 jag in my 38. Not a big deal.

You don't need or want to use a brush in a ML'er. The fouling isn't as difficult to get out as that in CF guns that gets overlain with a fresh coating of copper jacket gilding material after every shot. And, for the other reason you found out. Getting a wire brush to reverse direction can be difficult.

 

[Billnpatti]

The problem is that you have what I would call "generic size" patches. They are cut to a size that will fit a .58 caliber bore and I have no idea what the thickness is. Besides, you paid way too much for them. I don't know what you actually paid, but I know that if you bought pre-cut patches, you paid too much for them. A far better thing to do is go to your nearest Wal-Mart and look in the fabric section for their Bargain Table. Dig through the pile of fabric bundles until you find some cotton flannel. You want the shirt weight material not the thick baby blanket flannel. Don't pay any attention to the pattern, just the fabric itself. Then take it home and cut it into squares of about 1 1/4 inches. That is a good size for a .50 cal. rifle. You will have a bunch of proper fitting cleaning patches for a fraction of what you paid for the ill fitting ones that you now have.

Let me add credence to the advice given by others concerning cross pinning. Make absolutely sure that any rod that you put down your bore for any reason is cross pinned. :thumbsup: