Cleaning Question

[steeltrap]

Hello All; Ive got a coulpla of questions for the more experenced. First I've been going to the National shoots at Friendship for a lot of Years but only recently began to shoot there. I notice I don't see "anybody "cleaning there guns ?????? Is it OK to leave them a day or two - Three???? You see I ruined a barrel I thought I had perfectly clean after it set in the gun cabenet about 3 years. And I am VERY paticular about My barrels now. But if it does not REALLY hurt I'LL wait till I get home.... PLEASE ONLY THOSE who have been there done that to andwser this question Y'ALL know how paticular We are about our target barrels...............

 

[paulvallandigham]

My experiences are different. I see shooters on the line cleaning between every shot. When you do that, it does not take much to clean a gun at the end of a relay, for storage until the next day's shoot.

No, you don't see a lot of shooters sloshing water down their barrels, back at camp, but some do, both in the primitive camp, and in the tin tipis. Most use a liquid cleaning fluid at the end of the day to flush out the flash channels, and soften and remove the crud that may be building at the breechplug. With the larger- diameter target guns, both on the bench rest, and the slug gun range, its not uncommon to see two range rods at each loading station, with a brush on one, and a cleaning/loading jag on the other.

I have learned much talking to experienced shooters while they cleaned their guns at the end of a relay. There are all kinds of homemade recipes being used to clean those guns, BTW.

 

[Many Klatch]

I have been shooting at Friendship on the primitive side for some years. We tend to clean our guns at the end of the day. Usually the cleaning of the guns is accompanied with beverages and lots of :bull: and :rotf: . I usually clean my gun with Ballistol mixed with water and then dry and oil the barrel. It is not as good a job as I would do at home, but I haven't had any problems.

When I get the guns home at the end of a week of shooting, I do the soap and water drill and then dry and oil the barrels.

Many Klatch

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Although I haven't been to Friendship and probably never will, I will tell you from experience that chemical cleaners (I use Butch's Black Powder Bore Shine) that emulsify BP residue on contact and chemicaly neautralize it's effects will get the job done for sure! I can do a chemical-only cleaning and do a wipe-down around the lock and clean it a week later without any rust problems .

I just use a rangerod and a worm (not a jag) and several sets of two wet patches, while squirting some Bore Shine down the barrel as well. The hammer is back to full cock and the Bore Shine squirts out the nipple, cleaning the inside of the whole rifle, ignition area and all. Then a simple wipe-down around the nipple & lock and you're go to go!

Hope that this helps!

Dave

 

[Rat Trapper]

I prefer to clean my Traditional muzzle loaders with soap and water. That said, I have also had very good results using: TC #13, Butch's black powder bore shine, & Knight's black powder solvent. I guess the important thing is that the rifle gets cleaned.

 

[steeltrap]

THANKS to ALL of those who offered Help :thumbsup: Cleaning off of the tailgate of the truck is a lot harder than in the sink at home. I think I will give the bore shine product a try. Again Many Thanks for Your help Guy's ADC Trapper :hmm: