I want to be prepared... I was hunting with my smoothbore and noticed that it is easy to accidentally plug my barrels with dirt. What is the proper field expedient method of unclogging dirt from a 12 gauge side by side smoothbore? Likewise, a 44 cal revolver, too?
Dirt In Barrel
- Thread starter Erik550c
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Boy oh boy did you just open yourself up to a pile of abuse with that question :surrender: So I guess I'll kinda start it out a little. If you are regularly sticking your barrel in the dirt your carrying your gun improperly plain and simple. Best way to clear it is avoid it.
ohio ramrod
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Time to pull out the leatherman and remove the dirt AFTER removing your priming or cap .
Well if you're out hunting, or on a woodswalk shoot, not walking about with an unloaded gun, then you have the main charge and the projectile(s) in the breech. No way to go from one end and out the other. Now a revolver, sure, just pull the cylinder after removing the caps and clean the barrel on the frame, but a caplock or a flintlock rifle or pistol...., you'll need to unprime or uncap, and then break up the dirt in the muzzle and allow it to drop free. IF you are going to unloade the gun or rifle, then one of those CO2 dischargers would blow out the main load and dirt in one step...and you can reload from scratch.
LD
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I've plugged shotgun barrels many times.....I just take a stick and get the bulk of it out. Then run a patch down the barrel to remove the remainder.....Yes make sure you remove the cap or prime first....
Since a revolver has rifling ....I'd remove the cylinder then open up the clog with a stick...Then take a bootlace and a cleaning patch and make a pull through snake...once toughly clean reassemble.
Rifles, I carry everything I need to completely clean them
Since a revolver has rifling ....I'd remove the cylinder then open up the clog with a stick...Then take a bootlace and a cleaning patch and make a pull through snake...once toughly clean reassemble.
Rifles, I carry everything I need to completely clean them
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I'm pretty resourceful in the field, but more than once I've had a malfunction that ended the day's outing and sent me home....
Sometimes that's just the way the cookie crumbles. :idunno:
Sometimes that's just the way the cookie crumbles. :idunno:
Billnpatti
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If you find yourself in a situation where you have somehow managed to get mud or dirt plugging your barrel, you will just have to dig it out with a knife, twig, etc. and then wipe any residual out with a patch. If you do the same to your revolver, just remove your cylinder and use a stick to punch out the plug and then wipe it with a patch. Be sure to uncap your nipple on your rifle or empty the pan if it is a flintlock. Also on a flintlock, put something, a rag, handkerchief or whatever you have around the frizzen before attempting to unplug it. I would imagine some folks might even remove the flint from the cock before attempting to remove any kind of plug from the muzzle of their rifle if it is loaded. You can't be too careful.
I've spent lot of time in the woods and at the range with my guns and never plugged one yet but I guess it is theoretically possible. :idunno:
I've spent lot of time in the woods and at the range with my guns and never plugged one yet but I guess it is theoretically possible. :idunno:
Put a condom over the muzzles
nebraska steve
36 Cal.
Was the Op speaking metaphorically?
Rick Richard
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I place black electrical tape over the end of my muzzle while hunting. It has NO impact on accuracy.
I don't think plugging the bore of a 12 guage with dirt or snow would be any major problem.
All of the pocket knives I've owned have a blade that would easily fit into a .36 caliber bore.
IMO, it's unlikely that you would ever plug a bore with dirt but if it happens, just run your pocket knife blade into the bore, rotating it as it goes.
Any dirt that doesn't fall out can be loosened up with a stick so that it will.
Would this leave the bore all nice and bright and shiny? No it wouldn't but the gun could be used if it needed to be shot.
In over 60 years of hunting, I never managed to plug the muzzle of my gun with mud, dirt or snow.
Carrying the gun with the muzzle somewhat elevated, it never comes close to being stuck in the ground.
All of the pocket knives I've owned have a blade that would easily fit into a .36 caliber bore.
IMO, it's unlikely that you would ever plug a bore with dirt but if it happens, just run your pocket knife blade into the bore, rotating it as it goes.
Any dirt that doesn't fall out can be loosened up with a stick so that it will.
Would this leave the bore all nice and bright and shiny? No it wouldn't but the gun could be used if it needed to be shot.
In over 60 years of hunting, I never managed to plug the muzzle of my gun with mud, dirt or snow.
Carrying the gun with the muzzle somewhat elevated, it never comes close to being stuck in the ground.
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:shocked2: Not always possible when hunting wabbits...in deep snow....More than once I've Stepped into a snow drifted ditch not knowing it was there and been up to my hat in snow..... and that's just one example of the rough terrain. mud wet or icy logs etc.....make for interesting hunting.... :v
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Does that actually stop mud or snow from getting jammed up in the barrel if you stumble?Mr. Troll said:
Seems like it would just get pushed up into the barrel along with the mud and add to the clog...
Wonder how I would get a piece of tape stuck to the inside of the barrel out. :hmm:
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