Effective cleaning

[Pierre du Plessis]

Oh no, I mean when discharging after an unsuccessful hunt. Not when target shooting - ha-ha, that would be tiring indeed :shocked2: !

The steel wool idea sounds good - wouldn't that damage the barrel though?

 

[Hans74]

If it shoots as well as you say; dont fix what ain't broke. I have had rifles that looks like rusty water pipes that where tough to clean but they shot very good.
If the bore is rusty or slightly deep rust pits shooting them will smoothen out the sharp edges of the pits and it will be fine. Lapping might help with lead cores but you can screw up something that aint broke doing that.

 

[jamesthomas]

Steel wool will not harm your barrel whatsoever. A lot of folks use it on new barrels too smooth down the sharp edges in the rifling. It helps to prevent the edges from cutting patches and to reduce time in breaking them ( the new barrels) in.

 

[M. De Land]

Doesn't Go Jo have pumice in it and isn't it citrus based?
I'd like to take a look at your bore with my bore scope! Mike D.

 

[bpd303]

I have used Kroil on tight fitting patches to remove stubborn rust in the bore's of several old rifles. It will not damage the bore or remove pits.

 

[AZbpBurner]

There is a pumice-free GoJo. It doesn't have any citrus oil in it. I use a 1:1 mix of GoJo and water, then add a few drops of dish detergent. It works great for swabbing the bore between shots.

 

[Ken Cormier]

Water tight patch bear oil and beer works for me.

 

[MJMarkey]

I think one of the best tools you can get to clean your barrel properly is a "drop in bore light". Nobody seems to mention them. They are a little hard to located but they are out there. I don't know how you can tell if the bore is clean and shiny without one.

I use warm water with a little dishwash to cut the surface tension. I also use WD-40 to eject water and I use Remoil as a rust proof. Rifles stay clean and shiny inside and with my bore light I can see it.

 

[Hans74]

MJ

A dry clean tight white flannel cotton patch will tell you if the bore is clean or not If it does not come out a clean as it went in, the bore is not clean

 

[Dean2]

I think one of the best tools you can get to clean your barrel properly is a "drop in bore light". Nobody seems to mention them. They are a little hard to located but they are out there. I don't know how you can tell if the bore is clean and shiny without one.

I use warm water with a little dishwash to cut the surface tension. I also use WD-40 to eject water and I use Remoil as a rust proof. Rifles stay clean and shiny inside and with my bore light I can see it.

I have also found the lights that go on lighted fishing bobbers work well for dropping down the bore, especially for small bores like 25, 32 and 36. They light the bore from the bottom and make it very easy to see any defects.

 

[Billnpatti]

Urine contains uric acid and a number of salts. What do you think such a mixture would do to iron or steel? I have heard of people trying to brown their rifle barrel by repeatedly wiping it down with urine. I guess it may work but I prefer Laurel Mountain Forge browning solution.

The confusion about using urine in the bore of your rifle may come from a disgrundled newbie discovering the various vicissitudes of muzzleloading and saying "Pi$$ on it!":haha:

No, don't use urine in or on your rifle. It's not a good thing.

 

[M. De Land]

Yeah, I agree and it stinks too! :rotf: Mike D.

 

[Brokennock]

Blue Wonder. My brother and I have had great success with Blue Wonder and steel wool for removing rust from old or mistreated (sometimes both) firearms, old tools, and slightly rusted knives. We work at an indoor range and he does a little side work cleaning customer's guns and cleaning and restoring older firearms. If the though of running steel wool through your rifled bore bothers you (which I completely understand) they make a similar product of brass which I have used to remove lead build up from guns that aren't meant to be used with bare lead bullets.
On my b.p. guns I've had good luck using my olive oil and bee's wax patch lube post cleaning. Gunzilla should work too for cleaning and protection. Barricade/sheath works great but be sure to remove all of it before loading. Don't get me started on the problems we've had with that Frog Lube scam junk.

 

[flntlokr]

The Urine thing came about in the good 'ol days when soldier's guns got too fouled to load in battle, particularly when using paper cartridge loads. I've used them in my smoothbore, and it coked up pretty badly in about 10 shots. (no patch to swab things). Often the only liquid available was--you guessed it! I don't think anyone should believe it's a good idea over the long haul.

 

[Rifleman1776]

One story says the British Redcoats did not like the sun reflecting off the barrels of their muskets. They then urinated on them to brown them and kill the shine. And, that is how the "brown" in Brown Bess came to be. :grin:
I don't believe the story at all. Brit troops were strictly disciplined to maintain their equipment as issued and as they were told to do.
Still, a good story.