getting the breech clean

[Derrick Pugh]

I have a M61 Springfield, I keep the barrel clean after I shoot but when I drop the ramrod down the barrel instead of PING I hear a THUD. Is'nt there a breech scraper you can buy to clean down there?
Yellowhammer :grin:

 

[Slake]

well yeah! There's scapers and brushes

 

[Slamfire]

Some breech plugs unscrew too. :winking:

 

[paulvallandigham]

have you poured lead solvent down the barrel and let it stand for a couple of days to allow the solvent to work loose whatever is down there??? Just plug the nipple with a toothpick, and you should not have to worry about any leaks, while letting the solvent go to work. A steel rod dropped down the barrel should give a highr pitched ding, or ' ping " as you describe, while a brass fitting rod will make a duller " tick " sound when it hits steel. The "thud "normally occurs only when you are hitting lead or wood.

 

A wad of tow on a tow worm will scour the breech out real good. If there is a build up of fowling that will get rid of the problem. As stated before by Paul, use a good solvent to soften up the gunk and then scour with the tow mop. :thumbsup: Works great. I see that with 34 posts you may be new to ML'ing so if I am talking under your experience I apologize before hand ....but, tow is the leavings from combing out flax to make linen. You can get it at most events that have a traders row from various suttlers. The Silver Shuttle sells it. I have bought it from Smoke and Fire in Waterville, Ohio as well.

 

[Zonie]

Some breech plugs unscrew too. :winking:

Although I believe this was said in jest, for the record (and those unfamiliar with sidelock rifles), I think I should point out that the breech plug on a sidelock style rifle is not meant to be unscrewed.
Doing so can ruin the gun and void your warrenty.

The only sidelocks that I know about that the breech plug is meant to be unscrewed is one of those new fangled non traditional creations we don't discuss on this forum. :grin:

Zonie

 

[madbrad]

I think he was just "Screwing" with him :rotf:

 

[Slamfire]

Some breech plugs unscrew too. :winking:

Although I believe this was said in jest, for the record (and those unfamiliar with sidelock rifles), I think I should point out that the breech plug on a sidelock style rifle is not meant to be unscrewed.
Doing so can ruin the gun and void your warrenty.

The only sidelocks that I know about that the breech plug is meant to be unscrewed is one of those new fangled non traditional creations we don't discuss on this forum. :grin:

Zonie

Actually I was thinking about my non traditional, direct fire, underhammer. Pull off the fore end spin the barrel of'n the bolt that serves as a breech plug and clean it to yore hearts content. :rotf:

 

[Derrick Pugh]

Thanks for the info I appreciate it.
YELLOWHAMMER :hatsoff:

 

[cayugad]

I have a breech scraper and I use it every so often, not all the time. I found that with the water bath, if you can really force that water out through the missing nipple port, it will usually blow that breech fowling out as well. If you have a bolster clean out screw, and can pull it, that also helps with the force of the water you can push through.

Otherwise I plug the nipple with a tooth pick and pour some Butch's Bore Shine down there and let it sit for a 1/2 hour. Then run the scraper down there while the Butch's is in there. Twist it back and fourth and it will knock anything off the wall of the breech usually.

After that, another water bath and some solvent patches. Also take a .22 caliber cleaning rod with a brush and wrap a patch around that. It will reach down in the cone and you can scrub around with that as well.

I normally find very little if any fowling down in there after the water bath which is why I do not scrap every time I use the rifle.

 

[roundball]

The only sidelocks that I know about that the breech plug is meant to be unscrewed is one of those new fangled non traditional creations we don't discuss on this forum.

Well...actually...if it's a sidelock, we can, right?
:hmm:

 

[cayugad]

Actually there are flintlocks (T/C Firestorm, Traditional PA Pellet, and RMC Flintlock) as well as percussion cap (those same rifles) rifles that are traditional in most all aspects except the breech plug can be removed.

I've never examined one but it is an interesing idea for those that want to push their unfired load at the end of the day rather then pull it or shoot it.

Still that would not be very "traditional."

 

[Old Ironsights]

The only sidelocks that I know about that the breech plug is meant to be unscrewed is one of those new fangled non traditional creations we don't discuss on this forum. :grin: Zonie

:yakyak: I resemble that remark, you scurvy wretch!

I fart in your general direction! Your mother was a Hamster, and your father smelled of elderberrys :blah:

Now go away before I taunt you another time!
:grin:

Meanwhile, I will go shoot my Removable Breech Stainless Flintlock. (which is particularly good for testing the fouling rate of powders.) :thumbsup:

 

[Old Ironsights]

Oh Zonie...

:blah: :blah: :blah:

:rotf:

 

[Old Ironsights]

Actually there are flintlocks (T/C Firestorm, Traditional PA Pellet, and RMC Flintlock) as well as percussion cap (those same rifles) rifles that are traditional in most all aspects except the breech plug can be removed.

I've never examined one but it is an interesing idea for those that want to push their unfired load at the end of the day rather then pull it or shoot it.

Still that would not be very "traditional."

The TC Firestorm is no longer beig made in caplock. If you can find one, it is either NOS or used. I suppose you could convert the Flint, but Why?

 

[Derrick Pugh]

Thanks for the replies, I was using warm water and soap to clean the gun, but now I am using Murphy's oil soap, alcohol, and peroxide and when I drop the ramrod down the barrel now it goes PING insead of THUD and I pass weapons inspection. :grin:

 

[Rebel]

Better be careful with the Peroxide, it can cause your barrel to rust. Better Oil it Good afterwards. Better to leave the peroxide out of the mix.

 

[Zonie]

It's just my opinion, but I would drop the peroxide from the items used and replace it with water.
All Hydrogen Peroxide is, is water with an extra oxygen atom added.
Many, including myself feel the extra oxygen atom, having nothing better to do, will combine with all of those lonesome Iron atoms which make your barrel.

Of course, the sibling always turns out to be that ugly kid named Rusty.

Zonie

 

[MikeChapin]

Thanks for the replies, I was using warm water and soap to clean the gun, but now I am using Murphy's oil soap, alcohol, and peroxide and when I drop the ramrod down the barrel now it goes PING insead of THUD and I pass weapons inspection. :grin:

I have seen this formula for cleaning solution and used to raise an eyebrow about the peroxide ingredient. Once mixed with the rest of the stuff in the formula there would not be much, if any, peroxide left. It would immediatly go after any oil in the concoction and use itself up breaking it down.

I know a lot of people who swear by this concoction and most of them do not have a problem with rust. The only thing I can figure is that the lighter weight oils left after the reaction do a better job cleaning than Murphy's and alcohol alone.

 

[Slake]

peroxide is very unstable and breaks down to water very quickly when left uncovered or mixed with other ingredients