Swabbing at the range

[White Oak]

What do you guys prefer to swab the bore between shots? Been using alcohol and Windex. Works well but other ideas are always welcome.
Thanks in advance,
Ed

 

[Stumpkiller]

Saliva every five to ten shots.

 

[dikman]

I've just started using a water soluble cutting oil mixed with water. My rifle seems a bit happier if it's swabbed between shots (damp patch run down once).

 

[AllenHawken]

I use Butch's Bore Shine to swab between shots at the range. I have no idea what's in it. Picked up a bottle at a gun show and it seems to do a good job.

 

[AZbpBurner]

1 part GoJo hand cleaner (without Pumice) to 3 parts water, plus 5 drops liquid dish detergent.

Damp patch every 3-5 rounds depending on the particular rifle and load.

 

[cynthialee]

I have a spray bottle of 91% rubbing alcohol, I put a light mist on a mop and swab with that. The mop is just barely moist.

 

[bpd303]

Moose Milk

 

[George T.]

Another vote for Moose Milk. Just damp not wet! Spit or water might work nearly as well but Dutch told me to use this stuff! Geo. T.

 

[dbutch]

All my rifles are different depending on the load..
some no swabbing at all others each shot.
Went to a spit patch.down-stop-up both sides
repeat with dry patch.
Your just going to need to shoot it bunch to find out.Oh Darn!

 

[Semisane]

A patch just barely damp with 91% isopropyl alcohol between every shot.

 

[BrownBear]

Spit for me. Damp patch then a dry patch. But as seldom as possible. I wanna know how many shots I can take without swabbing and how accurate they'll be, especially in my small game guns.

Lotsa shooting in the field with those, and I simply don't want to swab any more than I have to. If one is needing swabbing too often, I know I need to make lube changes. Useful info, and no extra containers to carry in the field when you use spit.

 

[necchi]

Spit patch after every shot. Once down and back.

It's not about how hard or easy it is to load the next shot. It's about keeping the bore and fouling condition the same for every shot.

It only matters if your hunting paper X, wild game don't care if you hit the X or the 8 ring.

 

[VEARL]

I follow the Hughes rule of swabbing between shots. It helps keep the bore cleaner, easier to load the following shot and helps to maintain all of those x ring shots that I make. :thumbsup:
BTW...I just spray mist my swabbing patch with water, then run it down and out the barrel a couple of times. then a dry patch down and out to dry it.

 

[Hunter John]

Exactly what I do too.

Sometimes I use a mixture of 50% alcohol (91%) + 50% windshield washer fluid. Dries nice 'n quick.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Spit. Every shot.
Down the bore, up, reverse patch and swab again.

 

[Billnpatti]

I've tried many different things for wiping between shots. Most worked to one degree or another but I have found that the best thing to use between shots is a mixture of 1 part Balistol to 10 parts water. Dampen your patch with this mixture and run the patch to the bottom of the bore in one single stroke. No pumping!!! Let it sit for a few seconds and then remove the patch with one single stroke. Flip it over and repeat. Then change to a dry patch and repeat the same procedure. One stroke down, let it sit a few seconds and remove with one single stroke. Flip it over and repeat. You are now ready for your next load. By doing it this way, your bore will remain exactly the same from shot to shot. Remember....damp patch and single strokes....absolutely no pumping.

I must give credit where credit is due. Dutch Schoultz taught me to do it this way. If you know Dutch or have had to good sense to purchase one of his black powder accuracy systems, you will know that this is the way to wipe between shots. :thumbsup:

 

[necchi]

I must give credit where credit is due. Dutch Schoultz taught me to do it this way

Dutchs` method is not what you describe at all. You have doubled his "swab/wipe" approach and added an extra dry patch.

This is how the system get's skewed. People without the System will gleen information like this, fail at their attempt and have distain for the program.
While it's fine to add your own variation to his method, changing the lesson from how it's done then giving that credit to the master is just plain wrong.

 

[roundball]

What do you guys prefer to swab the bore between shots? Been using alcohol and Windex. Works well but other ideas are always welcome.
Thanks in advance,
Ed

If/when I swab between shots during something hunting load development and/or sight adjustments...I use Hoppe's PLUS BP Solvent & Patch Lube...preferably the early style thin watery formula when I can find it on EBay or someplace.
If I'm just shooting a long range session for the fun of it, I keep my shooting patches wet with the more recent / current formula of Hoppe's PLUS and don't wipe between shots at all.

 

[Roguedog]

I find that with my patches well lubed, I don't generally have to swab too much. If I do, I usually wait until such time that loading becomes difficult and restricted and then I will swab with a patch dampened with Ballistol. If I have Windex, I might use that. This is what works for me.

Jeff

 

[greggholmes]

I run a dry patch between each shot per the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association (NMLRA) Rules and Regulations. I guess it should be wet.


"1110”“SWABBING BETWEEN SHOTS”“Swabbing between shots with a damp patch to eliminate the possibility of glowing embers igniting the next
powder charge is strongly recommended."