Using alcohol for cleaning bore ???

[Skychief]

I have seen the use of alcohol for cleaning/drying a bore referenced here a lot. Can someone point out the benefits of using alcohol in the bore. Also, are we talking about "rubbing alcohol" or something else entirely? Thanks for the help! :hatsoff:

 

[Zonie]

Skychief: Boy! I haven't seen that name for years but, that's another story.

Most of the people who use the word "alcohol" are refering to Isopropyl or ethanol (in its "denatured form) in their relatively pure forms.
Either of these will absorb water and they both dry very rapidly so either will help remove any water that may be in a guns bore.
Either one will also brake down any oils that have found their way into small places like the flame channel on a percussion gun. This helps prevent powder contamination which can cause problems.

Rubbing alcohol is very high in water content so it is not only weakened but its water content will do more harm than good.

Either Isopropyl or denatured alcohol can be purchased at most Hardware or paint stores.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Hot water is darn near free.

Been using it all my life.

 

[Darkgael]

I haven't used alcohol for general cleaning but I do swab the bore between shots with a patch wet with denatured alcohol.
Pete

 

[bob308]

alcohol between shots maybe. but to lean a barrel and let it set no way. i had 2 brothers that cleaned their gun with it all the time. well the fauling built up in the breach so bad and hard i had to unbreach and drill it out.

all i ever use is hot soapy water.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Alcohol should be used in below freezing temperatures, and anytime its so wet out that you have a serious moisture condensation problem in your barrel. Rubbing Alcohol is not the right stuff, as it has too much water in it already. Use Isopropyl, or Denatured alcohol.

Alcohol is NOT a substitute for using soap and water to dissolve and remove salts, and carbon deposits in the barrel from powder residue. Alcohol can be used as a patch moisturizer, and a bore wipe between shot, in freezing temperatures. It is not a substitute for a non-petroleum based lube for your patches, or barrel. In above freezing temperatures, but cold enough to allow moisture to condense on the steel, alcohol will evaporate and take the water with it, so use the alcohol to DRY the barrel, not clean it.

Alcohol will break down oils, and greases, and make them easier to pull out of the barrel with a cleaning patch. That is why we mix alcohol with our favorite moose milk recipe, using the Alcohol INSTEAD OF water in the recipe, for freezing weather shooting.

 

[Mad Professor]

I just use it after the warm soapy water, brush, warm soapy water, water rinse cleaning to get the last traces of moisture out. It seems to cut down on flash rust if you do it quickly and I recommend it if it's humid out and drying is problematic.

I use isopropyl dry gas as it's nearly 100 % alcohol, I stay away from methanol based dry gas as it is more acidic. Denatured ethanol will work but almost all is 95%/5% water (+ other things so you can't drink it without paying the tax......).

 

[buckknife]

I have used alkey for removing moisture untill i found out alkey is acidic compared to water.Dont seem right to me to bring my bore to a netural ph and then add a mild acid.

 

Skychief: Boy! I haven't seen that name for years but, that's another story.

Sorry off topic

 

[redwing]

I shoot many matches each year. I use up over 40 Lbs. of powder most seasons of shooting. I shoot all flinters. all my rifles are custom built. I have Rayle,Colerain,Rice,Getz Etc. Barrels.

I must say I got quite a laugh at all the anti-alcohol cleaning post. I like the ones that say to use 100% water but not alcohol that contains 8% or 2% water, real smart.

I and many others that shoot a lot use alcohol with very fine results and have for years. Those old stories of alcohol eating up barrels and not cleaning well is pure bunk.

Try mixing alcohol and Murphys soap pour it down the barrel with the vent plugged. Let it set for 15 minutes using your jag and rod with patch as a piston force the lube in the botton of the barrel.
Pour the fluid out. wipe the bore and follow with Ballistol. you are done.

Like many muzzle loader yarns this water only and spit only thing is has been carried a bit far. These modern steel rifles are nothing like the old soft iron barrels of the past.
We don't agree on this one :shake:

 

[buckhorn]

I clean between shots using rubbing (Isopropyl) 30% h20, 70% alch. Has worked fine for years.

Clean at home w/ same alchohol mixed w/ Birch. Casey 77. Dry bore.
Use 90% isopropyl down bore, dry and coat with Birch. Casey Sheath.
No problems, no rust.

Use Fantastic as patch lube.

 

[sidelock]

what ever flotes yur boat!!!!! jest plain water has worked fer me fer over 30 years-- no problems yet. keep on keepin on. :thumbsup:

 

[mckutzy]

im one that likes the no/less water method,i guess im a bit lazier... Redwing- what is the mix u use, and what kind of alcohol.

:thumbsup:

 

[mazo kid]

After using the soapy water and dry patches, then run a couple of alcohol soaked patches down your bore to make sure it is dry. Then oily (NO petroleum)patches and THEN you are done!

 

[redwing]

I use 97% rubbing alcohol or 91% as sold by SafeWay.
I mix it one to one with Murphys soap. I also use it straight to wipe the pan clean as it drys fast. I use it between relays to wipe the bore.
If you let the soap and alcohol stand in bore and then pump it thru the bore with a jag. Then pour out the fluid. With radius cut barrels they are clean and then wipe them down with Ballistol or Break Free powder blast.
Pouring water down a barrel if you shoot a lot is a very poor slow process. Those 1 lb year shooters can get away with it. I keep my barrels in bright and smooth condition by never adding straight water. There is enough alcohol to dispace the water even in the 70% stuff. :thumbsup:

 

[BrownBear]

I have seen the use of alcohol for cleaning/drying a bore referenced here a lot. Can someone point out the benefits of using alcohol in the bore. Also, are we talking about "rubbing alcohol" or something else entirely? Thanks for the help! :hatsoff:

I've always used it when cleaning to get out water just before the final step of lubing the bore. I've never used it for "cleaning" because I didn't figure it would be as good a powder residue solvent as water. Then I read the start of this thread yesterday.......


Was out shooting later in the day with my hunting pard, and he swabbed his bore with alcohol before leaving the range. Nothing else, just alcohol on a patch. I was a little concerned that he was leaving stuff behind, so I offered him a patch of Hoppes #9+, bragging about how great it was an expecting a black patch when he swabbed.

Nothing!

The Hoppes patch came out clean!

Sure got me confused cuzz I never figured alcohol as a solvent for powder residue, but there you have it.

 

[Skychief]

I have seen the use of alcohol for cleaning/drying a bore referenced here a lot. Can someone point out the benefits of using alcohol in the bore. Also, are we talking about "rubbing alcohol" or something else entirely? Thanks for the help! :hatsoff:

I've always used it when cleaning to get out water just before the final step of lubing the bore. I've never used it for "cleaning" because I didn't figure it would be as good a powder residue solvent as water. Then I read the start of this thread yesterday.......


Was out shooting later in the day with my hunting pard, and he swabbed his bore with alcohol before leaving the range. Nothing else, just alcohol on a patch. I was a little concerned that he was leaving stuff behind, so I offered him a patch of Hoppes #9+, bragging about how great it was an expecting a black patch when he swabbed.

Nothing!

The Hoppes patch came out clean!

Sure got me confused cuzz I never figured alcohol as a solvent for powder residue, but there you have it.

Would like to see some feedback to this post.....

 

[roundball]

A bottle of 91% alcohol is a standard part of my range supplies that I set on the shooting table along with everything else...I keep it in a bottle with a squirt type top on it.

I use cleaning solvents like T/C #13 or Hoppe's No9 PLUS BP if I want to swab the bore.

But every 12-15 shots...3-4 times during a 50 shot range session...I pour some alcohol on a rag and completely wipe off all the residue buildup around the entire lock, pan, frizzen, flint, breechplug & barrel area.

I also wet a Q-tip to get the 'hex well' of the vent liner clean, followed by a wet pipe cleaner to slide in & out of the vent hole itself;

Finally, when the range session is over and the rifle is field cleaned, I wet a rag with alcohol again and wipe off all the handling residue from the entire outside of the rifle before putting it back in the truck.

But I don't routinely use alcohol to clean the bore given that I always have a stack of patches pre-dampened with some kind of normal solvent.

 

[mckutzy]

wow thats pretty cool, that is simple. the waterless method i like better, but if im doing some heavy shooting with muskets then ill switch over to water.

 

[BrownBear]

Would like to see some feedback to this post.....

Me too!

Darnedest thing I've ever seen.