what do you use when swabbing between shots?

[N.Y. Yankee]

I used to use Windex or blue WWF. Now, I have a small bottle of "moose milk" which I make with Ballistol and water. 7 parts water to 1 part Ballistol. I also use that when I am done shooting to do a basic clean of the bore and wipe down the exterior metal. Swabbing between shots (3 shots) the patch is just damp. Basic cleaning, it's just a bit more wet but not dripping wet. This lets me leave most of the mess and smell in the trash can at the range and I can clean at my leisure at home.

That said, Windex and blue washer fluid would probably work just fine.

 

[Poguetx]

A patch sprayed with Windex (the original blue kind), and then a dry patch. In a match, I do it after 5 shots.

 

[Cruzatte]

Just wondering about what fluid you use to swab between shots.
How damp or wet are your swabbing patches?

I go back and forth between Stumpkiller's Moose Milk and plain water. Patches are thoroughly moistened, but not dripping wet. The receipt for Moose Milk is here.

 

[Rifleman1776]

spit

 

[Kev308]

Windex and rags in a box for all my cleaning and swiping after shots

 

[Big Bear Joe]

Just wondering about what fluid you use to swab between shots.
How damp or wet are your swabbing patches?

I use plain, non-lubricated pillow ticking patches on the 0.535" balls in my 54 cal flintlock rifle and pistol. Before loading a new ball, I put a patch on my tongue and wet it pretty good with spit, then start in the ball in the patch. The moist patch and ball pretty much pushes the fouling from the previous shot down the barrel to the charge and keeps me from having to swab/clean between shots.

For the 12 ga SxS shotgun, I put in the powder, a dry over-powder card, a 1/2" thick fiber cushion with some bore butter smeared on it, then the shot and then a dry over shot card. I never have to swab the barrel between shots when loaded like this. I used to soak the thick fiber cushion in water for about 30 seconds, but found that the bore butter works better. I have no idea why the pattern is so much better with the cushion smeared with bore butter over the pattern with the wet cushion, but it just is.

By the way, all of the above is with ffg blackpowder only, and no substitute powders. I prefer genuine blackpowder by far, but admit that some things about blackpowder I probably will never understand.

 

[fillwa]

I use windshield wash fluid on a wet patch squeezed out then one dry patch for percussion followed by a cap to clear flash channel. Same with flint lock followed by soft wire flash hole pic.

I use windshield wash fluid (the cheap stuff) as patch lube. I carry a container of soaking wet patches for PRB loading. My loading jag is also a patch jag. When loading gets a bit rough I use a wet patch with windshield fluid to swab the barrel. The stuff evaporates. I’ve never had an ignition problem due to my soaked patches.
I load powder, then corn meal, then PRB. Patch thickness is tight enoug to seal and the PRB loads without beating it down.

 

[SPQR70AD]

I am kinda with Mr. @Phil Coffins, only time I really swab between shots is when trying to dial in a zero. Then I'll go pretty wet and swab her dry. I have used water in the past and ballistol. They work about the same actually, except the ballistol smells.

if I had a rifle that needed to be swabbed between shots the demo saw would come out rifle be sawed into pieces and thrown in the garbage

 

[Rod Man]

if I had a rifle that needed to be swabbed between shots the demo saw would come out rifle be sawed into pieces and thrown in the garbage

You're so Smart!!!

 

[Des52]

I was in the swab after shooting club until I kept having fail to fire way to often. Got a tin of mink oil from TOTW and don't swab and don't have fail to fire anymore. Use a good natural veg or animal lube and push the crud down on the powder and not in the patent chamber.

 

[mushka]

Spit patch between every shot with every gun.

 

[J.Campbell63]

I don’t swab. I use a soft bronze bore brush. Two or three passes down the bore and done.
But I use 560/575 minie’s. Undersized. The 560’s are plugged Pritchett’s. The 575’s are Burton. Before I leave the range I wet swab with windex then a patch with Mink oil from ToW. I only hunt paper targets any more and paper plates so I’m in no hurry at my range so for me & my situation it’s fine.
I do agree with a previous poster ;
Every answer I’ve read is pretty decent as for individual situations. I think you’d have “game” out your situation and do what’s best for you & your piece.
As long as you have a good time - are safe & maintain your piece to your standard I believe you did it correctly as the others have done also.

 

[Tenring]

Windex, Sparingly….

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Still doing 25-75 shots at rondy. Never have swabbed in close to 20 years with this rifle.

Must be doing something right

 

[Greenjoytj]

Butches Black Powder Bore Shine, 100 patches 2.5” sq placed in a wide mouth 250 ml mason jar the soaked with 50 ml of bore shine. The patches slack up the liquid and in a few hours are all evenly dampen.

I read a lot of good ideas to try on this thread.
Pre mix -50* auto windshield washer fluid would my choice for winter GM Opticlean has cleaning agent in the fluid. It won’t mix with Ballistol form an emulsion I tried it.

~70% alcohol mix with Balistol for summer use. (If they will mix)
The I like the idea of some water in the wiping fluid.
The very high proof alcohol might not make it down a hot bore before flash evaporation leaves the patch dry.

I liked the wipe after loading the PRB idea. I load a .535” ball that acquires the patch cloth weave pattern all the way around, I doubt any wiping fluid would get past the ball and would likely stay in the cloth If it did, then there is my OP lubed felt wad.

 

[Mike in FL]

Just wondering about what fluid you use to swab between shots.
How damp or wet are your swabbing patches?

 

[golden sky]

i've been using Ether on the swabbby, comes in a can at autozone for 3 bux. starter fluid, it dries faster than isopropyl, next best cleaner i found is CRC QD electronics cleaner, stuff is amaizing and a step above ether in cleansing action and smell but its $$$$

for slower evaporation rate on the cleaner i've had good experience with CRC standard electronics cleaner, NON-QD formula

 

[Mike in FL]

In the woods I use one patch wet with canteen water and then two dry ones. At the range I use a squeeze bottle of T/C cleaning stuff, again one and two.
If not in a rush for some reason, I ALWAYS swab between shots. An OCD thing I reckon. The last dry patch is big enough to push air out thru the vent to dry it. Another oddity I do: before a hunt, I run alcohol saturated patches down the bore. I even tip the bottle and pore enough in so that a tight patch going down will cause alcohol to squirt out of the vent. That way I am certain to have removed moisture. Drying patches after that. Then I carefully load.
Off topic a bit, but getting out of a warm truck into a cold dawn might dampen your frizzen so I wipe that before priming.
Don't holler at me for transporting a loaded gun. Been doing that with M/Ls forever.

 

[Bill Bryan]

I'm a fan of Balistol and water at the range. I keep a patch moistened with it every time a run my range rod down the barrel whether I'm loading or cleaning. Bill

 

[Trooper]

I'm a fan of Balistol and water at the range. I keep a patch moistened with it every time a run my range rod down the barrel whether I'm loading or cleaning. Bill

I started using ballistol and water as a patch lube, it works great as a lube, I’m going to try your technique this evening