What size fowling scraper?

[Mad Mucus]

Dunno if this is a silly question but hey, I'm a newby.
What size scraper should I get for my new to me Lyman .54 GPR and why? Maybe something I read suggested not to go with a like-sized one. :idunno:

 

[hawkeye2]

Sorry, the coffee hadn't kicked in and I was thinking of a TC breech. :redface:

 

[jethro224]

The GPR has a "patent breech" like a T/C too. I use a .36 caliber bore brush, usually with a patch over it, to get down in the chamber area.

 

[bubba.50]

T/C uses one size scraper for all calibers to fit what they call the "combustion chamber" in the breechplug. since lyman's are basically copies of T/C's I would assume it would be a similar situation.

 

[Cpl. Ashencheeks]

I have one of those T/C breech plug scrapers and it does say on it's original packaging that it is for .36 to .58 and 12 gauge.

The tool has a semi-circular profile, whereas other fouling scrapers have a more squared profile.

As far as I know, it is made for cleaning and scraping fouling down in the breech plug area.

 

[mooman76]

See, not so silly a question after all. :wink:

 

[Billnpatti]

Early on, I would always purchase a breach scraper for each caliber rifle or smoothbore. I found that if I properly cleaned my gun after each time that I shot it, I never needed a breach scraper. I still have all of them just in case I buy a used gun and it hasn't been properly cleaned and needs to have crud cleaned off the breach but other than that, they just lay in my tool chest.

Black powder fouling is easily water soluble and will completely flush out with warm soapy water. That is, providing that you don't make the mistake of using a petroleum based grease or oil on your patches and that you swab your bore well to remove all traces of rust proofing oil before loading your gun. Water soluble lubricants will flush out easily with good warm soapy water along with the black powder fouling. Clean 'em good with warm soapy water after you shoot 'em and you should never need a breach scraper.

Having said all of that, I know it is comforting to have a breach scraper just in case.... :hatsoff:

 

[Mad Mucus]

Info noted..... & thanks all

 

[Snakebite]

I have to agree with Bill. My Hawken has a hooked breech and patent breech plug. I remove the barrel, stick the breech end in hot water and pump the water in and out thru the nipple hole. I remove the nipple after a couple swipes and continue on. One thing I have never used is a brush. I'm just a little leary of one getting stuck in the bore as I've read about here on the forum. But that's just me. There are people here who use them and have never had a problem.

I have two flintlocks with flat plugs and I do use scrapers on them as the barrels are pinned in the stock.

There are a lot of different ways to achieve the same result, this is what works for me.

 

[hanshi]

I use scrapers from time to time but mostly in the actual cleaning process. At some point I'll push a wet patch down to the breech. Using the scraper I'll turn the patch to get gunk our of the breech edges. That's followed by a dry patch on the breech face. Interesting stuff often comes up with the patches.

 

[Billnpatti]

Well, never say never. :shake: Just after saying that I extremely seldom have a use for a breach scraper....well, I have to eat my words because when I came back from a session at the range, I carefully cleaned my rifle but the patches kept coming out with black on the middle indicating that I had a dirty breach. So.....I got out my breach scraper and went to work scraping some gunk off my breach. Add to that, the fact that I also dry balled twice while I was at the range. :redface: So, never say never.

 

[bpd303]

I have never used a scraper, but with a patent breech have used an under sized bore brush.

My question now will be, how does one clean a Thouvein Tige/pillar breech?

 

[Wes/Tex]

Add to that, the fact that I also dry balled twice while I was at the range. :redface: So, never say never.

And you thought Murphy wrote his law cause he was bored that day! :wink:

 

[Billnpatti]

What you need is a pressure washer like I made to flush my rifle bore. You need a piece of brass tubing that will reach to your breach (or pretty close), two of the brass tubing fittings that are tapered and have ridges to hold the plastic tubing on and you will need a brass fitting that screws onto your outside water faucet. You also need as much soft plastic (Tygon) tubing as it takes for you to reach from your outside faucet to your rifle muzzle. I have about 10 feet of tubing on mine. First, use a vise to carefully mash one end of the tubing but don't close it. Just mash it down leaving about 1/16 inch opening or just a tad bit larger. This will act like putting your finger over the end of a hose to speed up the velocity. Now, take one of the brass tubing fittings and solder it onto the other end of your brass tube. The other brass tubing fitting should be soldered to the faucet fitting. Now, put one end of your plastic tubing onto the fitting on the end of your brass tube and the other end onto the tubing fitting that you soldered onto the faucet fitting. Screw the faucet fitting onto the faucet and put the brass tube into the bore of your gun. Carefully turn on your water until you have a good stream coming out of your muzzle. If your fouling has had a chance to soften, this system will water blast your breach clean. It is also very handy for flushing out the soap after you wash your bore with soap and water.

Note: 1. Be sure to have the tube in your bore before turning on the water or you will get pretty wet trying to get it into the bore with the water running.
2. Don't turn the water on too hard or the plastic tube will be blown off the fittings and spray water everywhere.

You would have figured out both of these warnings on your own early on but I just wanted to save you taking an unexpected bath in the yard. :haha:

 

[bpd303]

I have one, made out of a pump up pressure sprayer. My main concern is getting the moisture out of the breech below the pillar. I'm thinking of compressed air with a tube long enough to reach the pillar, after using WD40.

 

[Billnpatti]

I just blow air through the touch hole or nipple hole with my air compressor both before and after applying WD-40. Then I wipe the bore with Barricade and have never had any rust problems.