When to clean?

[2172]

Finnwolf, I'm able to shoot a match without swabbing for two reasons, I think. One, I patch with a wonderlubed patch, and, two, I shoot a slightly undersized ball. I went to a thicker patch a year or so ago,ticking anywhere from .018 to .02, and I just hate to use a mallet, so I dropped my .49 ball to .48, and my .440 to .435..all of my shooting is offhand, so my 'wobble" as someone said, covers up whatever deficiency this might cause...no change in my scores...Hank when I patched with a Baltusol patch, I had to swab every 5 rounds...

 

[MikeChapin]

"As you can tell from the responses, some shooters take great pride in being able to shoot all day without cleaning their barrels. I guess that makes their smoke-pole better than mine!"

This is the claim that always got to me. The guns I've owned HAD to be swabbed after 2 shots or you'd need a mallet to load the 3rd shot. Always wondered how folks who had the same gun as me, same load, same lube could load 30 tackdriving shots or more without so much as a wipe. After 25 years, I've just become trained to clean after every second shot.

Doesn't make the rifle better or worse. It's just a matter of finding what works. I have used spit for a patch lube for about 30 years.

Four years ago I switched to Ballistol to protect the barrel and that made a lot of difference. Before that I used 10 wgt. motor oil to protect the barrel. Most of my rifles would only get 10 shots or so before needing a damp patch. My Mountain Rifle would only get about 5 shots before needing the same medicine.

When I switched to Ballistol from motor oil I found I could shoot all day without cleaning. I use a snug patch and ball combination in all my rifles. By snug I mean a slap on the short starter will start the ball rather than use a mallet. With a wet lube, this seems to keep the barrel in the same state of cleanliness between shots.

 

[laney1566]

when I use Pyrodex RS with wonderlube patches, no cleaning is needed ever between shots for me. When using black powder with wonderlube patches then I need to run #13 bore cleaner about every 4th shot. I converted brass bench rods to fit my rifles by cutting to length with a jag permanently installed on one end and I threaded the other to accept my t-handle short starter in case I need to pull a ball out. The extra weight of the brass rod along with the perfectly sized jag gives some extra umph!! to push the ball down

 

[dmoreno]

When people speak of using alcohol for cleaning, are we talking about denatured alcohol solvent or isopropyl?

 

[Dphar]

My brother and I are in a discussion as to how often to clean your barrel when at the range. He is a book worm and says for optimum accuracy you should clean every 2 shots. I say 3 to 5 shots depending on how your gun is acting. Who is right?

If you use traditional lubes you may need to wipe every shot for *best* accuracy. If you use water based lubes with wet patches you might shoot all day.
I don't use water based lubes, period.
My 54 will shoot about 6" at 200 yards if I use SPG bullet lube on the patches, cut at the muzzle and dry brush the bore, dump out the residue (I live in a dry climate and damp patch the bore one pass up and down to clean the lands.
It will shoot perfectly well with bear, neatsfoot or Sperm Whale oil patches unwiped for 10-20 shots. This is a Douglas barrel.
My shallow groove, .008", 16 bore will shoot very clean with a heavy patch and oil. It needs very little in the way of "help" for 20 shots, at least, since it fouls very little with 150 grains of FFG Swiss. But its a hunting rifle and I always shoot what I would when hunting.
It DEPENDS on the barrel, the weather, the powder etc etc etc.
One must shoot his rifle various ways and determine what works best with the barrel, powder, ball and patch combination.
What will work at 50 may be marginal at 100, what works Ok at 100 may be useless at 200.
Dan

 

[Mark A Lathrop]

Use moose milk on your patches, it does wonders, it's like cleaning your gun everytime you load, it can be bought at the Log CABIN SHOP the stuff is great.

 

[Dphar]

Use moose milk on your patches, it does wonders, it's like cleaning your gun everytime you load, it can be bought at the Log CABIN SHOP the stuff is great.

But you can't hunt with it.
The patch lube must match the intended use.
Dan

 

[bingo1952]

Like I said in an earlier post I use a spit patch at the range and can shoot all day without swabbing and a greasy/waxy one for hunting. At 100 yards off a bench I can't tell which is which but when using the greased patches I do have to swab about every third round or loading gets very difficult

 

[R Jones]

I also use a spit patch in my Hawkens at Rendezvous. and never clean between shots. I do a real good hot water cleaning at night after the matches though.That keeps me ready for the next days shooting.

 

[Mark A Lathrop]

Your telling me that you have Regs. in Montana saying that you can't go and milk a moose prior to hunting Elk? I thought milking moose in Montana was a group activity!