Cleaning Habits

[DeadWood]

Was curious what everyone does. I realize these are generic questions depending on type of powder used and maybe even projetile, so lets say in general.


How many shots do you get off before haveing to clean/swab?

How do you clean between shots? tell me the procedure that works best for you

How do you clean before putting away? (for the season)

Thought i read one or two older threads that referred to using Windex? can't remember why or wasn't explained enough for me.

Looking for general preventive maintance kind of stuff so when i get the Hawkens out i'm prepared for shooting that day and putting back better than i found her.

thanks

[Lead Fred]

Black powder, a little round ball made from scrap lead, and a pillow tucking patch made with a hole bunch. I soak the patched in T/C bore butter, then let them dry.

1) Never had to, and rondy I shoot between 20-30 rounds in a day. Never had a problem.

2) never had to, just keep shootin

3) I clean at the end of the day, then again when I get home.
1-4 T/C bore cleaner soaked patches, dry patches until clean. T/C 1000+ Bore butter for a LIGHT lube

Once the barrel is seasoned with T/C 1000+ products, its a ease to clean and shoot.

T/C = Thompson Center

Made my own rifle too, them third world build ones just dont cut it.

[missionary5155]

Good morning again
There are all sorts of formulas to clean out BP fouling. I like water. Always available.. unless you live in a desert... but there still has to be a water hole somewhere or cleaning your weapon is NOT your real concern. After pumping water through the barrel (wedge attached) or good old wet sopping patches I run moist patches until they come out CLEAN, I dry with other patches until they are dry then a liberal coating of any oil I have about. I am rather found of Break-Free as I buy it by the quart when cheap... dad was rather found of Quaker State 30 weight. Before shooting again at home I run patches down the barrel soaked with alcohol until all oil is gone. If no alcohol is about it takes juat a few more patches. Do not forget the touch hole /pan or nipple.
Between shots... when I am firing at a range IF I have not any pre-lubed patches I plop a patch in my mouth on my tongue just after blowing down the barrel. I have never had any problems reloading and spit has worked well for a very long time. My presoaked patches in olive oil/beeswax take care of the cleaning as they are rammed down bore. If alot of shooting is being done or IF it is a very hot dry day in the state of ILL (never seen one.. always too humid) I may have to run a watered wet patch down the bore after 10 shots or so then a dry one then start the spitter going or some prelubbed. Smoothbores are a bit different than rifled bores. Riffled bores tend to collect more crud. DEEP rifling is the worst. But you will have to experiment.
A canteen of water will take care of alot of shooting... plus you can drink it when thirsty. And when the old spitter gets a bit parched imagine trying to swallow a mouth full of windex ???
BUT whatever you decide to do... BE CONSISTENT ! That was one of those reasons an old timer said, "Spit you will always have with you".
There is nothing wrong with any of the lube / cleaning formulas good shooters use. They work. I just am tired of lugging a box of stuff about to enjoy a morning of shooting. If it does not fit in my tent denem shoulder bag... it just does not go along. Weight is a real factor walking about the river bottoms /woods. If you will only shoot at a range well your trunk will be the limiting factor. You just ahve to think your way into what you will be doing with that smokepole ... then enjoy it for all it is.

[northmn]

The Windex formula was a bottle of vinegar based amonia free Windex about 25 ounces? to a gallon of water. Mike Venturino formula. Tried it and it works. I have used this formula and it works OK, as does water. Biggest thing for me is that after cleaning, I like to go back a couple of times to check for rust within the first couple of days after cleaning and relube if necessary. Rust preventative oils work. But I feel the recheck is important. Swabing between shots depends some on how tight the ball patch combo is and how heavy you load and the type of lube. A tight combination requires less swabing than a loose one. wet lubes like spit, Hoppes #9+ and Lehigh Valley may permit more shooting before swabing. The Bore butter is a good field lube but may require more swabing at the range. One point I am going to make at this time is that at matches I used to foul teh barrel before shooting for score adn would still do so. For a hunting rifle there is a good case for sighting in aftr the first shot with about 10 percent or so less powder in a fouled barrel. I ahve found that a perfectly clean barrel will deliver less velocity than a fouled one and have others that have chronographed that have had the same result. So if you would use 80 grains as a hunting load in clean barrel, you may want to use about 70-75 for a sight in, in a dirty barrel. May not make that much difference but I am starting to do so.

Northmn

[Richard B]

If I am testing new loads at the range I clean between every group with patches soaked in Isolpropyl Alcohol as it evapourates quickly. Other wise I do a quick clean at the range with ISP before I go home.

When I get home I use the bucket full of soapy warm water to flush the rest of the carbon out of my barrel, dry the barrel thoroughly, then wipe the barrel and the other metal parts down with a good oil.

I shoot year round every couple of weeks so I never put my gun away for long term storage. Also I live in Alberta which is a very dry climate that is a little more forgiving than a moister coastal climate.

Richard

[10 ga]

I shoot "Holy Black" Swiss, Goex, Diamondback, KIK, whatever... Patched roundball in the hammer guns and sabots and REAL and mini boolits in the inlines.
When shooting for 0 swab between every shot. After 0 obtained then 3 shot groups before swabbing. Like Richard B, use 90% isopropyl alcohol(pharmacy at big box store) followed by dry patch followed by another dry patch, then another group/shot. At end of session clean really good with the alcohol and wipe with choice of preservative lube if shooting tomorrow. For long term storage I clean really good and then wipe down inside/out with oil/preservative of choice, come back couple of days later and thouroughly re clean and wipe/coat inside and out with a long term preservative. Currently use Break Free for regular storage and Break Free Collector for long term. Also vacum bag guns, with silica gel in the bags, for long term storage as it is HUMID here in Virginia.

Nice rifle Lead Fred!

10 ga

[docone31]

I am lazy when I am shooting.
I fire about 5 RBs. Then I load a R.E.A.L..
The R.E.A.L. scrapes the bore down and the crud fires out with it. From there I shoot 5 more RBs.
At home, I use hot water and soap.

[skullmount]

How many shots do you get off before haveing to clean/swab?

How do you clean between shots? tell me the procedure that works best for you

How do you clean before putting away? (for the season)

I swab between each shot. Sometimes just 1 moist patch, sometimes 2, 1 moist & 1 dry, depends on the caliber, powder, humidity.......lube...you name it

I don't put them away,LOL, but I do lightly oil them after each sesion. I remove the oil with a few alcohol patches before I shoot again

[Geraldo]

I swab between shots with a patch dampened with a little bit of windshield washer fluid. Swabbing is in and out, not repeated.

When I get home I use hot water with a bit of Murphy's. Swab til clean, usually no more than half a dozen patches. I then dry the barrel and oil it. Because I live in a very humid area I also shoot a quick blast of WD40 down the tube, then run a dry patch to get the excess.

There is no end to my shooting season, so nothing beyond this is done.

When I got to shoot I run a dry patch down, then snap a couple of caps or pans of powder. I have no problems with rust or misfires.