your cleaning habits

[bigrich]

hey fellas just a can of worms topic , what is your rifle barrel cleaning habit ? do you just patch and oil after a hunting trip , or do you go the whole nine yards , with sweets , brushes , and all that . i've always been thorough with cleaning after every use . but i'm wondering if i'm being too OCD and overdoing it .

i did a google on this topic and most american barrel makers contradicted each other greatly

so what are your opinions fellas

[Oldbloke]

Hunting trip, always clean but usually just a few shots or less. A couple or three patches with slovent only. Then a dry patch.

[Blr243]

Have u been away bush ? U been quiet

[bladeracer]

hey fellas just a can of worms topic , what is your rifle barrel cleaning habit ? do you just patch and oil after a hunting trip , or do you go the whole nine yards , with sweets , brushes , and all that . i've always been thorough with cleaning after every use . but i'm wondering if i'm being too OCD and overdoing it .

i did a google on this topic and most american barrel makers contradicted each other greatly

so what are your opinions fellas

I spray plenty of solvent directly into the chamber and let it drain through the bore for about ten minutes. Then I twist a few patches just in the chamber to get it clean, then start pushing patches through until they're clean. If it's going to sit for a while I'll push a last patch through with a few drops of oil on it. I clean the bore when it needs it, but if I've spent time out on foot in the wet I'll clean the bore even if I didn't fire the rifle, just to mitigate any rust. I wrap the muzzle in insulation tape though so no moisture should get in if I haven't opened the bolt. If I'm cleaning the bore in something I've bought that's filthy I'll wrap a nylon brush with patches to put a bit more elbow behind it. But I let the solvent do the cleaning, not the brush.

Been using spray can Ballistol lately for external protection and really liking it.

[bigrich]

hey fellas just a can of worms topic , what is your rifle barrel cleaning habit ? do you just patch and oil after a hunting trip , or do you go the whole nine yards , with sweets , brushes , and all that . i've always been thorough with cleaning after every use . but i'm wondering if i'm being too OCD and overdoing it .

i did a google on this topic and most american barrel makers contradicted each other greatly

so what are your opinions fellas

I spray plenty of solvent directly into the chamber and let it drain through the bore for about ten minutes. Then I twist a few patches just in the chamber to get it clean, then start pushing patches through until they're clean. If it's going to sit for a while I'll push a last patch through with a few drops of oil on it. I clean the bore when it needs it, but if I've spent time out on foot in the wet I'll clean the bore even if I didn't fire the rifle, just to mitigate any rust. I wrap the muzzle in insulation tape though so no moisture should get in if I haven't opened the bolt. If I'm cleaning the bore in something I've bought that's filthy I'll wrap a nylon brush with patches to put a bit more elbow behind it. But I let the solvent do the cleaning, not the brush.

Been using spray can Ballistol lately for external protection and really liking it.

i love balistol. doesn't affect wood , rejuvinates leather , and can be used as a antiseptic . all natural . not petrolium based . developed for the german army just before WW1 i think

[bigrich]

Hunting trip, always clean but usually just a few shots or less. A couple or three patches with slovent only. Then a dry patch.

that's about what i do too OB. i bin backing off on brushes unless i've fired over 10 rounds

[bigrich]

Have u been away bush ? U been quiet

yeah mate , haven't been on here much lately , bin getting out there now the rains backed off a bit . was at crows nest 3 weeks ago , nailed a 13 point red stag . the freezer is chockers with venison getting it mounted as this is a cracking looking stag

bin out on a big property west off stanthorpe in the high country .just got back this arvo . lots of thick scrub, hills , ridges and gully's , pig parradise . the grass is mostly knee to hip high on me . so they can disappear quick .nailed a 45kg sow yesterday but .stalked up to a the fat sow on a dead roo along a creek in a more open paddock . met some great people and seen some great country and animals . emu's are weird freakin' critters .

off out to glenmorgan end of next week . i've taken long service off work , sort'a'kinda. and am getting out doing this stuff while i still can .

my 7-08 tikka is going well and 150 accubonds over 2209 have worked well on everything

[Wm.Traynor]

I A l w a y s go the whole 9 yards as bigrich calls it. My theory is that if you remove all the fouling, then there is no carbon for water molecules in our humid air to attach to. Not so sure that is the correct expression but to use more incorrect nomenclature, the carbon gives humid air a home and that is the start of rust.

[bigrich]

I A l w a y s go the whole 9 yards as bigrich calls it. My theory is that if you remove all the fouling, then there is no carbon for water molecules in our humid air to attach to. Not so sure that is the correct expression but to use more incorrect nomenclature, the carbon gives humid air a home and that is the start of rust.

that's my theory too mate . the chemicals in powder aren't as bad as they used to be , but i reckon besides being even mildly acidic , the burnt powder would attract moisture . copper long term in a barrel = electrollosis . result pitting

i tell you what though guys , my stainless steel tikka gave me a warm sense of confidence as i was standing/stalking through light rain looking for pigs and rusa deer

while i was waiting for your replies , i used about 12 patches on both my rifles with 3 applications of sweets and the final patch had a bit of balistol on it . no brushes unless they have a lot of powder in the bore . even then i think i'll stick to nylon

[bigrich]

hey fellas just a can of worms topic , what is your rifle barrel cleaning habit ? do you just patch and oil after a hunting trip , or do you go the whole nine yards , with sweets , brushes , and all that . i've always been thorough with cleaning after every use . but i'm wondering if i'm being too OCD and overdoing it .

i did a google on this topic and most american barrel makers contradicted each other greatly

so what are your opinions fellas

I spray plenty of solvent directly into the chamber and let it drain through the bore for about ten minutes. Then I twist a few patches just in the chamber to get it clean, then start pushing patches through until they're clean. If it's going to sit for a while I'll push a last patch through with a few drops of oil on it. I clean the bore when it needs it, but if I've spent time out on foot in the wet I'll clean the bore even if I didn't fire the rifle, just to mitigate any rust. I wrap the muzzle in insulation tape though so no moisture should get in if I haven't opened the bolt. If I'm cleaning the bore in something I've bought that's filthy I'll wrap a nylon brush with patches to put a bit more elbow behind it. But I let the solvent do the cleaning, not the brush.

Been using spray can Ballistol lately for external protection and really liking it.

i go all out with cleaning second hand rifles . brushes , sweets . some barrels have been worse than old milsurps

[Blr243]

Well done with the red stag that’s amaze In. I used to hunt some nice Black soil melon Hole country at glen Morgan yanks ago

[bigrich]

Well done with the red stag that’s amaze In. I used to hunt some nice Black soil melon Hole country at glen Morgan yanks ago

gotta watch out for getting bogged in that country . i tend to park where it's solid and stalk in, in lots of country . besides, i need the exercise . otherwise "big rich" becomes "huge rich"

[JimTom]

Yeah mate I give mine the full service after every range day and after every hunt.

[bigrich]

Yeah mate I give mine the full service after every range day and after every hunt.

i googled this topic and you would be amazed at the varying opinions, notably from US barrel makers like kreiger and hart

[bladeracer]

Yeah mate I give mine the full service after every range day and after every hunt.

i googled this topic and you would be amazed at the varying opinions, notably from US barrel makers like kreiger and hart

All you are doing is cleaning anything corrosive off the steel, and then applying a barrier to protect moisture from attacking the cleaned steel, it's literally not rocket science

[animalpest]

It depends. Generally a push through with wet patch to remove carbon the protect the bore from rust if not many shots are fired.

If lots of shots banged off then a more thorough clean with lots of patches, left for 10 minutes. Sometimes need to get the carbon out first before tackling the copper.

[bigrich]

Yeah mate I give mine the full service after every range day and after every hunt.

i googled this topic and you would be amazed at the varying opinions, notably from US barrel makers like kreiger and hart

All you are doing is cleaning anything corrosive off the steel, and then applying a barrier to protect moisture from attacking the cleaned steel, it's literally not rocket science

a lot of characters on yank forums reckon they go 100's of rounds in 308's and only clean when accuracy drops off . doesn't make sense to me . they must like rebarreling due to pitting i think . lots of shooters in past generations in australia used to have that attitude as well . when the coppers in the barrel you've got good accuracy , so don't upset it . i bought a old 222 model 70 years back . and it shot amazing . until i cleaned the barrel and exposed the pitting

[bigrich]

It depends. Generally a push through with wet patch to remove carbon the protect the bore from rust if not many shots are fired.

If lots of shots banged off then a more thorough clean with lots of patches, left for 10 minutes. Sometimes need to get the carbon out first before tackling the copper.

i've tried the various hoppes products . carbon remover, then copper remover . lot of work . i find sweets patched through is a quicker cleaner result . as a metal worker, i'm loath to leave copper in barrels due to electrolosis ( can't spell it but )

[animalpest]

Used to be a big fan of Hoppes but tend to use more carbon removing stuff today. Reckon I have enough different products that I have tried I could open my own shop

[womble]

I run a bore snake through once every 6 months.

[macjeffrey]

For the tikka T3 223 varmint for many years it was just a first patch with hopps 9 then patch til clean and a final oily patch. Lately as the tikka is 15 yo I’ve been scrubbing the bore with a copper brush about 10 times as well and lots of black gunk comes out. It makes me feel good to get it super clean but it’s very accurate either way. Accuracy wise scrubbing the bore makes no difference. But there’s no copper build up and the bore has always been nice and shiny.

[Bill]

hey fellas just a can of worms topic , what is your rifle barrel cleaning habit ? do you just patch and oil after a hunting trip , or do you go the whole nine yards , with sweets , brushes , and all that . i've always been thorough with cleaning after every use . but i'm wondering if i'm being too OCD and overdoing it .

i did a google on this topic and most american barrel makers contradicted each other greatly

so what are your opinions fellas

bigrich at the end of a range session I always run 3 or 4 patches to get rid of the bulk of the easy Carbon. Ill then put some gun oil in the barrel just out of habit, it will get cleaned usually in the next few weeks. I dont leave barrels dirty in a safe as I just find it pointless, doesn't matter weather its fired 10 shots or 100 shots.

[bladeracer]

For the tikka T3 223 varmint for many years it was just a first patch with hopps 9 then patch til clean and a final oily patch. Lately as the tikka is 15 yo I’ve been scrubbing the bore with a copper brush about 10 times as well and lots of black gunk comes out. It makes me feel good to get it super clean but it’s very accurate either way. Accuracy wise scrubbing the bore makes no difference. But there’s no copper build up and the bore has always been nice and shiny.

If you use a copper solvent all that gunk should be coming out on your patches.

[northdude]

hey fellas just a can of worms topic , what is your rifle barrel cleaning habit ? do you just patch and oil after a hunting trip , or do you go the whole nine yards , with sweets , brushes , and all that . i've always been thorough with cleaning after every use . but i'm wondering if i'm being too OCD and overdoing it .

i did a google on this topic and most american barrel makers contradicted each other greatly

so what are your opinions fellas

I spray plenty of solvent directly into the chamber and let it drain through the bore for about ten minutes. Then I twist a few patches just in the chamber to get it clean, then start pushing patches through until they're clean. If it's going to sit for a while I'll push a last patch through with a few drops of oil on it. I clean the bore when it needs it, but if I've spent time out on foot in the wet I'll clean the bore even if I didn't fire the rifle, just to mitigate any rust. I wrap the muzzle in insulation tape though so no moisture should get in if I haven't opened the bolt. If I'm cleaning the bore in something I've bought that's filthy I'll wrap a nylon brush with patches to put a bit more elbow behind it. But I let the solvent do the cleaning, not the brush.

Been using spray can Ballistol lately for external protection and really liking it.

i love balistol. doesn't affect wood , rejuvinates leather , and can be used as a antiseptic . all natural . not petrolium based . developed for the german army just before WW1 i think

Its good on mozzie bites. Love the smell of it to

[Tubs]

Is de-greaser sufficient for cleaning out barrels? Not sure if it acts as a solvent for copper deposits...

[bladeracer]

Is de-greaser sufficient for cleaning out barrels? Not sure if it acts as a solvent for copper deposits...

Nope, they break down oils more than anything else. You want something that either breaks down the residue itself (carbon, copper, lead) or at least breaks its bond with the steel so you can mechanically brush it out.

[bigrich]

hey fellas just a can of worms topic , what is your rifle barrel cleaning habit ? do you just patch and oil after a hunting trip , or do you go the whole nine yards , with sweets , brushes , and all that . i've always been thorough with cleaning after every use . but i'm wondering if i'm being too OCD and overdoing it .

i did a google on this topic and most american barrel makers contradicted each other greatly

so what are your opinions fellas

I spray plenty of solvent directly into the chamber and let it drain through the bore for about ten minutes. Then I twist a few patches just in the chamber to get it clean, then start pushing patches through until they're clean. If it's going to sit for a while I'll push a last patch through with a few drops of oil on it. I clean the bore when it needs it, but if I've spent time out on foot in the wet I'll clean the bore even if I didn't fire the rifle, just to mitigate any rust. I wrap the muzzle in insulation tape though so no moisture should get in if I haven't opened the bolt. If I'm cleaning the bore in something I've bought that's filthy I'll wrap a nylon brush with patches to put a bit more elbow behind it. But I let the solvent do the cleaning, not the brush.

Been using spray can Ballistol lately for external protection and really liking it.

i love balistol. doesn't affect wood , rejuvinates leather , and can be used as a antiseptic . all natural . not petrolium based . developed for the german army just before WW1 i think

Its good on mozzie bites. Love the smell of it to

damn it , i'm gunna start using it for aftershave !

[Gamerancher]

While I do use a lot of Ballistol, I have not found it to be a very good rust preventative in the bore. In the past when I did use it for coating the bore after cleaning, I've pulled rifles out of the safe and had rust on the first patch run through in as little as a month. ( I live in a very dry climate in the middle of NSW so I don't reckon it's a humidity issue.) It is primarily a lubricant not a protectant. I mostly use it mixed with water as a black-powder cleaner, a job it does well. The fact that it mixes with water indicates that it is hydroscopic , that is not a property you want in a rust preventative.

[bigrich]

While I do use a lot of Ballistol, I have not found it to be a very good rust preventative in the bore. In the past when I did use it for coating the bore after cleaning, I've pulled rifles out of the safe and had rust on the first patch run through in as little as a month. ( I live in a very dry climate in the middle of NSW so I don't reckon it's a humidity issue.) It is primarily a lubricant not a protectant. I mostly use it mixed with water as a black-powder cleaner, a job it does well. The fact that it mixes with water indicates that it it hydroscopic , that is not a property you want in a rust preventative.

that's interesting GR . i haven't had any issues like you've described , but it does make me think .

i still reckon it'd be a good aftershave

[Gamerancher]

It surprised me at first, I thought it was a good thing. I no longer use it to coat the bore in my rifles, seems to work alright on the outside where they are blued, just not on bare steel in the bore.