Gun cleaning patch material

[Marty]

I usually like to run a final lint free patch through my rifles before shooting them. I don't like the idea of lint being in the bore.
I usually have a packet of hoppes synthetic non woven patches that I reserve for this.
Being the tight arese that I am becoming, I thought that maybe something like Chux Heavy Duty wipes might be usable.
Does anyone see any issues with this or have an alternative?
Thanks in advance.

Cheers, Martin

[perentie]

On my Black Powder guns I clean with 3 patches after every shot. I go through heaps so just buy a couple of metres at a time of flannelette sheeting from Spotlight. I tear it into 3 inch strips then roll up and use as desired. No problem with lint .

[mchughcb]

I very lightly oil patches prior to storage and I don't patch out before shooting.

[Wapiti]

Have you tried Spotlight or similar?
They sell thick white cotton flannelette by the metre cheap as chips, you cut it to whatever sizes you want for all your different bore/jag sizes.
There will never be any lint left in a bore, there isn't such fine stuff in new flanno, never seen a bit ever from many years of using patches like that.

And leaving oil in the bore to build up in front of the projectile and then have it ride over the lot and hydraulic-swage the bore out? Not being a smartarse but that's the most common way to bulge a barrel halfway up, second is a patch or stuck prodjy... seen it too many times and it's never going to happen to me. If it takes too long to run a patch through for a dry bore and no first-shot flyer, blimey...

[Marty]

Thanks all.
Looks like it will be a trip to spotlight for me.

Happy shooting.

Cheers, Martin

[mchughcb]

Leaving a thin, low viscosity oil with a couple of micron coverage will not do much. So was explained by a very competent gunsmith so I stopped patching out a decade ago. Barrels are not rusted and shoot sub moa.

However if you shoot your guns irregular and put a soaking patch of oil plus half a can of WD40 then I suggest you patch out before firing.

[Wapiti]

Mate I'm not trying to win an argument, just make myself look like a d*ckhead trying to avoid someone wrecking their gun.

It takes but the thinnest oil film to hydraulic the bore. Problem is that it builds up as the projectile accellerates, then at some point, any point, it cannot continue to do so and displaces under the bullet as it accelerates over it, bulging the barrel.
A lot of oil will/may internally change the bore dimensions more than a thin film, but the thin film builds as the projectile travels.
From a metals engineering perspective in tight-tolerance machinery, it's well known.
You don't get more of an interference fit than a projectile screaming down a bore with 50-65,000 PSI behind it in a centrefire cartridge. And you will NEVER measure the amount of metal displacement you may have already done if it's so slight you can't see it.

I'd suggest, just as a tip to others reading this, that you do not skip an essential step such as drying your bore before shooting. It is definitely not a waste of time.

[mchughcb]

When you observe high speed video of guns firing the gases leave the barrel before the bullet does. Either its going to blow or combust that thin micron thick coating of oil. I understand hydraulics but the barrel is not a perfect seal with the grooves and gases are escaping in front of the bullet. If in doubt swab it out before firing.

When you do swab out before firing have a look of how much oil is actually on the patch. If you store you rifles in a vertical position like I do, you might find there is not much if any coming out on the patch, meaning the oil has worked its way out to the muzzle or the action.

[mchughcb]

Here you go, gases way out in front of the barrel in front of the bullet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-R-D_v0udk&t=10s

[Fester]

My smith said that a dry patch before shooting is unnecessary, but I will always do it.
I know that cold bore shot is only about 1/2" high/right from the group center using my hunting rifle.
The last thing I do after cleaning is the oily patch and the first thing I do before going out is a dry patch and wipe off the light Inox film.
I don't consider it like lube at 3,000fps.

I also use the Spotlight white flannolette.

I remember that original Aussie podcaster putting s**t on his co-host for not looking after his rifles, and letting them rust.
He liked oil dripping from everything, which is also unnecessary; my oily rag only leaves a very light film, and I never had rust from the safe.
He also said he missed a lot of first shots. I wonder if his cold bore shot was further out than mine.

I also know I have no restriction like a bug or something in the bore, because of that dry patch.
Only ever seen the odd tiny bit of lint in the chamber area when bore-scoping, never in the bore.
It was not like a huge bit of thread, more just a tiny bit of fibre.

[Willie]

Yes. I bought some flannelette cloth from Spotlight. I can cut it to suit my firearm cleaning needs. Great suggestion followed up. :)

[deye243]

Been going to spotlight since the 90s and get flannelette with a line pattern so it's easy to cut up 500 or 800 at a time.
That's what the best thing is about a 17 HMR or a 17 of any type using cotton buds for cleaning the barrels so easy

[straightshooter]

Mate I'm not trying to win an argument, just make myself look like a d*ckhead trying to avoid someone wrecking their gun.

It takes but the thinnest oil film to hydraulic the bore. Problem is that it builds up as the projectile accellerates, then at some point, any point, it cannot continue to do so and displaces under the bullet as it accelerates over it, bulging the barrel.
A lot of oil will/may internally change the bore dimensions more than a thin film, but the thin film builds as the projectile travels.
From a metals engineering perspective in tight-tolerance machinery, it's well known.
You don't get more of an interference fit than a projectile screaming down a bore with 50-65,000 PSI behind it in a centrefire cartridge. And you will NEVER measure the amount of metal displacement you may have already done if it's so slight you can't see it.

I'd suggest, just as a tip to others reading this, that you do not skip an essential step such as drying your bore before shooting. It is definitely not a waste of time.

Although not quite a myth this business about removing every last skerrick of lubricant, grease or any cleaning solution from the barrel has had long legs and seems to be perpetuated by people who seem to have a need to be seen as a 'holier than thou' guru on these matters.
The myth emanates from the practice of military arsenals filling the barrels and any other surface prone to corrosion with grease or in the US cosmoline in anticipation of storage for possibly long terms in a sub-optimal environment.
With time those greases and especially cosmoline had a tendency to dry out and harden.
Any attempt to fire a round in a barrel containing even soft grease would be very likely to result at the very least in a barrel bulge due to the mass of the grease filling the barrel, With dry grease or hardened cosmoline the consequences could be far worse or even fatal, if not to the firer then to the firearm.
A thin residual film of oil will not be a source of problems.
I routinely push a tightly fitting patch, only just moist with a light oil such as Inox, through my chrome moly barrels so as to remove the last trace of solvent in preparation for storage and I don't bother with another clean patch before shooting. With stainless barrels I do the same but with 3 in 1 silicon spray.