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Barrel swabbing between shots

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Joined
Sep 29, 2017
Messages
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Location
Northern Oklahoma
Finally got to go to the rifle range with my .50 Renegade after some brutal below zero wind chills and a lot of wind here in Northern Oklahoma since just after Christmas. I've been experimenting with my own concoction ”” having scoured ML Forum and other threads on the subject of swabbing the barrel between range shots on patched round balls. This is kind of a variation on a lot of them:
1 part castor oil
1 part Murphy's Oil Soap
6 parts Isopropyl alcohol 70%
Tried this swab mixture on 2 1/2-inch square cotton patches between shots of .015 linen patches, .490 Hornady round ball, 60 grains Goex ffg.
I really like the results at 35 yards on this 8-inch target. First 3 shots had about 8-10 mph crosswind from right to left, I adjusted my stock sights for the breeze, and got the last 3 center shots. I had been using bore butter between shots with fairly mixed results. It worked pretty good, but I wanted better. Maybe I just had a really good day. Going to keep using this concoction at the range weekly until spring, and see if it keeps up with this consistency.
If you use a similar or completely different between-shots swab potion, please share, I'd be really interested. I like to tinker with stuff. I've been messing with my sights to get them zeroed in and I think I finally hit on the right adjustment too. :pop:
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SgtMaj said:
Finally got to go to the rifle range with my .50 Renegade after some brutal below zero wind chills and a lot of wind here in Northern Oklahoma since just after Christmas. I've been experimenting with my own concoction ”” having scoured ML Forum and other threads on the subject of swabbing the barrel between range shots on patched round balls. This is kind of a variation on a lot of them:
1 part castor oil
1 part Murphy's Oil Soap
6 parts Isopropyl alcohol 70%
Tried this swab mixture on 2 1/2-inch square cotton patches between shots of .015 linen patches, .490 Hornady round ball, 60 grains Goex ffg.
I really like the results at 35 yards on this 8-inch target. First 3 shots had about 8-10 mph crosswind from right to left, I adjusted my stock sights for the breeze, and got the last 3 center shots. I had been using bore butter between shots with fairly mixed results. It worked pretty good, but I wanted better. Maybe I just had a really good day. Going to keep using this concoction at the range weekly until spring, and see if it keeps up with this consistency.
If you use a similar or completely different between-shots swab potion, please share, I'd be really interested. I like to tinker with stuff. I've been messing with my sights to get them zeroed in and I think I finally hit on the right adjustment too. :pop:
117aayx.jpg
[/img]

well what to do when the wind blows the other way?

I use Dutches dry patch, before I was 100% spit or mostly Hoppes Blk Pwdr Solvent and patch lube (not regular Hoppes gun solvent).
 
One click got me to center, I'll use two clicks the other way to hopefully center again when the wind blows left to right, which it will in spring and summer.
And, since I'm only shooting targets these days and my deer hunting days are pretty much over, I have the time to mess around with my .50 really for the first time.
 
I use equal parts
Murphy's oil soap
90% isopropyl or denatured alcohol
hydrogen peroxide 3% usp or plain water

Curious, What does the castor oil do?
 
Try the Hoppes! Its like cleaning your barrel every shot and as the patched round ball is the "patch" the crud is on top the powder and is shot out each load. Secret....use same amount each time. I used a single drop and rubbed in well. Not as consistent as dry patch but closest I ever tried.
 
Bit of extra lubrication. I had tried just the Murphy's and alcohol, and it made loading a bit more difficult. I broke a hickory ramrod off into the base of my right thumb about 3 months ago ramming a ball at the range, and it took some strength out of my dominant hand. Plus, it bled like hell and I had a heck of a time stopping the bleeding as it sliced a vein. I was having a bit of trouble ramming the PRB, so I added the castor oil. I still have no feeling in a small area on the left side of my thumb. Castor oil is more expediency than anything. Had a friend who had used castor oil years ago, I remembered him talking about it, so I decided to experiment and add it to the mix. Plus, it's cheap.
And ... I added a good, stout 3-piece range rod to my range bag.
 
SgtMaj,
Went to a shoot in Iowa last summer and a young pilgrim was a cleaning between shots with Windex. Dunno how good it works, but he had it in the "Original" spray bottle. :rotf:
Flintlocklar
PS I use Black Solve from Dixie and it works good for me. Used it since the 70s.
 
Larry (Omaha) said:
SgtMaj,
Went to a shoot in Iowa last summer and a young pilgrim was a cleaning between shots with Windex. Dunno how good it works, but he had it in the "Original" spray bottle. :rotf:
Flintlocklar

Exactly what I use..Original formula Windex. Spritz it on the cleaning patch, down the bore, set a few seconds, a twist, and back out. Done and it dries virtually instantly.

Have used just spit too, and that works but I "dry out" a lot faster than a bottle of windex! :grin:

When I am small game hunting and there's snow, I just put a cleaning patch in my hand, pick up some snow with it and let it melt in, swab. Done.

Never used any kind of "concoction."
 
You are using a lube on your ball patch aren't you? Water works just fine as a between shot swab. Anything that will dampen the patch to loosen fouling. I wouldn't see the need for incorporating any lube-oil for a between shot swab. I can see the addition of alcohol in cold weather as a benefit.

I don't understand the addition of Hydrogen Peroxide, it is an oxidant and has bleaching characteristics. Why either of these are necessary or beneficial for Black Powder fouling maybe someone would enlighten me.
 
In the far north when shooting outdoors (more seldom as I get older) I use a mixture of Hoppes 9 and windshield washer fluid. In Fairbanks we can get the washer fluid that is rated down to -40F. In Southcentral -20F fluid would work just fine...as I'm not going out shooting or bunny hunting when its colder than zero. I use this for cleaning between shot swabbing. At the end of the day I shoot it empty and give it a luke warm water cleaning followed by WD 40 or gun oil swabbed down the barrel to coat it and wiping the metal parts etc. with clean oily cloth.

I'd like to go with the dry lubed patch method after swabbing - but I cannot find ballistol here in Wasilla, Alaska. These other concoctions are quite interesting, obviously ease of loading would be important. Great thread!
 
Of course, I use TOW mink oil as a patch lube, I should have added that in ”” my bad. I just was looking for something a little different. It seems to really clean my .50-cal bore nicely between shots, and the shooting results speak for themselves. I only use it between shots, nothing more. However, I will continue to try it out with a bunch more targets. I really like the consistency of my mixture on a cleaning patch and swabs very, very nicely. I'm not one for anything fancy cleaning up my BP after a range session or hunting though. Been using boiling hot water to clean my ML barrels after shooting sessions for 40 years, and it's always worked great. I was a CW re-enactor for more than 30 years, and all we ever used at the end of the day on our 3-band Enfields to get out the Goex was water boiled in bales over a campfire, a few dry ticking patches followed by an oiled patch.
But then, we weren't shooting any PRBs or conicals either. :v
 
Well with having a lathe I just mix up some soluble oil with water, mink milk?, to dampen my cleaning patches . With my homemade barrel I swab between shots, fowls up quick if I don`t , not a tack driver, 50gr 2f p ball 2 1/2" at 50m with 7 shots. Hell you guys get a lot of snow over there!!. homebrew.357. :hmm:
 
You are using a lube on your ball patch aren't you? Water works just fine as a between shot swab

Since I usually cut my patches at the muzzle when on the range, that leaves a remnant of damp cloth. After three shots, I cut this free and use it to swab the bore of the rifle. When target shooting for scores in a serious match, I use a patch with water to swab, and a dry patch to dry, then load the next round.

Windex (or any generic glass cleaner) is a very common, over-the-counter black powder cleaner because a water based liquid will work fine, AND the pH of windex is 10.7 which will counteract the corrosiveness of the powder residue, while plain water merely dilutes it.

LD
 
Loyalist Dave said:
Windex (or any generic glass cleaner) is a very common, over-the-counter black powder cleaner because a water based liquid will work fine, AND the pH of windex is 10.7 which will counteract the corrosiveness of the powder residue, while plain water merely dilutes it.

LD

Most glass cleaners have a little bit of ammonia to help cleaning.

The winter grade of windshield washing fluid has some alcohol in it to prevent freezing. This also works as a swab between shots solvent.

Regardless, if what you are doing is providing great accuracy, then press on.
 
I bought a 3 piece ramrod after learning about the experiences of a few shooters who broke the wood ramrod. Injury to your hand sounds like a pretty common occurrence when the wood ramrod gives way. Hopefully you will regain full use of your hand.

I think your groups look good. If I read the Goex chart correctly, published muzzle velocity should be 1390 fps.

I have a 1:66 Renegade Round Ball barrel on the way and plan on comparing 100 yard round ball groups with the OEM 1:48 barrel. I purchased 500 Hornady .490 round balls and plan on testing with them.
 
I don't normally need to swab at all at the range or in the bush. I've lubed with spit, Black Solve, Hoppes BP Lube and TOW mink oil, all good. I have been using Hoppes at the range and mink oil in the bush for a long time.

I shoot tight loads and and they wipe the fouling down as each prb is seated. This allows an afternoon of shooting without having to swab the bore.
 
Alaskan Glen said:
----- I'd like to go with the dry lubed patch method after swabbing - but I cannot find ballistol here in Wasilla, Alaska.-----

Glen, give Liquid Wrench Penetrating Oil at try for dry lubed patches. That's what I use with great results. (Don't worry about the often cited "petroleum oil" crud problem. It does not happen.

Stack up a dozen patches. Wet them with LW. Massage the stack to distribute the oil evenly throughout the fabric. Wrap the stack in a paper towel and squeeze the bundle until the patches feel almost dry. They will be pleasant to handle and you can adjust the amount of wetness to suit your gun. Some of mine like them very dry - some a bit wetter.

With respect to accuracy, I've been using LW in all of my round ball shooters (.32, .40, .45, .50, .54 & .58 calibers) for the last five years and no other lube has beat LW (and I've tried a lot of different lubes over the course of 40+ years making smoke).
 
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