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Swabbing Barrel Between Shots
- Thread starter DarrinG
- Start date
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Everybody is different. I use "Dutches method". For the wet patch I wet it good.,and squeeze it dry as I can get it. Down the bore and up. Then an all dry one , down and up.I use this for hunting also.For wetting I use moose milk.Always keep every thing you do , exactly the same.
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A patch with M.A.P. soulution followed by two dry patches. Using real BP of course...
I also use spit sometimes....
I also use spit sometimes....
In one of my rifles I cannot run a dry patch even following a wet patch. They get stuck more often than not. I use a spit patch or a moose mile patch and then an 96% isopropyl alcohol patch and wait a minute for it to evaporate. I do check the nipple or vent hole depending on the rifle to make sure it is dry, and may use a Q-tip to check or dry.
I simply dampen, not soak, a cotton flannel patch with saliva. I swab, turn the patch around and do it again. I believe this gives me a consistent bore condition shot to shot.
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Murphy's oil soap, alcohol, and peroxide or water in equal amountsDarrinG said:
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DarrinG ,
I have used Dixie Gun Work's "Black-Solve" since the 70's for both swab and patch lube. It works good for me, but I shoot targets, not critters. One container of liquid does it all for me for loading and shooting.
Flintlocklar :wink:
I have used Dixie Gun Work's "Black-Solve" since the 70's for both swab and patch lube. It works good for me, but I shoot targets, not critters. One container of liquid does it all for me for loading and shooting.
Flintlocklar :wink:
Brokennock
Cannon
I don't. Haven't needed to. Not while shooting round ball while at the range.
That said. If I did need to, at the range, I'd experiment with a method posted here in the past, but Flehto I believe, of brushing and inverting the gun so dry crud falls out, and no moisture is introduced to the equation.
I will swab when working on shot load development at the patterning board. I swab with rubbing alcohol, strongest solution I can find. Evaporates by the time I walk back from changing paper at the board.
That said. If I did need to, at the range, I'd experiment with a method posted here in the past, but Flehto I believe, of brushing and inverting the gun so dry crud falls out, and no moisture is introduced to the equation.
I will swab when working on shot load development at the patterning board. I swab with rubbing alcohol, strongest solution I can find. Evaporates by the time I walk back from changing paper at the board.
”˜When’ I did this ... I prefered the 1-patch method that has just enough drops to accomplish the mission and not leave the bore ”˜wet’.
That said, for anything but my hunting patched loads, I have recently been re-experimenting w/ Hoppes Black Powdah Patch Solvent & Lube.
In my 75-caliber, using 90-100 grains charges of 1Fg powdah out of a 60” barrel, I recently shot > 30-shots (patched loads, 4-drops per patch) and never wiped the bore once. It cleaned up well too! In my 50-cal flint rifle, at a weekend event, I shot an estimated 50-60-shots (same # of drops per patch, but different patch material) and never wiped it.
I cut my patches square ahead of time, keeping an ample supply of dry, ready-to-lube, ones on hand. I’ll add a drop in each corner and for those I’ll immediately use, I thread them onto a piece of yarn hanging from my shootin’ bag. I have a most unhistorically correct plastic ziploc bag that I keep the extra supply of pre-lubed ones in. NOTE I shoot in cold weather and if below freezing, I move the pre-lubed patches to the top button of my coat/weskit and keep them under the top layer so as to keep ”˜warm’. So far, so good ...
To date ... my results have been fantastic - excellent accuracy and no in-between shot wiping!
FYI, I tried from 3 to 6 drop ”˜per patch’ in 3 flintlocks (rifle & smoothbore) and so far 1 of each gave most consistent results - w/ repeatable accuracy (better than I can hold) - at 4-drops per pach each. The jury is out on the 3rd gun ... still working it through ...
Oh and www.gnarlygorrilla.com sells that Hoppes BP patch lube for < $6 per bottle, where others charge $10+.
That said, for anything but my hunting patched loads, I have recently been re-experimenting w/ Hoppes Black Powdah Patch Solvent & Lube.
In my 75-caliber, using 90-100 grains charges of 1Fg powdah out of a 60” barrel, I recently shot > 30-shots (patched loads, 4-drops per patch) and never wiped the bore once. It cleaned up well too! In my 50-cal flint rifle, at a weekend event, I shot an estimated 50-60-shots (same # of drops per patch, but different patch material) and never wiped it.
I cut my patches square ahead of time, keeping an ample supply of dry, ready-to-lube, ones on hand. I’ll add a drop in each corner and for those I’ll immediately use, I thread them onto a piece of yarn hanging from my shootin’ bag. I have a most unhistorically correct plastic ziploc bag that I keep the extra supply of pre-lubed ones in. NOTE I shoot in cold weather and if below freezing, I move the pre-lubed patches to the top button of my coat/weskit and keep them under the top layer so as to keep ”˜warm’. So far, so good ...
To date ... my results have been fantastic - excellent accuracy and no in-between shot wiping!
FYI, I tried from 3 to 6 drop ”˜per patch’ in 3 flintlocks (rifle & smoothbore) and so far 1 of each gave most consistent results - w/ repeatable accuracy (better than I can hold) - at 4-drops per pach each. The jury is out on the 3rd gun ... still working it through ...
Oh and www.gnarlygorrilla.com sells that Hoppes BP patch lube for < $6 per bottle, where others charge $10+.
Last edited by a moderator:
Cruzatte
50 Cal.
I moisten a cotton flannel patch with plain ol' water.DarrinG said:
I see there's 31,784 members registered on ML Forum. So, there are probably 31,784 different methods.
I get excellent PRB groupings at 50 yds. from my .50-cal. Renegade using 60 grains Goex ffg, .015 linen patches lubed with TOW mink oil, and a .490 Hornady roundball. I swab between shots using my own recipe (I call it Moose drool) of 1 part Murphy's Oil Soap, 1 part castor oil and 6 parts 70% rubbing alcohol on a damp but not soaked 2.5-inch by 2.5-inch cotton cleaning patch. I then use two dry patches before loading.
I'm guessing that EVERY ML out there likes just a little bit or a lot different configurations. My Renegade also shoots Hornady Great Plains Bullets and T/C Maxi-Hunters very accurately using SPG bullet lube or bore butter, usually with 70 or 80 gr. of Goex ffg. So, far, very little swabbing between shots on using conicals. Took a while to figure all this out, but that's half the fun.
Now, my .58-cal. Pattern 1853 Enfield only likes minie balls thus far, so I have some work to do figuring out how to group PRBs.
I get excellent PRB groupings at 50 yds. from my .50-cal. Renegade using 60 grains Goex ffg, .015 linen patches lubed with TOW mink oil, and a .490 Hornady roundball. I swab between shots using my own recipe (I call it Moose drool) of 1 part Murphy's Oil Soap, 1 part castor oil and 6 parts 70% rubbing alcohol on a damp but not soaked 2.5-inch by 2.5-inch cotton cleaning patch. I then use two dry patches before loading.
I'm guessing that EVERY ML out there likes just a little bit or a lot different configurations. My Renegade also shoots Hornady Great Plains Bullets and T/C Maxi-Hunters very accurately using SPG bullet lube or bore butter, usually with 70 or 80 gr. of Goex ffg. So, far, very little swabbing between shots on using conicals. Took a while to figure all this out, but that's half the fun.
Now, my .58-cal. Pattern 1853 Enfield only likes minie balls thus far, so I have some work to do figuring out how to group PRBs.
Ive taken to swabbing every shot AFTER I drop the next powder charge BEFORE I put the patched ball in.
Just a damp patch and try not to hit the charge to hard with it but I usually get it at least a little
Since I shoot at a public range, I generally, but not always) swab the bore really good just before they call cease fire and that way its basically clean and has time to dry before I load the next round when the range goes hot again.
Just a damp patch and try not to hit the charge to hard with it but I usually get it at least a little
Since I shoot at a public range, I generally, but not always) swab the bore really good just before they call cease fire and that way its basically clean and has time to dry before I load the next round when the range goes hot again.
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And so the journey of how to remove a stuck brush begins.... :haha:DarrinG said:
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Spit patch. Nuf' said.
Not necessarily. From the first edition of the Lyman Black Powder Handbook, concerning cleaning while shooting many thousands of rounds of PRB in developing their database:Colorado Clyde said:
"Roundball tests would include dry-brushing between each shot after starting with a clean bore.....General field and range usage is typified by frequent cleaning---sometimes after each shot---and provided conclusive support for our decision [based on an extensive series of comparative shooting tests] to thoroughly clean after each shot string and to dry-brush (with a sturdy copper brush) between each shot in the test string. We were careful, during the dry-brushing, to keep the muzzle down and to shake out the carbon loosened by the brushing."
I believe flehto uses this method exclusively in his shooting, and he has no problems..
Spence
I have a quick question..... why do you want to swab between shots. A good patch, ball, lube, load combo, you shouldn't have to.
I can shoot all day, and load the last shot as easily as the first.
If you have to clean between each shot, you're doing something wrong.
I can shoot all day, and load the last shot as easily as the first.
If you have to clean between each shot, you're doing something wrong.
Agree...I use Ballistol lightly spray on patch.
Each shot loads as easy as the first. "If" I
ever felt the need to clean. I would shove the
patched ball down the barel with a wet patch on
top...Thus be wiping the bore "after" loading
and not before. Same effect but without the
extra work....
Wulf
Each shot loads as easy as the first. "If" I
ever felt the need to clean. I would shove the
patched ball down the barel with a wet patch on
top...Thus be wiping the bore "after" loading
and not before. Same effect but without the
extra work....
Wulf
What powder are you using?
I know, if I am shooting Pyrodex, I can load and shoot all day without needing to swab my barrel.
If I am shooting real black powder, I'm doing good to be able to shoot over 6 rounds without needing to remove the fouling from the bore. If I don't, loading becomes a real task, even with a steel range rod to ram the shot.
I don't swab between shots. Lazy I guess.
When I do swab I lightly wet a clean patch and squeeze most of the water out.
I then shove the damp patch to the bottom of the bore and let it rest there so the wetness in the fouling along the length of the bore has a chance to soak in. This takes about 6-10 seconds.
Following this soak time, I slowly pull the still damp patch back up and out of the bore.
The dampened fouling sticks to the patch so by the time it is out of the bore, the bore is quite clean.
One patch down the bore and back out wipes off the wetness that is left in the bore by the first patch. The gun is then ready for the next load.
I know, if I am shooting Pyrodex, I can load and shoot all day without needing to swab my barrel.
If I am shooting real black powder, I'm doing good to be able to shoot over 6 rounds without needing to remove the fouling from the bore. If I don't, loading becomes a real task, even with a steel range rod to ram the shot.
I don't swab between shots. Lazy I guess.
When I do swab I lightly wet a clean patch and squeeze most of the water out.
I then shove the damp patch to the bottom of the bore and let it rest there so the wetness in the fouling along the length of the bore has a chance to soak in. This takes about 6-10 seconds.
Following this soak time, I slowly pull the still damp patch back up and out of the bore.
The dampened fouling sticks to the patch so by the time it is out of the bore, the bore is quite clean.
One patch down the bore and back out wipes off the wetness that is left in the bore by the first patch. The gun is then ready for the next load.
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