Cleaning between shots?

[mga2588]

how many shots should i take before cleaning the barrel and how should i clean it? im using 2f goex for a 50 cal. im cleaning every 5 shots now and after i clean barrel with a dry patch the next shot is off but the rest are where i aim. should i use a wet patch and if so what liquid? thanks for any comments. rb .490 with .015 lubed patch

 

[jamesthomas]

Do you really need to clean you gun(hard to load) or are you doing it just because? the only time I've had to clean at the range is when I've shot some KIK 1 1/2, after the 3rd shot it was too hard to load.. The rest of the time I never had to clean or don't need to clean when using 3fff Kik. I usually shoot between 30 to 50 times in a session,I use either Hoppes #9 blackpowder lube or spit at the range. It all depends on the lube and what kind of powder you are using if you need to clean at the range. If you use a grease lube sometimes they make hard to load after shooting 5 or so shots, making cleaning the rifle necessary.

 

[Rifleman1776]

There is a big difference between cleaning and swabbing between shots. There are two schools of thought on this issue. One, where I stand, is it is best to swab between every shot. I use spit. Some use their favorite 'stuff'.
The other school is of those who seem to take glee in the fact they can shoot 20-200-2000 shots without ever swabbing.
Whichever school you are in, the one, indisputable, fact you/we are facing is that shooting black powder is a dirty affair. Every shot deposits gunk in the barrel. You may be able to get just 'OK' accuracy without swabbing for a while but, fact is, you are shooting with a differently configured barrel every shot if you do not swab.
So, learn what your gun likes, decide your objectives. e.g. top accuracy or just going "bang". Then do what works best for you.

 

[Vaino]

While squirrel hunting and when the PRBs are getting hard to load, I run a wire brush down the bbl and "dump" the resulting debris. Further loading is much easier and any change in POI is unnoticeable.....Fred

 

[mga2588]

i need to say swab not clean,after 5 shots it starts to get hard to load but can be loaded and accuracy is still good.im thinking about trying 3f and see how it does because im almost out of 2f

 

[longcruise]

If you use a liquid lube such as spit, dish soap and water, hoppes lube or any other you might think of, you will not need to swab between shots. The wet patch cleans as you load. Don't use water base if you plan to have the gun loaded for a while though.

 

[ihuntsnook]

If accuracy is what you are after, swab between shots. I run a dry inch and a half square of paper towel down the bore after every shot. If you are going to wet the patch, be consistent. Ned Roberts and Dutch Schoultz both recommend swabbing between shots.

 

[necchi]

I swab with a spit patch after every shot.
I want the bore condition the same each time.

 

[roundball]

thinking about trying 3f and see how it does because im almost out of 2f

I use 3F in everyting I can because for me it fouls less than 2F. In addition, as others have mentioned, a wetter patch will help you a lot.

Using something like the liquid Hoppe PLUS BP as a patch lube for example, every time you seat a PRB the previous shot's fouling is pushed down the walls of the bore on top of the circumference of the powder charge, where it's ejected when you take the next shot.
Then you have a fresh "single" shot's worth of fouling on the bore walls again.
Seat the next PRB using another patch wet with Hoppe's and the cycle repeats...you only have one shot's worth of fouling in the bore at any given time.

With 3F and Hoppes it's nothing to shoot a 50 shot range session without ever having to wipe the bore between shots at all. The attraction of that to me is it lets me concentrate on / enjoy shooting instead of spending so much time wiping the bore.

 

[Sperit de bois]

3 bands to answer your question,,I clean my rifle at the range whenever my accuracy starts to go away or it gets difficult to load.I run a bore brush down the barrel and dump out the results.When I am done shooting for the day I use soap and boiling water,,lots and lots,with a nylon bore brush followed by patches till the patch comes out clean.Then before I hange it up,I run a patch with what ever lube I used at the range through the barrel after I heat the barrel,in the sun,,hair dryer!!!!!!
Dont know of anyone that shoots that doesnt have their own favorit methods,find the one you are warm and fuzzy with and enjoy..
Shooting BP isnt rocket surgery,it fun,,simple is fun.
Remember: Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance!!!!!!

 

[mooman76]

There is really no one answer. Every gun and load combo is different. The only one I have to swab is my 32. Accuracy drops off after about 5 shots. My others I usually don't have to swab and with spit patch I don't have to swab at all for sure.

 

[William O.]

i need to say swab not clean,after 5 shots it starts to get hard to load but can be loaded and accuracy is still good.im thinking about trying 3f and see how it does because im almost out of 2f

When I'm target shooting I swab the bore after every shot to try and return things to as close as they were when I started. I put my cleaning patches in a plastic container with a screw top lid and pour just enough 91% rubing alcohol to dampen them all and find that one or two patches will remove a great deal of fouling from the bore. Alcohol evaporates quickly so it's not likely to affect the next powder charge which can happen if your cleaning patches are driping wet with whatever you choose to put on them. As for choosing to go to 3f powder, as others have pointed out, your rifle will tell you which it prefers and in what amount when you work up the best loading combination for it. Every 50 caliber I ever owned had better accuracy using 3f while my .54 definately shoots better using 2f.
Have fun, stay safe and shoot often.

 

[jcb11realtree]

the best stuff i have seen is tc blackpowder cleaner just a drop or 2 on a patch and a dry one will do the trick

 

[FRJ]

In my limited experience with only 3 rifles I have found that the only time I need to clean the bore is when the PRB starts to get hard to push down the barrel. I use WSW fluid as a patch lube and I can shoot forever with it. I never clean when I'm shooting and when I'm finished I still get little fouling out of the barrel. As long as your barrel is smooth with no pits I can see no reason to clean unless its as stated above. FRJ

 

[buttonbuck]

I swab with a wet cleaning patch between shots usually an old T shirt with patch lube, ballistol and water 6 to 1. My thought is that I want the gun as close to hunting condition as possible but in a practical sense I could see just loading with a lubed patch. I am just in that mode of using The Dutch Shooltz Method.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I run a wire brush down the bbl

I'm surprised no one else jumped on this comment. :shocked2: So, I'll put on the black hat.....again. :wink:

There are other threads on this subject. Pushing a wire brush down the bore of an ml is asking for trouble. As in not being able to pull it back out with the force of a team of Clydesdale horses.
Not reccomended at all, ever, never-ever. :shake: I can only guess that an undersized brush is used by Flet. A damp patch is much more better and reliable.

 

[Sperit de bois]

Didnt write,"This is the way to do it" I wrote, "This is how "I" do it" you very correct "no one way to do anything",,,do what ever works for you and you are satisfied with.

 

[buttonbuck]

The person who taught the hunters safety class I took my daughter to last weekend did make a legitimate point about using a wet patch and taking the time to swab between shots and that was it helps to prevent flashes from dumping powder on an ember. Either the moisture or the time given to allow it to extinguish helps. It is always good to reminder to not load from the horn do rapid loading and all the safety rules.

 

[Billnpatti]

I have tried a number of patch lubes from store bought to homemade to spit. It's hard to beat spit for an accuracy lube. But for getting the greatest number of shots between swabbing, I have found straight Ballistol to be unbeatable.

 

[Dphar]

If you clean a 5 shots then #6 may be "off" a little.
I clean when it needs it or every shot.
If you use a water based lube then you can shoot a long string of shots.
If using the Dutch Schoultz method then wipe every shot.
I do a wet (but not TOO wet) patch both sides then a dry one both sides.
Load, shoot, repeat.
Dan