2 Questions - Does cleaning patch size matter? - When do you need to re-blue your barrel?

[olskool]

my sister-in-law works for EMS, i get a lot of free T-shirts when they change the old ones out. i just cut to the size needed, no set rule for me. as far as bluing, whenever you want to, it is up to you,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[tenngun]

If you bought you gun used it may have been a kit, and blued with a rub on cold blue. You need serious rust to get through a hot blue or brown
Reblueing is a killer of a job, since to get a consistent color you have to do full barrel. Stripping any blue or brown is tough
You can ‘patch’ with a cold blue. But you will see spots in sunlight
Don’t ever abuse a gun, but even handled with kid gloves a rifle that used will get scars. It just makes your gun looked lived in and happy.
As to cleaning I like tow on a worm to scrub and patches on a jag to dry and oil.
Tow can dry and oil but I don’t feel safe till I’ve patched.
I like flannel, but used denim and commercial and can’t tell.
I like white as it colors so clearly.
For a jag you just want a patch about half to three quarters of an inch above the last knuckle about a two inch square

 

[Eutycus]

my sister-in-law works for EMS, i get a lot of free T-shirts when they change the old ones out. i just cut to the size needed, no set rule for me. as far as bluing, whenever you want to, it is up to you,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Just be careful and choose the cotton ones. I worked for an EMS Co.some years ago and the guy in charge ordered polyester now and then. Then had the gall to deduct them out of you paycheck.

 

[olskool]

Just be careful and choose the cotton ones. I worked for an EMS Co.some years ago and the guy in charge ordered polyester now and then. Then had the gall to deduct them out of you paycheck.

yep, she gets the polyester ones also, i reject those,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Rebel bull]

back in the day when the wife was still on the green side she was into making the tied fleece blankets and had a ton of scrap pieces i tried it for cleaning and found that it works better then any cotton material that i've found way thicker to get in the groves and remnant pieces at jo anns are cheap 1 lasts for years

 

[reddogge]

People pay money to achieve the worn bluing look. Just go with it. Let the brass dull up, the stock gets scratched and dinged while you are at it.

 

[Kansas Jake]

I’m in the t shirt for cleaning patches group too. I also use old flannel shirts for the same purpose for initial cleaning and white t shirts material to see if they’re clean. Free for cleaning patches is good.

 

[hanshi]

I use several materials to clean the ML bores. But one thing I use that no one has mentioned is that cloth that use to be advertised on TV. It's the stuff that , supposedly, soaks up liquids and is (alleged) to be made in Germany. The material is thick and require a smaller jag for the cleaning patches. And on occasion I'll use a patch made from the green "Scotch Bright" stuff. That too needs a smaller jag. Normally it's not needed and the white patches come out clean.

 

[laagamer]

If you bought you gun used it may have been a kit, and blued with a rub on cold blue. You need serious rust to get through a hot blue or brown
Reblueing is a killer of a job, since to get a consistent color you have to do full barrel. Stripping any blue or brown is tough
You can ‘patch’ with a cold blue. But you will see spots in sunlight
Don’t ever abuse a gun, but even handled with kid gloves a rifle that used will get scars. It just makes your gun looked lived in and happy.
As to cleaning I like tow on a worm to scrub and patches on a jag to dry and oil.
Tow can dry and oil but I don’t feel safe till I’ve patched.
I like flannel, but used denim and commercial and can’t tell.
I like white as it colors so clearly.
For a jag you just want a patch about half to three quarters of an inch above the last knuckle about a two inch square

Lived in and happy

Thank you! I actually really like this.

I guess you're right. It'll never stay pristine. Just enjoy the ride.

Okay

 

[Mad L]

I used store bought cleaning patches for maybe my first year, it was all I knew. Then I learned about T-shirts and could buy the largest, cheapest size on sale by the pack; I did that for some years but then I learned about Cotton Flanel by the yard - cleans Much more better, more absorbent and by using a 'one size under' jag I can cut larger patches and really gets into the grooves without binding.

However; when I want a Goid Scrub I break out the tow wad! Been working off the same 1 lb of tow for several years now and still got plenty left in the closet - I always finish with a flannel patch and use one last patch to oil.

"Re-Bluing"? Never thought about it....

 

[waksupi]

Any clothes you have worn out work fine, as does any other material that is going to get discarded. I recently switched over to tow, and now wonder why it took me 50 years to do so?

 

[ZUG]

I use cotton flannel cloth from JoAnns fabric store cut to various size. Years ago, I purchased 4000 cotton cleaning patches for 12 gauge bore cleaning. Both of these cleaning materials are absorbent enough to clean and dry a bore quickly. I find that Tee-shirt material will work but is not absorbent enough.

 

[waksupi]

For drying the bore, I still like tearing pieces of paper towel and folding them to a nice fit. It usually takes around 3-4 swabs to completely dry the bore.

 

[Trot]

I use a slightly undersized jag and patches cut from old athletic socks. The material is thick, squeezes in tight so it scrubs into the grooves and is very absorbent.

 

[The Miner '49er]

Search for my post "gun cleaning wicks" for yet another method that works very well for me.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Ditto on the cotton flannel. I buy baby blanket flannel at Walmart. Often they have some on sale in odd colors at very low prices. I cut mine into apx. 2" squares with an old pair of tailors scissors but size is not critical.

 

[fishmusic]

Again, ditto on the flannel. For ,45 and .50 cal I find 2" squares work well. Being fastidious I cut the flannel into nice squares using a rolling cutter. I use these for both cleaning and swabbing. Afterwards I put the used ones in a net bag and send them through the washing machine and dryer. You can get about three uses before they are worn out (I am also a skinflint).

 

[flntlokr]

I cut scrap flannel left over from making shirts, pyjamas, etc. into 3, 2 and 1" squares. I find the 2" best for my rifles, 1" for the pistols, 3" for the shotguns. When the shirts etc reach the end of life, they also get cut into patches. I have a cutting wheel that makes it easy. I sometimes also cut strips for cut-at-the-muzzle loading as well. You can use them for shooting patches in a pinch as well, but I usually buy pure cotton duck fabric, and punch patches out of that.

 

[Newtire]

I

Bluing on m/l rifle barrel can be freshened with Birchwood Casey cold blue. Follow the instructions , but don't use steel wool out of the package , 'cause steel wool has oil in it to act as a rust preventative. Wash the steel wool in acetone to remove oil preservative and dry it , before use. Brownells sells a cold blue that supposedly works very well , too.

I don't know about others but have had real good luck with Blue Wonder. You just have to get the metal hot enough or you will Wonder where the Blue went. Done correctly, I haven't found anything better or equal even.

 

[bpd303]

blue paper shop towels

I use them too, especially if I run out of old cotton T-shirts.
If you have made it this far you probably realized that just about anything that will go down the bore and come back out will work for cleaning patches.