.54 brush to big?

[Oregononeshot]

I bought a .54 caliber brush for my .54 caliber GPR. I went to use it and it fits so tight Ivan barely pull it out and it's only halfway in the barrel! I'm afraid if I ram it all the way down I won't get it out! Do I need to dip the brush in cleaning solution first? Or use a .50 caliber brush instead? The book calls for a brush slightly smaller than the bore, but I figured .54 would be a bit smaller?

 

[hanshi]

If I have a tight brush in the bore, I find twisting it makes it come out more easily.

 

[Oregononeshot]

Interesting. The lyman owners manual said to get a brass brush to help clean the factory oil out of the new barrel. Maybe that's why it said to use a smaller brush? I want to follow the manual for getting the oil out, maybe try a .50 brush?

 

[coloradoclyde]

but I figured .54 would be a bit smaller?

A .54 brush should measure .54 or larger

2. The barrel's bore contains a heavy duty preservative that may resemble rusty oil. It is not rust! This preservative must be thoroughly removed before firing to obtain maximum accuracy. Directions: A. Swab the bore with some form of solvent or penetrating oil (example: WD-40 or Hoppe's #9). Let soak overnight. B. Brush out the following day using a nylon brush wrapped with 00 steel wool or a brass brush (must be under bore diameter to prevent bristles from jamming at the breech of the barrel). C. Wipe out using soft flannel (avoid t-shirt material”“it doesn't work well using cleaning jag and has a tendency to stay down the bore). The brass coloration you see is normal after cleaning. 3. The stock has been stained with oil leaving a dull finish. As with all oil finished stocks, rubbing in additional thin coats of oil (Linseed or Birchwood Casey's Tru-Oil) will further enhance the finish and protect the stock. If you have any questions on these instructions, please call our customer service department at 1-800-22-LYMAN (except AK, HI, CT and foreign who may call 860-632-2020). We will be glad to provide whatever assistance you require.
Sincerely,
Your friends at Lyman Products

 

[mooman76]

New brushes fit to tight. I use a well worn brush or one slightly smaller. Many won't use metal brushes at all because of this. Like stated, you need to twist the brush sideways so the bristles will turn instead of trying to reverse itself.

 

[Artificer]

When using bore brushes in Muzzle loaders, it really is important to buy the kind that has good twisted brass wire that hold the bronze brushes.

The cheaper bore brushes that use twisted aluminum wire and especially the ones where the ends are snipped off, will often come apart in a ML barrel. Since that probably will require taking the breech off the barrel to get a busted bore brush out, it is best to stay away from them. This is definitely a time when less expensive or cheaper is NOT good at all.

It has been surprising to me how some "gun" oils will harden and solidify over time, even when they normally aren't advertised for long term storage protection like that in your rifle. There have been quite a few times I ran into this and only "lacquer thinner" purchased from the Big Box Hardware stores will really cut the hardened/solidified oil or protective coating. I buy it in one quart cans, but a pint is more than enough to do this kind of job. It won't hurt the bore as long as after you clean the barrel, you oil it afterwards.

Actually, I would use a G.I. "Patch Loop" and patches wet with Lacquer Thinner to "wet" the bore even before you use a bore brush. Lacquer thinner will take a lot of the solidified oil out just on the patches alone. When I could no longer get much of the solidified oil out with the lacquer thinner wet patches, then and only then would I switch to a bronze bore brush.

The .54 caliber brush you bought is and has to be larger in diameter than the bore so the brushes are forced into the rifling grooves and will really scrub well. However, with the solidified oil/preservative, the bore diameter is now smaller than .54 caliber.

What would be great to use to clean that stuff out of your bore would be a G.I. Bronze .45 cal. Pistol Brush along with some lacquer thinner. The G.I. Bore brush actually is about .50 caliber and these things are VERY strong and won't break/come apart in the barrel. These are often sold by dealers at gun shows who sell "surplus" stuff and sometimes in old fashioned Military Surplus Stores. If you can't find one, then I would recommend using a .50 caliber bronze bore brush and again, especially with the twisted brass wire on the inside.

Again, after you use Lacquer thinner and many other solvents, you need to first dry the bore as much as possible and then "wet" the bore with a good gun oil. Then use patches on a patch loop to remove excess oil.

Gus

 

[BrownBear]

...twisting it makes it come out more easily.

That's the whole secret in a nutshell. Just be sure to twist it clockwise.

 

[Stumpkiller]

I stuck a brush well and good in my T/C Renegade .54 back in 1982. Ended up pulling the breech plug to get it out (they don't come off easy).

Haven't used a brush in a m/l rifle since.

Roundball suggested slipping a length of copper tubing down the bore and "sleeving" the bristles so it can all be pulled out.

 

[Artificer]

I stuck a brush well and good in my T/C Renegade .54 back in 1982. Ended up pulling the breech plug to get it out (they don't come off easy).

Haven't used a brush in a m/l rifle since.

Roundball suggested slipping a length of copper tubing down the bore and "sleeving" the bristles so it can all be pulled out.

That's a good idea.

One time I got a stuck brush out by using a worm that fit the bore very close.

Gus

 

[sidelock]

Ain't never used one and never will.

 

[Oregononeshot]

I got the brush to fit, the twisting idea helped. I also picked up a .50 brush to use just in case. I don't plan on using the brush after I clean the barrel of the factory oil, I just want to follow the directions so my barrel is clean for the first shot!

 

[spudnut]

When I first got into ml'ing I tried using brushes and snapped offtwo down the bore ,I have since gone to either jags or worms only

 

[BrownBear]

...clean the barrel of the factory oil....

Try carburetor cleaner or brake cleaner on a patch. Pure magic solvents for the Lyman gunk. Just takes me 3 or 4 patches on any new Lyman barrel. I wouldn't get either on the wood out of due caution, but it doesn't affect the bluing. No brush required.

 

[don hepler]

Twisting, is the key. Trying to back the brush out, without twisting, causes the bristles to dig in.

For a stuck brush, you will need a metal tubing, that will fit inside the bore. It will knock the bristles down and go up inside the tubing, allowing the brush to be pulled out. (So, I'm told)

 

[Stumpkiller]

In the "bad ol days" brushes were made by cutting a length of twisted bristles and swadging it in the hollow end of an aluminum threaded base. Once the base separates from the bristles you are S.O.L.

If you insist on a brush make sure it is the kind that is threaded through a sturdy base and THEN twisted to hold the bristles.

I find that for patched round balls there is no need for a brush. No leading or copper fouling to scrub out.


BAD

OK

 

[Rifleman1776]

Forget the twist thing and other advice for getting yer brush out. Just don't use one in the first place. There are many threads here giving advice on how to get a stuck brush out. In an ml they tend to lock in place once down. Brush not needed enneyhow. If you want to scrub the barrel, wrap some brass brillo around yer jag and use that, it won't lock. Or use a hunk of Scotch Brite scrub pad. The best solution is to not use it in the first place.

 

[Vaino]

Started in 1977 using bronze wire brushes and have never got one stuck. I buy quality wire brushes w/ the dia stated on the pkg.

When hunting I never swab, just run the wire brush down and dump the debris. No clogged THs or wet charges using the brush. My son does likewise.

Yes...twisting the brush clockwise while pulling out is mandatory. I suspect that many stuck wire brushes are the result of a detached RR fitting.. I epoxy and pin mine. Also....some use gage sizes and not cal sizes.

Must be some reason why some are leery of wire brushes and it's truly a mystery to me.....Fred