Applying Bore Butter

[caneman]

When applying Bore Butter, Ballistol or whatever rust inhibitor after a shooting session and thorough cleaning w/ hot soapy water-rinse-dry. Do you put the inhibitor on a swab for it to transfer to the inside of the barrel? It seems like an oiled patch might miss applying the lube in spots inside the barrel. I would think a swab might apply it more uniformly.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Oh yer gonna like this one.

When I pack mine away for the winter I use a lubed patched ball to squeeze the ML 1k+ in ever nook and cranny.

Then I use compressed air thru teh touch hole to send the ball on its way to the lower 40.

 

[roundball]

When applying Bore Butter, Ballistol or whatever rust inhibitor after a shooting session and thorough cleaning w/ hot soapy water-rinse-dry. Do you put the inhibitor on a swab for it to transfer to the inside of the barrel? It seems like an oiled patch might miss applying the lube in spots inside the barrel. I would think a swab might apply it more uniformly.

I'll tell you how I apply Natural Lube 1000, after the bore is 100% bone dry:

I dip NL1000 out of a tube with a popcicle stick (screwdriver blade, etc) and pack it into the grooves just inside the muzzle;

Then I plaster NL1000 on a large 2.5" patch and slide it up and down the bore a few times;

My rifles have patent breeches...so I then take a cleaning rod with a smaller .30cal brush on it, center the lubed patch around the brush and slide it down into the tapered section of the patent breech to ensure it gets some lube;

I repeat this whole process a couple more times...takes longer to describe it than it does to do it.

The goal is to ensure every possible square inch of bore surface is plastered with bore butter so no air can touch the surface while it's stored.

So far, lots of bore butter on a large patche has worked fine for me for years...if you have a patent breech, a swab or mop probably won't fit down into the taper, so you may still need a patch for that.

But no matter what you use or how you apply it...the most important things to remember about the bore surface are:
100% clean
100% dry
100% lubed