Washing soda barrel swab

[Walrus]

Does anyone else use water and washing soda as a barrel swab when shooting on the range?

I've modified a brass range ramrod to take a winding of wool thread just before the tip. I dip the rod end in the solution, give it a good shake-off and then ram down on the bullet. The effect is that every time the rod is used it cleans or at least damps off the fouling in the barrel.We regularly shoot 70 shots per club day and I rarely have to clean in the usual way.

The washing soda dissolves powder fouling better than pure water and as it is alkaline it clearly neutralises the sulphur loaded carbon of the BP.

Odd thing also about the soda is that it doesn't seem to cause rust - good. Accuracy is uneffected.

 

[bob1961]

sounds interesting, is washing soda like bakeing soda or bakeing powder :v .............bob

 

[paulvallandigham]

Yes, Bob, you both are talking about the same thing. It was common in areas with harsh water( read that being full of minerals) to add baking soda to the laundry tub when washing clothes to neutralize the minerals and keep the water from staining clothes. People grew up calling it " wash soda ", but its Arm and Hammer Baking Soda, just the same!

 

[hawkeye1755]

Never heard of it before.Will give it a try.
:hatsoff:

 

[Slamfire]

Washing soda, aka Sal Soda is sodium carbonate, NOT sodium bicarbonate. If you have trouble finding a supply, check with a taxidermy shop, they can steer you to a supplier.

 

[Walrus]

I think you are right Slamfire, about there being a difference between washing and baking soda - carbonate/ bicarbonate? In any case the effect in a barrel wash is quite likely the same - to neutralize the sulphur and dissolve the fouling.Best way to see the effect if you are trying is to brush some around the fouling in the nipple area after some shots and wipe off. Works a treat and doesn't seem to cause any harm.

 

[renovato]

Washing soda is definately different than baking soda alright. For those who want to try it, you can often find it in the laundry detergent or household cleaners section of larger stores.

 

[Walrus]

Yes - that's where it generally is in this country. Not much used nowadays with fabric softners etc. but I guess there are folks who still use it in their wash where they have "hard" water that doesn't suds-up much (some well water is like that)A packet of the stuff is really cheap and you gets lots of it. Quite large crystals - break up a handful and dissolve it in water and use as needed.

 

[tg]

It also works for neutralizing a browning solution

 

[paulvallandigham]

My mother used Sal Soda when I was a kid, because the town had its own well, and the water was very hard. When we got hooked into the Chicago water system, we didn't need it anymore. It was called " Sal Soda" in my home, and in my grandparents home as long as I can remember, and not wash soda. My mother kept a box of Arm and Hammer Baking soda( baking powder is a different product) in the laundry to add to the wash any time she needed to get a bad stain out of a white shirt. It still works. Both accomplish the same function in wahing clothes.

I use baking soda when hunting to neutralize my human scent, by powdering my pants, and sleeves, and the crotch of my pants. It works. It allows me to hunt all day, go to lunch in town to warm up, read the paper, call home, or whatever, before heading back out into the woods, where I dust myself down to rid myself of car odors, and restaurant odors, and any odors I have acquired taking care of Nature's call.

 

[boar]

They changed the name from Sal Soda to Washing Soda. I used it to flush my car's clooling system, worked every time. Harder to find now days. And they use to have it on box about using it in the cars. My wife has used it in her washings. Dilly