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what do you use when swabbing between shots?

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I use something wet. For along time that was GI bore cleaner. Also Murphy's. Also actual Black powder cleaner from Track. Now I am using Ballistol and water. Water is the only important part.

I do swab between shots for load development. My club requires swabbing during matches, yes that a weird rule. I never shot long strings without swabbing. Accuracy is my goal so consistent bore condition it necessary.
 
I use "Possum Piss" - 1:1:1 isopropyl alcohol, murphy's oil soap, and hydrogen peroxide.

Though I have been told that hydrogen peroxide breaks down over time and turns into just water. Since I made my batch up 10 years ago, I imagine what I really have is 1:1:1 alcohol, MOS, and water.

Anyway I squirt a bit on a patch and then squeeze the patch to distribute it throughout the patch. It is damp but not dripping. I don't want to risk fouling the powder. It helps that my flinter has a chambered breech so the patch never goes down to where the powder ends up.
"Possum Piss"? Many of us here on the forum use the same mix, only we call it MAP because we mix it up in a different order. Some will even call it "Moose Milk" because it is one of many mixes that have a milky look when mixed up.
 
Depends. For target shooting, just water. For hunting practice I shoot from a clean barrel each shot, so I clean it up and dry it out and do it all over again. Luckily with BP that just means a couple minutes wet and dry swabbing.
 
"Possum Piss"? Many of us here on the forum use the same mix, only we call it MAP because we mix it up in a different order. Some will even call it "Moose Milk" because it is one of many mixes that have a milky look when mixed up.

P.P. must be the "Southern" name for M.M., cause we have more Possums than Mooses down here. I don't care to Milk, or get ****** on, by either one though.
 
i do not swab between any shots. i can shoot literally all day long with my patch lube and never swab. one time a reporter asked Johhny cash, why do you play the same rhythm on every song and others have a different rhythm with every song? johnny said, because they are still looking for it, i found it. and i found it,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
 
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I don't swab between shots. At the end of the shooting day I push a "kinda" wet patch down the bore followed by a dry patch. I've used water, WW fluid, DGW's Black Solve", etc. Back at home I just give it a regular, normal cleaning using water.
 
I use "Possum Piss" - 1:1:1 isopropyl alcohol, murphy's oil soap, and hydrogen peroxide.

Though I have been told that hydrogen peroxide breaks down over time and turns into just water. Since I made my batch up 10 years ago, I imagine what I really have is 1:1:1 alcohol, MOS, and water.
I use this formula for the end of day cleaning. Its also know as "Witches Brew". Works great, and yes, the hydrogen peroxide will break down over time. Especially if exposed to light. If I need to swab during shooting I use 50% water/50% Ballistol. Then a dry swab.
 
Most of the time I don't swab between shots, I use a leather over powder wad which tends to clean the bore. If the humidity is up and loading gets hard I just use some old fashioned spit
 
If I actually need to swap then it's spit or plain water.

Spit patch for woods walk/match or if hunting TOTW mink oil are my only rifle lubes. I NEVER need to swab when using my smoothbores. I use only some form of vegetable oil in them, be it canola or peanut.

For C/B I only use crisco and it seems to work just fine. No need for swabbing or cleaning of arbors.
 
Yes peroxide breaks down to water and in fact you can smell it becoming weaker year by year. In 10 years its long gone. I bought two large bottles for use in the pandemic and after 2 years what I have left is still very potent, fresh really, so that gives you an idea. Maybe by year 4 youd really see the degradation. If it wont even sting your hands, yes its gone.

I think everyone has the right answers in here. There is no one, final best way. I think what specifically one does depends on the situation, climate, firearm, how its being used, what you are shooting with (what has been in the barrel). People I know, if swabbing between shots or final cleaning, they dont use anything but warm water and then a dry patch but it doesnt mean I or anyone else needs to follow that. So, everyone is right.
 
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