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Rifle cleaning


eagle rider
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I have an old Hoppe's gun cleaning kit that my grandfather passed down to me.  It is solid, unlike the new versions you get.  Inside of barrel I typically start with a brush dipped in Hoppe's bore cleaner/copper remover.  Follow that up with patches until no residue is coming out.  Then usually coat the inside with a light coat of anti oxidizing lube.  For the exterior of the barrel, I will generally use just a rag with Hoppe's all purpose oil.  On occasion after hunting all day in the rain and then drying overnight I will need to use #0000 steel wool to remove some tiny surface rust spots, but that isn't very often.  I also carry the tiny Otis gun cleaning kit in my bag during the season.  You never know when you will need it.   

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Copy and paste from a gunsmith that has done some stuff for me....

Lots of different products out there, just what I do.

All brass brushes, bore guide, one piece rod like Tipton or Dewey

RIFLE CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS

1. RUN 1 PATCH, WET WITH SHOOTER'S CHOICE, THROUGH THE BORE.

2. WET A BRUSH WITH SHOOTER'S CHOICE , THEN RUN IT THROUGH THE BORE APPROXIMATELY 10 TIMES.

3. RUN 2 PATCHES WITH SHOOTER'S CHOICE AGAIN TO CLEAN OUT ANY DIRT LEFT FROM BRUSHING IT OUT, THEN RUN 2 DRY PATCHES THROUGH AGAIN TO DRY THE BORE.

4. RUN 2 PATCHES SOPPING WET OF SWEET'S SOLVENT THROUGH THE BORE AND LET STAND FOR APPROXIMATELY 10-15 MINUTES.*****

5. RUN 2 DRY PATCHES THROUGH THE BORE TO DRY AFTER SWEET'S SOLVENT.

6. IF THE PATCHES COME OUT WITH A FAIR AMOUNT OF GREEN (MELTED COPPER) A SECOND BRUSHING WITH SHOOTER'S CHOICE IS RECOMMENDED.

7. SWAB OUT THE CHAMBER WlTH A BORE MOP.

8. APPLY SHOOTER'S CHOICE TUBE GREASE TO REAR OF LOCKING LUGS OF BOLT AND ON THE REAR OF THE BOLT (COCKING CAM).

******DO NOT LET SWEET'S SET IN BORE FOR OVER 30 MINUTES. SWEET'S WILL ETCH THE BORE

TRIGGER MAINTENANCE

THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURE SHOULD BE DONE AT EVERY OTHER CLEANING OR WHEN THE RIFLE HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO A LOT OF MOISTURE.

1. PLACE THE RIFLE IN A PADDED VISE AT A HORIZONTAL POSITION, REMOVE THE BOLT AND SQUIRT LIGHTER FLUID INTO THE TRIGGER. LETTING IT DRIP OUT THE BOTTOM.

2. REINSTALL BOLT AND DRY FIRE-SEVERAL TIMES THIS WHOLE PROCEDURE SHOULD BE PREFORMED AT LEAST TWICE.

3. LET THE LIGHTER FLUID EVAPORATE, THEN REINSTALL BOLT.

4. CAUTION: DO NOT SUBSTITUTE THE LIGHTER FLUID WITH ANY OTHER SOLVENT. THE LIGHTER FLUID WASHES AWAY MOISTURE AND FOREIGN MATERIAL AND LEAVES A MICROSCOPIC LUBE COATING.

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I take some old rags, t shirts or even old clean parts of under wear and I cut them into small pieces. Then I take those pieces and put them in between the individual twine strands of some twine. Then I soak one with some Hoppes solvent and run it through once or twice. Then I let it sit for 15 min before I run a couple dry pieces through it. Ill repeat it until clean. Then ill run a patch with some oil on and and ill oil down any metal piece on the gun. I don't put many rounds through my guns so I normally don't need a brush to clean it. 

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All Hopes for me. I soak a bore mop in #9 and run it through the barrel a few times. Then I switch to a brush and run it through the barrel a good 10 times. Then I run the mop through again. I let it stay wet over night with #9. The next day I brush it again 10 times or so. Then I go onto dry patches on a jag. Usually inside of 6 patches the barrel is clean. The last patch that comes out white get a good coat of Hopes Elite Oil then that goes through the barrel. I also use a chamber brush. The bolt face gets the old tooth brush with #9. And all surfaces are wiped with a lightly oiled cloth. A guy from Sierra Bullets gave me that technique a few years ago. It works great for me. He also got me using a bore guide for cleaning.

At the range and in hunting camp I use a bore snake. When I'm shooting at the bench I snake it every 8 or 10 rounds. This cuts down on the fouling a lot.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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  • 4 weeks later...

When you guys are brushing 10 or so times are you just going chamber to muzzle or both directions? I use the Otis system.

I have found some little brushes and a can of compressed air is handy as well.

I use hot soapy water for cleaning my ML barrel.

Edited by Fletch
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After checking the zero before season, I never clean the bore duing the season. If I get caught in the rain I will run a dry patch through the bore, that's it. A slightly fouled bore will shoot more consistatly for consecutive shots than a clean bore. A clean bore can shoot to a significantly different POI compared to a slightly fouled bore & after the 1st shot, it's no longer clean.

 

I'll admit that I am a bit "anal" about accuracy, but since my average shot is usually about 240 yds. I want a rifle that will shoot  1 1/4" or better at 100yds consistantly.

 

After the season I will again run a brush, then a dry patch or 2 through the bore to remove as much powder residue as possible before using "Wipe-Out" to remove any copper. No oil yet! Oil decreases the effectiveness of the Wipe-Out so the bore needs to be dry & relatively free of excess powder residue.

 

WipeOut_zps920518cb.jpg

 

I clamp the barrel with the muzzle angled slightly downward in a padded vise, stuff some loose patches firmly into the chamber, insert the cone shaped tube fitting into the muzzle & give it a 2 second burst. Leave the cone in the muzzle for about 2 more seconds to help the expanding foam reach the breech area, then remove the cone from the muzzle. The stuff will keep expandimg for a few more seconds & ooze out of the muzzle. I have a gallon milk jug with a cut out that I hang from the muzzle. Let it sit for 20-30 minutes, then run dry patces through the bore from the breech. Repeat the process until there is no more blue (dissolved copper) on the patches. On a bore that was clean of copper fouling before the zero check at the beginning of the season, 1 double application cycle usually does the trick. Check the patches after 20 minutes to see if the patches have turned blue. If you have never cleaned out the copper, it can take several applications.

 

After the copper clean-out, I run a patch soaked in G-56 through the bore & give the bolt/action a spray, then wipe off the excess. I use the rag that now has some oil on it wipe the exterior. I do not oil the trigger group. I avoid dismantling the gun unless I got caught in the rain long enough for water to have seeped in past the stock.

 

Wipe-Out eliminates the scrubbing when removing copper. If you have an old weapon that doesn't seem to group like it used to, try cleaning the copped out of the bore. Keep repeating the process until there is no more blue on the patch after a 20 mnute wait.

Edited by wildcat junkie
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