Cleaning the Bore...

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sabotloader

Keep Shooting Muzzleloaders - They are a Blast
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Every once in awhile I get asked 'how I clean the bore' - well today while cleaning the ULite I thought I would take the opportunity to show what I am doing.

Nothing 'earth shaking' but certainly easy and quick for me... And yet I know others probably have a method that is just as easy for them. This is just something that works for me and I have gotten pretty good at it...

One thing I fail to mention in the picture - The 'Weasel' has been lightly oiled with Montana X-Treme Bore Conditioner - a very little bit of it goes a very long way...



After this ready to go shoot again or store in the safe...
 
I basically do the same thing other then the bore weasel.

Usually since I swab with Windex or there about on the range, I will set the rifle up with the action open and squirt a good amount down the bore and let it run through the bore and out through the ignition system. Then a nice wet patch of Windex and that will force a lot of liquids through the ignition system. Since I shoot a lot of percussion cap inlines, this also cleans the insides of the nipple.

Once in the house I pull the nipple and do basically what you do with the same cleaners. Sometimes I use Simple Green instead of Windex. But at the end, I run dry patches until the bore is bone dry. Then I run a Birchwood Casey Barricade patch through the bore to protect it. Also swabbing about four times.
 
Great tutorial! As they say, a picture is worth 1000 words. Thanks

My system is pretty similar but I run a Montana Xtreme patch down instead of a weasel and then follow with a couple of strokes of a dry patch to remove excess.

I still start with a patch over a brass brush. is that an overkill or will I eventually cause bore damage by doing that?

One final note, I think clean up has been easier since I started using Xtreme bore conditioner. Am I imagining it?
 
txhunter58 said:
Great tutorial! As they say, a picture is worth 1000 words. Thanks

My system is pretty similar but I run a Montana Xtreme patch down instead of a weasel and then follow with a couple of strokes of a dry patch to remove excess.

I still start with a patch over a brass brush. is that an overkill or will I eventually cause bore damage by doing that?

One final note, I think clean up has been easier since I started using Xtreme bore conditioner. Am I imagining it?

The Brass Brush will not damage the bore at all. I do what you are doing when I JB a Bore, but usually use a worn brush wrapped with a patch just not with my normal cleaning routine. I don't use the brass bush that often as I don't find it necessary. My routine is pretty close to Sabotloaders and cayuga's.

I have found that the Montana Extreme does make clean up a lot quicker and fouling can be softer, too. The more I use it be better it gets too. Great stuff!
 
txhunter58 said:
Great tutorial! As they say, a picture is worth 1000 words. Thanks

My system is pretty similar but I run a Montana Xtreme patch down instead of a weasel and then follow with a couple of strokes of a dry patch to remove excess.

I still start with a patch over a brass brush. is that an overkill or will I eventually cause bore damage by doing that?

One final note, I think clean up has been easier since I started using Xtreme bore conditioner. Am I imagining it?

I very seldom use a brass brush in the bore, If I were using a brush I would probably use a nylon brush. There are times when you do need a brush but I try to avoid them.

The other thing I need to consider is the new Knight bores are treated with Bore Coat and it is recommended not to use a 'brass' brass in a treated bore.
 
Interesting, good to see the progression.
Do you run a bronze brush through first to initially break up the fouling? My routine has been
Bronze brush with hot soapy Water followed by dry patches then if it looks good just a patch of saturated Inox. I'm hoping I'm somewhere on the money.



I prefer meat in its original packaging

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After you clean your muzzleloader, in a few days or a week, run another patch thru your gun, lightly lubed, then run a dry patch. if either or both come out looking brown or black your gun needs to be cleaned again.
 
Thanks d.windsor, will do. What's different for me over you guys is that we don't really have an off season. Deer are 12 months of the year and I'm planning to start taking kangaroos with it too so it's rarely going to spend more than a week in the cupboard! That in itself could be a problem if I don't clean it right though too I spose


I prefer meat in its original packaging

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I too like a nylon brush over a brass. And I never run the brush first. It gets full of powder fouling then and no matter how well you try and clean it, it will leave a smudge in your rifle. I like to clean the rifle first. Then if I "suspect" the need for a brush, then I dip the brush and scrub the bore. Then all is easier to wipe back out.

I have had rifles that I cleaned and oiled. And I mean clean patches coming out. On in particular I recall swabbing it later on to shoot it, and the patch came out gray. I was shocked. But I figured somewhere I must have messed up. At least no rust came out.
 
I have to ask... why do you guys not like to use a brush - brass or nylon?

David
 
I think in many cases a brush is over used and really not necessary. Now I am aware of the leading and plastic build up that can happen in rifle bores. But let me add, I have shot hundreds or rounds through a rifle, then used a brush and examined what came out. I have yet to find an amount of lead, plastic, copper, etc to be concerned with. If it is just fouling, a good soaking patch can normally remove it with a little scrubbing action.

I use a brush about once ever six month. And remember, some of these rifles are shot many times in that six month period. I usually find the brush was not needed.
 
Just simple green and patches. Only brush I use is a 20ga brush on the threads wrapped with a patch. Screw it in then back out more simple green and let dry with a fan. Tooth brush around the ignition area. And more simple green
 

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