Cleaning- When to Clean Barrel/Plug?

[Harley469]

The good news is that I got my .45 smokeless zeroed last night after taking more shots that I have ever needed to zero a rifle (still not sure why, but I ended up taking about 20 total shots between a couple days to get it right where I want it). Cleaning is my question- when to clean breech plug vs when to clean the barrel? After shooting yesterday afternoon I decided to use a bore snake to get some of the crud out of the barrel, but didn't use any solvent on it- just a dry bore snake- I read that on Hank's or Doug's message boards. I didn't do any cleaning of the breech plug. I applied what I have learned from my Savage smokeless that if I clean that breech plug then it is going to potentially take several fouling shots to get it back to "normal". What are all your recommendations on what to clean and when? Cleaning everything at the end of the season is a given, but what about during the season, and after how many shots? Thanks.

 

[billyboy*]

Do you have LRMP Modules or 209 Ignition?

 

[michiganmuzzy]

X2. Which primers are you using? LRMPs shouldn't need cleaning.

 

[Mnt monkey]

I have a lot of module rifles, large rifle Magnum primers and large rifle primers still produce quite a bit of carbon down at the base or bottom where the nipple seals I clean my plug about every 25 to 30 rounds I do my barrel the same I know a lot of people shoot barrels until they have 50 or 60 rounds on it I've never done that or until accuracy drops. Just seems to me if I'm going to take my time to clean the barrel might as well do that plug also, I have had a couple barrels that 10 did to file a little bit more than the others almost a hard fouling I think running that bore snake threw them is a good idea just to loosen or cut that every once in awhile, if I remove the plug though to do that hard for me just to set that plug on the side and not address it too. I realize as I type this out or voice it out almost every gun I have I end up developing a own unique cleaning routine just for that rifle even though all of my routines are very similar each gun seems to foul and act a little different I've learned to clean each gun in a manner that it requires of me to to keep it performing at an optimum level.

 

[Harley469]

It is a LRMP ignition module. If it is shooting well I know I won't clean that breech plug simply based on my history with my Savage ML II- it takes about four or five shots to become consistent after cleaning the breech plug. When I do clean that I let it soak over night in Hoppes and then drill out the junk and clean it thoroughly with patches and pipe cleaners. What method do the rest of you use to clean LRMP breech plugs?

 

[D55]

I do my HIS plug as Mnt monkey does about every 30 or so shots. I also remove the bushing retaining screw and re-grease it as I have in the past shot out bushings and had to replace them. I have exactly 100 shots on my new rifle wearing a Brux 18twist and it was still shooting small but I was putting it away til spring so it got cleaned, only copper fouling was in the grooves and lands were relatively clean. It sits now for a bit clean as new. Boretech CU+2 and Hoppes for the solvents.

 

[bronko220002]

I don't know what you guys do but I clean every part of my muzzleloader as soon as I get home. Now I don't shoot smokeless but when before hunting season I take my CFs out to be sure they are sighted in and leave them "dirty" until the end of the season. But that's only smokeless and I'm sure this same process could carry over to a smokeless muzzy.

 

[Harley469]

I don't know what you guys do but I clean every part of my muzzleloader as soon as I get home. Now I don't shoot smokeless but when before hunting season I take my CFs out to be sure they are sighted in and leave them "dirty" until the end of the season. But that's only smokeless and I'm sure this same process could carry over to a smokeless muzzy.

The difference obviously is the smokeless muzzleloader has the breech plug, which is a huge component. In my experience there is a fine line between "fouled" and dirty. Need if fouled for accuracy, but not too dirty or accuracy suffers and corrosion sets in.

 

[bronko220002]

The difference obviously is the smokeless muzzleloader has the breech plug, which is a huge component. In my experience there is a fine line between "fouled" and dirty. Need if fouled for accuracy, but not too dirty or accuracy suffers and corrosion sets in.

At the very least I'd pull the BP and be sure the flame channel is clear. I'd see no harm in leaving the bore fouled but only for smokeless.