Another perplexing ML problem

[Charlie-NY]

IF I remember correctly the regular Barnes sabot is contracted from MMP and is a MMP HPH-12 sabot and the T EZ is an MMP HPH-24 sabot which is thinner than the regular sabot. MMP also has another sabot that is thinner yet the HPH-6-3PEZ

This is an old chart but it will give some ideals

It looks like the HPH-12 and the Harvester Crush Rib both come in at .498". I might order some of the boattail Crush Rib sabots just to try.

It looks like the Barnes TEZ uses a different bullet than the TMZ. Boattail vs flat base. I wonder why they did that.

 

[DJ_Brutus]

This has been posted on here numerous times, but equally as handy as the chart sabotloader posted. I know the HPH-12 were tight for me, and HPH-24 were good. Black crush ribs felt much easier/looser than the 24s, but still shot well. Granted this was in an Optima, but at least an example of fit between sabots.

 

[Charlie-NY]

View attachment 10503
This has been posted on here numerous times, but equally as handy as the chart sabotloader posted. I know the HPH-12 were tight for me, and HPH-24 were good. Black crush ribs felt much easier/looser than the 24s, but still shot well. Granted this was in an Optima, but at least an example of fit between sabots.

Woah - that chart shows a .005" difference in the two Barnes saboted bullets. That should make a big difference. Interestingly enough, the indicated 506" diameter is exactly what I got when measuring my TMZs in the yellow sabot.

 

[sabotloader]

Here's how I have been cleaning:

I yank the breechplug - run the 1/8" drill bit in by hand and then drop it into a bottle of Hoppes
I use a 20ga plastic brush wrapped in a paper towel and wet it with Balistol. I run it through & back
I put a clean paper towel on the brush and repeat above several times
Then I do the same using Blackhorn cleaning solvent followed by a patch of CLP
Lastly I run a tight, dry patch down and back
I clean the breech plug with Q-tips and blow out with a compressor
Lightly coat exterior with CLP and reassemble

However, this morning I tried something a little different. After my regular cleaning routine I decided to run a new 50cal bronze brush from breech to muzzle and back about a dozen times. I followed this with my 20ga plastic brush wrapped in a paper towel. It came out BLACK!

Hmmmmmmmmm

Charlie, running the bronze brush in the barrel will cause a black build up of material in the bore. This is a natural reaction.

 

[jsteurrys]

Take a dry patch or two or three with a good jag to swab the barrel after you are done shooting for the day. It makes cleanup using your preferred solvent much quicker. I use Hoppes. There is no need to submerge your breechplug in solvent after drilling it out IMO. I use scotchbrite to cleanup the outside surfaces. Makes sure that the bore is completely dry before you start shooting.

I might have some crushrib sabots for your to try. Let me go check my stash. I am in NYS so you will get them in a few days.

 

[MrTom]

I think I'd skip the 20 gauge brush and just use the .50 cal bronze. I'm pretty sure that a plastic bristled 20 gauge brush is simply laying the bristles over and not doing a lot as far as getting into the grooves where the lands start. Bronze bristles do a far better job. Also, are you running a patch with alcohol down the pipe before you load the first time? If not you're probably cooking the solvent in the CLP right into the rifling and that can result in real tough second and third shot loading. I won't even pop a couple caps to pre-foul the barrel without running a wet alcohol patch thru the barrel a few passes so I know there's noting in there to cook on with the first shot.

 

[Charlie-NY]

I think I'd skip the 20 gauge brush and just use the .50 cal bronze. I'm pretty sure that a plastic bristled 20 gauge brush is simply laying the bristles over and not doing a lot as far as getting into the grooves where the lands start. Bronze bristles do a far better job. Also, are you running a patch with alcohol down the pipe before you load the first time? If not you're probably cooking the solvent in the CLP right into the rifling and that can result in real tough second and third shot loading. I won't even pop a couple caps to pre-foul the barrel without running a wet alcohol patch thru the barrel a few passes so I know there's noting in there to cook on with the first shot.

I'm not using any alcohol. I just run a dry patch and then fire a 209 through the breech plug before loading the first round.

 

[Charlie-NY]

Do you guys routinely brush the bore when cleaning to remove plastic residue or fouling build-up?

 

[brownisdown]

I like to use 000-0000 extra fine steel wool after I clean my barrel to pick up any thing I may have missed,It is as fine as baby hair and I have never noticed scratches in my barrel.

 

[lane]

What Mr Tom said ^^^^

 

[sabotloader]

Personally and this is only me - I never found a good reason to use brush in the bore. I use a bristle brush to clean the BP port but that is the only time I find it advantageous to use a brush.

 

[jsteurrys]

Personally and this is only me - I never found a good reason to use brush in the bore. I use a bristle brush to clean the BP port but that is the only time I find it advantageous to use a brush.

I do not use a bore brush either. Patches and solvent only for me.

 

[MrTom]

Personally and this is only me - I never found a good reason to use brush in the bore.

I'm going to give this a try on my next outing,

 

[sabotloader]

Woops - I guess I lied a little bit...

This is my cleaning routing whether it be T7 or BH - it works equally well on both.

Technically the is a very small brush built into the Bore Snake... I run the snake treated with Montana Xtreme bore conditioner through the bore 3 times, after all the cleaning steps have been completed.