Cleaning Side Lock Muzzle with an Optic on It

[concretus]

Hello,
I have a Thompson Center Renegade in .54 cal with a red dot optic on it. I got it sighted in for hunting next week. My usual cleaning regiment consists of removing the barrel, forcing scalding hot water with patch and ram rod followed by moose juice and finally a patch with Kroil, let set for a minute and then dry patches… I’m a little Leary of removing the barrel now that it is sighted in. I was wondering maybe someone could recommend what’s the best way to clean the barrel, without disturbing the optic sight in, and prevent corrosion. Any input would be appreciated.

 

[deermanok]

You should be able to find a video of how the folks with full stock rifles clean their guns.
They don't remove the barrel either.
I know there's a few methods, one I know about is simply pouring hot water down the barrel.

 

[anonymouscowherd]

Don't have an optic of my sidelock CVA .54... and I only remove the barrel and such stock for convenience when cleaning..

I'd wrap around your optic and seal with tape, etc. Just In Case and then just remove the nipple and go with what you would normally do.

I also just finished a almost 2 month test of putting almost 50 rounds thru my .54 with 55-80gr of real BP behind both patched balls and maxis with no cleaning, shooting 5-15 shots in a session. Finally cleaned it after I couldn't get it to go boom with 3 caps in a row (but the caps went poof). PRBs were in well lubed patches, and the maxis had a 50/50 mix of beeswax and crisco very liberally applied.

So I guess you could say "sight it in and don't bother cleaning" is what I would do.... Note that I would NOT do this with pyrodex or any of the other substitutes, and I wouldn't have done it if I had more than the $120 I have in the rifle...

Finally, if your POA/POI shifts more than a fraction of a inch or so when you remove and reinstall the barrel, you may consider some at-home bedding either using aluminum tape (works great, and is removable, adjustable, experiment-able) or JB Weld (permanent, use kiwi natural shoe polish for release agent) and perhaps even installing some pillars to ensure consistent mating between surfaces.

 

[Pymahunter1]

Try one of these:
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/578/1/FLUSH-RST

 

[rkrcpa]

If the red dot is mounted on the barrel the POI shouldn't change when you remove the barrel from the stock. The relationship between the sight and the bore is unchanged.

 

[concretus]

If the red dot is mounted on the barrel the POI shouldn't change when you remove the barrel from the stock. The relationship between the sight and the bore is unchanged.

I thought about that and it makes sense. It’s like opening an upper/ lower receiver of an AR platform rifle with an optic on it…Thanks… I have a rail attached on the barrel where the rear sight was and the optic fastened to the rail.

 

[anonymouscowherd]

I thought about that and it makes sense. It’s like opening an upper/ lower receiver of an AR platform rifle with an optic on it…Thanks… I have a rail attached on the barrel where the rear sight was and the optic fastened to the rail.

Unlike opening an AR though, the barrel could end up in a slightly different position in relation to the stock, etc. which can do all sorts of things. Hence my recommendation to consider bedding if it is an issue.

 

[Frosty861]

I thought about that and it makes sense. It’s like opening an upper/ lower receiver of an AR platform rifle with an optic on it…Thanks… I have a rail attached on the barrel where the rear sight was and the optic fastened to the rail.

R & C, I agree 100%. If the Red Dot is secure there will be no change. For example, I have two Contender pistol frames, .357 and .22 barrels both with Red Dot sights. I can interchange either barrel with either frame and the POI does not change.

 

[short_start]

Barrel removal won't cause a change. I have a few MLs with peep sights on the tang. Initially I was very hesitant about removing the barrel but did so anyway. Zero wasn't affected.

This is a worse case than your situation, so I don't see a problem.

 

[Howie1968]

i use a flush nipple went to hardware store and gor a 4 foot section of tubing i always carry a gallon jug of water with me put the tube in the water and start pumping ive got a white mountain carbine and black mountain magnum scoped

 

[concretus]

Thank you all for your input! This guy was the outcome after 10 days in VA…