Cleaning it

Dastardly Dan

I suppose this will get a million opinions, but here goes. I seem to be having trouble getting my Long Range Black Powder Rifle clean. When shooting groups at 200 the group gets really big after 6-8 rounds and Balistol and a patch doesn't seem to solve the problem. I took out the rifle after letting it sit for a year and it I got a lot of junk out of the barrel with Hoppes including some leading of the barrel. I thought I put it away clean. That is I know I cleaned it and there was no corrosion, but lots of black and brown patches with slivers of lead (bullets made from 20-1) I would appreciate some good advice on the subject. <img src='http://www.goodguysposse.org/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/doh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':doh:' />

Grizzly Clark

Dan,<br />
<br />
You might want to try slugging the barrel and then use bullets that are .001 larger. My pistols used to lead badly, and it was very difficult to get them clean. I slugged the barrels and started loading larger bullets, and the problem went away.<br />
<br />
Just a thought.<br />
<br />
Griz

dd

Were you using a blow tube? If not, that is usually what you get unless you are using some exotic lube. I only made that mistake once - took me most of the day to get it clean of the hardened fouling. <br />
<br />
For cleaning, I usually use a 50-50 mixture of Balistol and water.

Dastardly Dan

The lube was mostly LPG and another BP lube I can't remember the name of, but was touted as great stuff. I have slugged the barrel as well and all is in good shape there. <img src='http://www.goodguysposse.org/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/oops.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':oops:' />

Dastardly Dan

I've got a good blow tube and huff and puff 8P

dd

Dastardly Dan wrote on Dec 26 2006, 02&#58;17 PM:

<br />
The lube was mostly LPG and another BP lube I can't remember the name of, but was touted as great stuff. I have slugged the barrel as well and all is in good shape there. <img src='http://www.goodguysposse.org/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/oops.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':oops:' /> <br />

<br />
<br />
You mean SPG? About the best. Lee Shaver has some black stuff with moly that I've found to be pretty good.<br />
<br />
Which rifle? If you haven't shot it for a year, its probably mad at you and just getting even. <img src='http://www.goodguysposse.org/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/blowup.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':blowup:' />

Ugly

I have one of the Outers Electronic cleaning kits and it really worked for me; got more junk out of my rifle barrels after I thought I had them really clean.<br />
The kit is really easy to use.

E Z MUNNY

I make my own lube from beeswax and Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 1 oz of beeswax to 3 oz of olive oil. Melt the two together over low heat and then dip the bullets in it. after they cool off I use an old Lee Cake Cutter to push the bullets through to get the excess off. powder is a duplex load of about 7%-8% Reloder 7 to Swiss 1. I use Winchester Large Rifle primers and poly wads. I get very little, if any, leading and after using Shooters CHoice BLack Powder Cleaning Gel the rifle (Browning Creedmoor .45-90) can sit in the gun safe for 6 months and still be just as clean and shiny as when I put it in. I also use this same basic procedure on a .38-55 Hiwall (C. Sharps) and a CPA Stevens .40-70 SS. The duplex loads burn a lot cleaner than straight black and cut waaaay back on the necessity of using a blowtube after every shot.<br />
<br />
Incidentally - I belong to Winnequah Gun Club at Lodi and we are also planning on again having 3 BP Silhouette matches this year, 2 long-range BPCR matches and maybe a couple more (if approved by the board next meeting). I also staged a fund drive last Fall to purchase the buffalo silhouettes and we are now going to have a 22 rifle 300 yd Buffalo league starting this Spring. <br />
<br />
If anybody is interested I'll have the dates posted here as soon as I find out what the schedule is.