.303 cleaning??

[Ferret1]

Hi all, what do most of you guys use to clean/maintain your weapons ( metal AND wood ) ??

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[Peter Laidler]

You have opened up a whole international can of worms Ferret. You'll get answers ranging from the sane and sensible who say simply '...treat all ammunition as errosive and corrosive'. They will say that regardless of whether you're using some old cheap ex WD cordite with mercuric primers or super-dooper meticulous hand loads to factory stuff, to just pour boiling water down the bore as soon as practically possible after shooting the rifle in order to neutralise the nasties that will; be lurking there. Then pull it through with a rod or pullthrough until eventually the flanellette comes out clean and then use another clean but oil soaked piece to oil the bore. Repeat this - less the boiling water palava for 5 days. Just like the Army have been teaching their blokes since the 1900's.

As for the wood...... Just wipe it down with a rag soaked in linseed oil.

Then you'll get those from another orbitory planet who'll say........ Look, they'll come in soon enough..........

[browningautorifle]

I've used a Parker Hale brush and rod for years, or the pull through and then rifle oil and flannel cloth. Nothing special and it's always worked fine for me.

[Peter Laidler]

You won't better that advice from BAR (thread 2) Ferret. Weapon Training Instructor since the year dot and probably taught that by another weapon Trg Instructor who learned the same while putting Stonehenge up.

I bet Sentry Duty and Muffer will chip in soon....., hopefully

[5thBatt]

I just use hot water, Ballistol & linseed oil in all my rifles including black powder which i mix the ballistol & hot water.

[Ridolpho]

With known quality modern, non-corrosive commercial ammo I typically just use Hoppes #9 for post shoot cleaning BUT.........I have noticed in some of my more "challenged" bores that boiling water seems to loosen up some stuff that #9 does not. It's also free and non-toxic. Regarding the forend, we are lucky up here- endless amounts of RAW linseed oil available.

Ridolpho

[mrclark303]

When I get back from the range I flood the bores with Brunox spray and leave them for 30 mins, then once through with the bronze brush, then 4x2 patches with my PH rod until they come up clean, clean the chamber, then action and bolt with Brunox and a toothbrush.

Then carefully check the rifle for any issues, and finally inhibit the bores with Remington gun oil and allow the excess to drain off, back in the gun room, job done.

That's my ritual anyway, works for me..

[LondonEnfield]

For normal post-firing cleaning I use 009 on a soft bristle brush, with a Parker Hale rod and jag. Patch out afterwards until they come out acceptably clean from the No.4 (bore's long past shot out!) or clean from the SMLE, with its better condition barrel. If I need heavy-duty cleaning, after sustained rapid firing or a few days' competition shooting, I use C2R, which seems to dissolve every type of barrel crud known to man and then some.

I also have the bolt body only from a skeletonised No.4 which I use as a rod guide. Sadly it won't fit in the SMLE and it's too long for the No.8.

[muffett.2008]

I bet Sentry Duty and Muffer will chip in soon....., hopefully

Don't involve me on this one Pete, I prefer caustics and abrasives.
Give the bore a good scrub with Drain Cleaner(fast, as the caustic eats the cloth) followed by gear oil and sand mix.
For the timber, a good lathering of Black paint, applied with a coarse brush(shades of India)if it was good enough for the metal, should be good for wood too.

If you don't bother wiping out before the first shot, you can always locate your first shot on the target, a nice oily hole that a patch won't stick to.(remember to wear safety glasses though, the sand and oil make for smeary vision for awhile.)


P.S Rebarrel every week.

[Bindi2]

Don't involve me on this one Pete, I prefer caustics and abrasives.
Give the bore a good scrub with Drain Cleaner(fast, as the caustic eats the cloth) followed by gear oil and sand mix.
For the timber, a good lathering of Black paint, applied with a coarse brush(shades of India)if it was good enough for the metal, should be good for wood too.

If you don't bother wiping out before the first shot, you can always locate your first shot on the target, a nice oily hole that a patch won't stick to.(remember to wear safety glasses though, the sand and oil make for smeary vision for awhile.)


P.S Rebarrel every week.

You know Muff that's what I have been doing for years only problem is I am down to my last few barrels.