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Even though I was taught to clean my guns, and did as a youngster, I quit. When I started shooting cowboy, all but my shot gun got trailboss loads. I never once cleaned a revolver other than wipe it off. Never used oil just because I found no need for it. Rifles being a bit different in need for attention, I did some cleaning there. I regularly inspected the revolvers but that was it. Now I’m shooting real black powder and have to step up. I start cleaning the revolvers (X4) usually 2 days after the shoot. I know from discussions and reading that the way to deal with black powder is to soak the parts or run water through it but I have an aversion to guns and water. So far a couple of dry brushes and jag swabs down the barrel and I’m done. Wipe off the outside and in the case without oil. I don’t find it to be messy and kind of cathodic. Post. Percussion cylinders are a bit more involved and yes, I find a quick soak and swab does the trick. Never have I seen a spot of rust and here in Pittsburgh the humidity runs high a good bit of the time. My point is so much of what we do is passed down as “that’s just the way we do it” How many of us continue to look for ways to do things that is not “just the way we do it”? It keeps things interesting and I tend to learn more about what I’m doing. What have you learned or changed since you started this cowboy game.

I have spoken to Cody at Cowboy Gunworks about the lubricant used on the toggles, lever, and elevator in the Uberti 1873. He said any Molly based lube would work. Will all of the choices, what do you use?

I shot my first complete black powder match last weekend. It went really well for me in general. the pistol and rifle rounds all went off like they were meant to and the shotgun shells handled the knockdown targets fine. The only problem I had was by the time I got to the fourth and final stage, my rifle, an 1866 yellowboy, refused to cycle it's action. After the stage was over, I was able to clear the magazine and get the action working again. I can only think that the action was gummed up by BP deposits and crud as I also noticed my revolvers were not "revolving" as well as they had at the start of the day. So I seek the expertise of the Wire and would like to hear your suggestions on a simple and quick way to clean the actions between stages. P.S. On cleanup at home, I have no problems with fouling in the barrels themselves and they clean up to a mirror finish with a soaking of Inox, patches and a boresnake.

So I have been using my firearms for practice, and shot my first match on 04.15.2017. I am coming up on my second match next weekend, 05.20.2017. I have come to that point in my SASS journey to have to begin cleaning my firearms using a regular maintenance schedule. With that comes a whole host of questions I need opinions on so I can develop my own schedule, even though I’ve watched several videos online regarding gun cleaning. These will include timing, equipment, supplies, etc. I have been and will continue to be shooting smokeless; however, may consider BP in the near future, therefore I request that the opinions be directed primarily toward smokeless ammo being shot with a caveat as to what I may need to do extra when shooting BP. For now I will be shooting only one match a month, with practice in between. Lots of dry fire at home with snap caps. Firearms being used are: Shotgun – Stoeger Coach Gun Supreme (double trigger) – 12 gauge Rifle – Henry Big Boy Silver (.357/.38) Revolvers – New Model Ruger Vaqueros (stainless steel) (.357/.38) 1. Is there a BEST timing as to how often your firearms should be cleaned? 2. Is there a timing difference between cleaning shotgun, rifle and revolvers? 3. Which, if any, firearm would need to be disassembled for maintenance cleaning? 4. Is there a different cleaning process for regular, timely, maintenance cleaning and any other more extensive cleaning process which would require disassembly? 5. What equipment, if any, would be required, and does any of it require it being a specialty item (for example, screwdriver, etc.)? 6. What supplies are required? 7. What brand names associated with either supplies or equipment do you prefer? 8. What is the website (unless you buy retail locally) you use to order your supplies from? 9. Which supplies should be considered to be purchased in bulk due to their being used more often? 10. Are there any online websites that would be of assistance to a new shooter who will be doing this for the first time? I may have missed some important issues; however, hoping that everything I will need to know can be gleaned from your responses.

So being the good husband that I am, I was going to clean my wife's new-only-shot-once Cimarron Lightning revolvers, and found out the hard way that these things have a base pin that only works one way. The base pin has dimples on only one side that the base pin spring goes over. To help with making sure you orient the base pin correctly, the top of the base pin is flat in one spot. You must have that flat part against the barrel of the revolver. It is very easy to accidentally turn the base pin as you're sliding it into the cylinder, and that's what happened to me. By the time I had this figured out, both revolvers were stuck. To fix it, I removed the base pin screw/spring to make my life easier, then gently tapped the base pin out a bit to free the top of it that had gotten stuck against the barrel. I then carefully made sure I slid the base pin back in correctly, and I was back in business. Flat top of base pin: Beveled part that goes over the spring:

To the point. I have been experiencing leading in the forcing cone and first inch up the bore. The first round I cleaned the lead out with Hoppe's #9, wire brush, dental pick and elbow grease. I then acquired a Lewis Lead Remover. It made quick work of the lead deposits and had the jag to scrub the forcing cone. But I have only the parts to clean a 45. I now found lead in Mary's 38/357 Cattlemans. Lacking the right parts to use the Lewis Lead Remover, I acquired a can of Wipe-Out suggested and recommend by gun shop salesman. He made it sound like spray it in the bore and swab out the lead. But reading the directions, time must past before it works - hours or a day. I apply and wait overnight and find some lead bubbled up and does come out. But not nearly all. The directions say it may take more than one application. Who's got that much time? I'll order the 38 conversion kit for the Lewis Lead Remover. And I'll go back to using a harder mix of lead for my cast bullets. Any other suggestions for getting the lead out?