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To plug or not to plug for BP


Ringer

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  • Ringer changed the title to To plug or not to plug for BP

I just run hot water down the bores.  Done.   Finish off with your favorite lube, (Ballistol, Breakfree CLP, etc.)

 

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For SG I plug with regular cork plugs, squirt in some Windex w/vinegar let sit and rotate  every now and again. Wad up about a quarter sheet of paper towel and push thru from the breech. Out comes the plastic snake and usually nice and clean. Got the corks at the hardware store, and I do use a SxS.

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No, for any BP gun I shoot, just squirt in PAM cleaner, wait 5 minutes, and then wet a patch with PAM and push it through.  Just about done with barrels at that point.

 

PAM is equal parts of hydrogen Peroxide, rubbing Alcohol and Murphys oil soap.  P-A-M.  It cuts through the fouling real quick, so no need to plug anything.  And leaves barrel coated with a non-petroleum oil film.

 

Good luck, GJ

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No.  For SG, spray moosemilk in bores, lay barrel flat on top of garbage can.  rotate it after a few minutes.  After a few minutes more, paper towels through the bore.  On a dry day, might have to repeat.  Then spray the bore with Ballistol and another paper towel through to coat the bore.   Rifles get moosemilk on a patch to clean.  Pistols are held under hot water running out of kitchen sink, then moosemilk, then straight Ballistol.  All the guns get sprayed in the bores and cylinders with Ballistol before leaving the range.  Makes the final clean up at home quick and easy, later that day or a month later.  I've used P.A.M. before, worked fine, but the alcohol sure stings if you have any little cuts on your fingers.

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yes for my Spencer, Sharps, and shotguns.

 

No on the rifle.

 

For the shotguns, I create a plug out of a 1/2 sheet paper towel - rolled into a ball - jammed in the breech. I then spray a couple shots of windex down the barrel. Let it sit while I clean rifle. Then, shove the paper towels out with a rod and lube the now clean barrels.

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Yes.  #4 rubber corks from Ace Hardware in the 12 gauge.  I grease the outside of an empty case and put it in the rifle chamber to seal it, then flush the bores with hot water containing a drop  of dishwashing detergent.  I let the long guns soak while cleaning revolvers.  I think allowing the soapy water to sit in there a few minutes reduces overall cleaning time.  Fewer patches needed to get to a clean one.

 

 I keep coming back to what one of my  Vet school teachers told us:  if there is more than one way that works, there is no “right”way.  It applies to cleaning BP guns, lubing them, dating women, raising kids, etc.

 

:D

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I spray Windex down the barrel, fire a couple of smokeless rounds, and then drag a bore snake with a generous spray of Ballistol through the barrel twice.  All the garbage goes down range and I’m done in a couple of minutes!!

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I plug each barrel with a piece of paper towel, spray a few squirts of Dawge Whizz (some folks call it PAM) down the barrels and wait a couple of minutes.

Then with a cleaning rod I push the paper towel along with all of the days gunk out of the barrel and into a trashcan.........

One swipe & the barrel is clean and ready for next weeks match.

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PLUS ONE for Garrison Joe.

 

No Plugs.  Just spray a fair amount of PAM down the bore and wait a couple of minutes.  Then I spray a Paper Towel wrapped brush with PAM and shove it through the bore.  Presto - Poof, snakeskin and all comes out easy peasy.  Basically same same for Rifle.  Handguns, I dunk the barrels and cylinders (Cap Guns) in water then dry and oil.  Done.

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7 hours ago, Eyesa Horg said:

For SG I plug with regular cork plugs, squirt in some Windex w/vinegar let sit and rotate  every now and again. Wad up about a quarter sheet of paper towel and push thru from the breech. Out comes the plastic snake and usually nice and clean. Got the corks at the hardware store, and I do use a SxS.

Same Same for me 'cept I add HOT HOT water after Windex squirts.  Corks came from empty wine bottles.

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No plug for SG, just pour hot water down the tubes followed by liberal spray of Murphy's mix. Then paper towel and hair dryer to make sure everything is dried out. For rifle and pistols I push a couple of patches soaked with Murphy's, then pull a couple of tight Murphy's patches. Everything is always sprayed and patched with Ballistol, then in the safe they go.

       For super easy clean up you can spray each firearm with a small amount of Ballistol, either at the range or when you get home. I rarely clean mine when I get home, clean up later in the week with Murphy's is real easy. Good Luck:)

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On 1/25/2021 at 2:56 PM, McCandless said:

I just run hot water down the bores.  Done.   Finish off with your favorite lube, (Ballistol, Breakfree CLP, etc.)

 

 This - my fav-la-fav lube is Ballistol for real BP.

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I don't shoot BP/subs often, but when I do - NO.

I pour boiling water down the barrels.  Boiling water heats the metal enough to evaporate any residual water residual quickly.

Then I lube with Ballistol.

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23 hours ago, J-BAR #18287 said:

Yes.  #4 rubber corks from Ace Hardware in the 12 gauge.  I grease the outside of an empty case and put it in the rifle chamber to seal it, then flush the bores with hot water containing a drop  of dishwashing detergent.  I let the long guns soak while cleaning revolvers.  I think allowing the soapy water to sit in there a few minutes reduces overall cleaning time.  Fewer patches needed to get to a clean one.

 

 I keep coming back to what one of my  Vet school teachers told us:  if there is more than one way that works, there is no “right”way.  It applies to cleaning BP guns, lubing them, dating women, raising kids, etc.

 

:D

+1, for the shotgun.  Plug the muzzles, fill with very not water, and let stand on the stoppers while other guns are cleaned.  After pistols and rifle are cleaned, the shotgun barrels are taken just outside our side door and the stoppers are pulled.

TRUE STORY:  Many years ago, Bookworm Sandy planted three hosta plants next to that side door.  At this point, the plant next to the door is at least twice the size of the other two combined.  Every week all the black water & plastic snakes fall right behind that very first hosta.  The plastic rakes out along with the leaves every fall, and I have one very happy hosta!

 

CS

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No plugging ain't necessary..well at least in this household, I really don't get it ,BP cleaning is easy & is over done by many..JMHO

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I pour my hot water and Murphy's down both barrels of my shotgun and use my fingers for plugs. A count of 100 and then a spiral cleaning brush, followed by an oiled bore snake.

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The way I clean my lever actions, when I shoot black powder, is: I do initially put a small rag on the breech side of the barrel, and lever the breech closed. Since I initially stand the rifle up on end, to clean the bore, that keeps my cleaning solution in the bore, and out of the breech area.

But...it is only temporary, as I do remove that cloth, after I have cleaned the bore, and am ready to start on the breech end. I used to use an empty cartridge case, to seal the breech end, but just went, instead, to a cloth, or an old wash-rag.

I use about five patches, to clean the bore...then I start on the rest of the rifle.

Thanks to an old N.M.L.R.A. article, I can clean the lever actions, and indeed, any black powder firearm, in a fraction of the time it used to take me...and use a lot less cleaning patches, as well. 

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45 minutes ago, Waxahachie Kid #17017 L said:

The way I clean my lever actions, when I shoot black powder, is: I do initially put a small rag on the breech side of the barrel, and lever the breech closed. Since I initially stand the rifle up on end, to clean the bore, that keeps my cleaning solution in the bore, and out of the breech area.

But...it is only temporary, as I do remove that cloth, after I have cleaned the bore, and am ready to start on the breech end. I used to use an empty cartridge case, to seal the breech end, but just went, instead, to a cloth, or an old wash-rag.

I use about five patches, to clean the bore...then I start on the rest of the rifle.

Thanks to an old N.M.L.R.A. article, I can clean the lever actions, and indeed, any black powder firearm, in a fraction of the time it used to take me...and use a lot less cleaning patches, as well. 

 

One of the things I love about the Marlin is, just pull the lever screw, pull the lever out, the bolt and ejector out and clean from chamber forward - pushing everything out the muzzle. 

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I have never used plugs on either SG or Rifle. When I get home from a match the first thing I do is take the Sg barrel off and spray with vinegar windex and then unpack the rest of my stuff. It usually takes about 20 minutes. I then run a tornado brush through the barrels and the snot is pushed out. Two patches of Ballistol and all done. I have a tornado brush for the rifle and run the brush through a couple of times and then the  Ballistol  patches then finished. This past year I switched to brass shot shells and. Still clean the shot gun the same way with any snot pushed out. Cleaning black powder guns is easier for me than that other powder. Don’t let horror stories about cleaning the guns and get out there and shoot them. Just the view from my saddle. DC

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