Cleaning between shots?

[vthompson]

Hey guy's I have a question. I have a black powder rifle that I am going to have to clean after every shot in order to get the next ball and patch to seat properly. What should I use to clean the barrel out with? I have heard some guy's say that they just use water on a patch run through their barrel but what do you guy's recommend? Thank's for your time.

[Old Salt]

I have to ask what characteristic of your rifle/load forces you to clean after each shot?  

In my expereince loading a patch round ball with spit patches you can just about shoot all day without cleaning between shots.

Salt

[vthompson]

I just can't figure it out. I also have a T/C 50cal Hawken that I can shoot all day long and not have to clean it. But this 36cal won't even let another ball and patch down the barrel without cleaning it first. Believe me, I tried it twice yesterday and had to use a ball puller both times to get the ball out. After I clean it, the next patch and ball goes right down.
I was just wondering if a patch with water on it was good enough to clean the barrel out with between shots or if you guy's might recommend that I use something else. I am all ear's, thanks for your time.

[BEAVERMAN]

Vern, what ya lubing the patches with?

[vthompson]

I bought some pre-lubed ticking patches from Track of the Wolf. Their ad says that they are pre-lubed with wonder lube. What do ya think?

[BEAVERMAN]

Dont ask, dont tell!

[mike rumping]

vthompson,
Personally I've used it with no problems, and I'll use it anytime it's around here.  
As far as your problem with having to run a cleaning patch, maybe ya need to
break in the barrel more.  I had a rifle gun like that once, and to fix it, I just shot
it about 500 times or more in a weeks session to smooth it out.  Something must
have worked.  lol
Mike

[Old Salt]

I bought some pre-lubed ticking patches from Track of the Wolf. Their ad says that they are pre-lubed with wonder lube. What do ya think?

I recently started using the Ox-yoke prelubed patches sold by TOW after shooting spit patches for a few years.  On my son's rifle I notice the loading starts to get more difficult after 8-10 shots.  I just load a few shots with spit patch and keep on going.  

What is your powder charge?  Is the rifle new or used?  How tight is that first ball/load?

Salt

[Buzzard]

Not much info to go on. But to answer your first question, i just spit patch clean followed by a dry patch. How far down the barrel does the ball get stuck? BP or Pyrodex? It could be a carbon ring caused by the charge completeing is burn. I see that being worse with lite charges.

[Caddo]

Could it be a pitted bore? If thats the case fouling builds up in a hurry.

[Gordon H.Kemp]

i've used bore butter many times , as Old Salt says a spit patch seems to cure the problem .  I had a CVA Hawkens in .50cal. purchased new that would get to the point of severe diffuculty in loading and the next shot seemed to clean the bore and then  it would load easy again for several more shots, I have no idea why but it only seemed to happen with that one gun

[Fletcher]

Where its Bore Butter or commercial prelubed, the substance is about the same and I have found the same trouble - worse on smaller caliber.

I love the stuff for a hunting load that may only be one shot a day.  I can trust it will work even in rainy weather.  But.....
after just a few shots on the range it will gum up the works!

For range shooting I always use a water based lube.  True that a spit patch will work, but I don't like getting body fluids and salt down my barrel as a spit patch will do - nor do I like getting powder residue and other crud in my mouth - as a spit patch will also do.

After sighting in with water lubed, I usually shoot a few pre-lubes before hunting.  Does not seem to make a bit of difference in shot placement as long as the patch thickness is the same.

A water based lube, if not left in the gun long, should work nearly all day without cleaning - even in small calibers.  I use it in my .32 and .45 as well as .50, .54 and .62.

Tell you what - pm me for a bottle of Ol' Thunder.  It is made by Bigsmoke here on TMA and I sell a bunch of it.  If you are not pleased as punch with it - you don't have to pay for it!

[Hanshi]

I normally don't clean the bore until after a shooting session and have had no problems.  I use Hoppes #9 Plus bp lube but spit, DGW Black Solve work as well.  I do have a .45 flint (my favorite deer rifle) that has a couple of rough spots in the bore.  I've used fine steel wool but I believe they are just too deep to remove.  On rare occasions I may run a bore brush down to clear those spots of fouling but in all honesty that gun, too, can go all day without needing cleaning.

[Riley/MN]

I was shooting my two .50s for the primitive biathlon we had here.. Well, I wasn't, but they were being used.... 14 shooters, and I think 3 of them had their own guns (Well, Pirate Bob had his own half-way...)

We were using BB pre-lubed patches, and when it got tough to load I would quick run a spit-loaded cleaning patch, and they were right back in business!!

[Three Hawks]

I'm going to recommend that you de-burr the bore.  Run a really tight wet patch with water based fine valve grinding compound on it the full length of the bore until the resistance to movement is uniform.  Then clean the abrasive out of the bore and test fire it several times.  I've done this with several rifles and it has helped every time.  The most recent is a .32 Traditions Crockett.   Do Not do this more than once, all you're doing is de-burring the rifling.  

I have also devolved to using plain lard as a patch lube.  It is cheap, available everywhere, and very effective.   I lube strips of patch material in warm lard, then remove the excess by lightly squeezing the lubed patch material between several layers of newspaper.  (The only practical use of newsprint these days other than for washing windows.)

When I shoot, I use the strips, cutting the patch at the muzzle immediately prior to each shot.

Your mileage may vary.

Three Hawks