Gun cleaning for the Muppet

[525kev]

Ok need some advise.

This is all new to me (Gun cleaning) but i've wittled down the snake oils to Napier Gun cleaner and Grease but not sure which is the best route to actually clean the Bores.

Boresnake or mop on a rod or have both a place in the cleaning arsenal ?

I looked at the Magic Bore cleaning kits but not for me.

 

[balltrap]

You need to clean up your act :lol: not a gun

 

[525kev]

You need to clean up your act :lol: not a gun

 

[westley]

First of all SOME cartridges are dirtier than others, when I find a clean one, I stick with it. (currently Hull Superfast). After my Sunday shoot, I use an old bathtowel on the kitchen table and strip the gun to it's 3 components. First of all a Payne Galway style (chamber brush type)  through twice in each barrel. That is followed by Napier Superclean patch material, twice. I find that is sufficient and the barrels are clean. I then use a cheapo facecloth from Home Bargains which has soaked in 20/50 car engine oil and then allowed to 'drip dry'. I keep that cloth in a plastic bag and use it for wiping down the metalwork NOT the wood. I do not oil inside the barrels unless the gun is going into storage. I remove the chokes and clean them with oil removal wipes (Lidl). Then re-oil with Lucas red gun oil (fleabay around £5). I then apply Lucas red tacky grease (fleabay around £6) to the knuckle (hinge pin). Reassemble the gun, wiping down barrels and action. Put gun into silicone sock and into cabinet. Job done. In fact it took me longer to write this than to clean the gun !

I carry a small 3 in 1 oil spray in my shooting bag, if it is raining or likely to rain, I spray the outside of the barrels before I leave the carpark. 

 

[Will Hewland]

That Napier spray is what I use. Spray a bit in and push some paper through to just clear the obvious muck. That's when I spray some more in and leave to soak in. Push more paper through. I only brush occasionally. 

The inside of barrels is the least important thing I feel. Top tip is sharpen a long match with a pencil sharpener. A very light spray around the breech face and ejectors and use the match to push a bit of paper everywhere, gets in all the small places.

 

[jwpzx9r]

I only ever clean the barrels of my gun when I know I won't be shooting it for more than a week. I then push a patch soaked with barrel cleaner down each tube ... job done. Like Westly the gun gets a wipe down with an oily rag, which stays in the break down case in a plastic bag, after every shoot. Now and then I give it the works with barrel cleaner a bronze brush and the power driver. A lot of people down here swear by scotch bright and barrel cleaner to clean the barrels say it takes all the plastic and lead fouling off a treat I have never tried it though. I would not get to hung up on cleaning the gun as long as you keep the thing well oiled after shooting. Warning this applies to my trap gun it does not get wet..ever. Sporters may need to thoroughly dry their gun prior to cleaning and oiling it.

 

[ips]

full length mop, not used anything else incl bore solvent for twenty years.

 

[Xaphan]

I use the napier cleaner/lubricant all in one jobby.......it seems to work really well

and the napier grease both of which you have in the pics. I personally find the grease works well on choke threads, I've found if you just use gun oil on the threads that the chokes come loose during use but if you use the grease they don't. 

honestly i think that most of the gun cleaning products (napier, hoppes, bisley, etc) are very much the same thing in a different can and everyone will have a different opinion on which is best,

the best thing you can do is try not to shoot dirty as hell cartridges like express English sporters in fibre  

 

[westley]

I use the napier cleaner/lubricant all in one jobby.......it seems to work really well

and the napier grease both of which you have in the pics. I personally find the grease works well on choke threads, I've found if you just use gun oil on the threads that the chokes come loose during use but if you use the grease they don't. 

honestly i think that most of the gun cleaning products (napier, hoppes, bisley, etc) are very much the same thing in a different can and everyone will have a different opinion on which is best,

the best thing you can do is try not to shoot dirty as hell cartridges like express English sporters in fibre  

You are probably right, it is just that the American Lucas products are half the cost and last twice as long !

 

[MJJ]

Toilet paper for the bores (cheap as chips) two sheets folded and rolled are a perfect fit for a 12g. Browning Legia spray (other makes are available) for cleaning and a wipe over, grease on the hinge pins, knuckle, and some on the chokes (if you have them?). If you have chokes fitted, i would advise leaving them in while you clean the barrels. This will stop any muck getting in the threads in the barrels. You can then remove them to re oil/grease the threads afterwards. You will find your own way of doing things that suit you the best. 

 

[danq]

i have a 391 semi and have never had a gun barrel so difficult to get clean in between breech and gas holes, tried everything bit still leaves a few marks  even when i use a payne galway in my battery drill. looked on a usa site and discovered a home brew calle eds red . mix it yourself and store in kilner jar till clean time

it works ok but srill have to scrub.  i think because it is a semi with only 1 barrel then there is twice as much heat and rubbish. i usually shoot about 100 per hour

 

[AW13]

On all my guns which include semis I break them down, spray barrels and a little on the semi mechanisms and wipe over the the o/u actions.

Then have a coffee, about 20 mins later run a jag through with half a kitchen towel twice per barrel, run a bore snake thorough, wipe over action or semi parts, remove clean and oil choke if it has one and then wipe over the entire gun with an oily rag.

So far guns are clean and work well, only faults have been the rare duff cartridge.

 

[ChrisPackham]

So cleaning barrels until they are spotless and a patch comes through completely clean every time is unnecessary?

 

[Sian]

I have the best method of cleaning ..........the husband 

 

[jwpzx9r]

So cleaning barrels until they are spotless and a patch comes through completely clean every time is unnecessary?

I think so, I never clean my barrels unless I know I won't be shooting for at least a week and then I just give them once through with a patch and a bit of barrel cleaner as stated earlier. As long as the barrels are completely dry I don't see what you can gain polishing up the barrels... its like cleaning a wok... you just don't do it :lol:

 

[ips]

So cleaning barrels until they are spotless and a patch comes through completely clean every time is unnecessary?

there are very few people who do not clean there barrells (by whatever method) after each shooting day. I used to do the solvent soaked cloth on a jag, and brush etc until I discovered the full length mop. These little beauties bring your barrells up clean and shiny and take less than a minute to do both barrells so personally I cant see any reason not to do them.

 

[jwpzx9r]

Seen people use those fluffy rope type things from time to time.

 

[ChrisPackham]

there are very few people who do not clean there barrells (by whatever method) after each shooting day. I used to do the solvent soaked cloth on a jag, and brush etc until I discovered the full length mop. These little beauties bring your barrells up clean and shiny and take less than a minute to do both barrells so personally I cant see any reason not to do them.

Is this the parralax cleaner?  i bought on for a friend for Xmas a i had no other ideas what to get and I'm amazed at how good it is..

 

[ips]

honestly john they are brilliant, half a dozen swipes up each barrell and clean as a whistle.

Is this the parralax cleaner?  i bought on for a friend for Xmas a i had no other ideas what to get and I'm amazed at how good it is..

think mine is by Napier but not sure, had it for at least fifteen years and still going strong.