About cleaning???
12-29-2003, 08:28 AM
#1
Giant Nontypical
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Central Ohio
Posts: 8,561
About cleaning???
I shot while hunting. I ran about 4 patches, both with solvent and dry. Then I reloaded but did not shoot again. I planned on hunting the next day, so I took out the primer and left the load in.
Is this type of treatment going to be bad for my barrel? It seemed to be an acceptable idea at the time, but now I have this nagging feeling that I should have unloaded that night and done a thurough cleaning.
Is this type of treatment going to be bad for my barrel? It seemed to be an acceptable idea at the time, but now I have this nagging feeling that I should have unloaded that night and done a thurough cleaning.
12-29-2003, 08:51 AM
#2
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 7
RE: About cleaning???
I hunt strictly with my black powder rifles and have experienced the same concerns as you. My practice is this: If I have shot during a day's hunt, I ALWAS clean the rifle that evening. If I've loaded, but not shot during a day's hunt, and the powder remains nice and dry, then I uncap and leave the gun loaded for the next day. I have followed this practice for many seasons without any noticable change or damage to the bore. Hope this helps.
ThreeThumbs
ThreeThumbs
12-29-2003, 08:56 AM
#3
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 47
RE: About cleaning???
Yes and no. You did not say what powder you use. While pyrodex produces much less fouling than blackpowder, what it does produce is much more corosive than fouling from black. The swabbing you did will probably allow you to get by, as long as you are sure to clean it the next night. Only problem is the gas that vents out around the nipple will allow corosion to start in that area. You will often see rifles with good bores that have pitting around the nipple/drum area. While this doesn't really affect the shooting qualities of the rifle, it does educate about the corosive nature of powder.
12-29-2003, 01:40 PM
#4
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
RE: About cleaning???
As 45 Hawkins said, the propellents we use today will start to pit the barrel in a very short time. Some more so then others. The best rule of thumb is, you shoot it, you clean it. That way you always know you have a clean fresh loaded rifle out there the next day.....
01-05-2004, 06:56 PM
#5
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wabash, IN
Posts: 826
RE: About cleaning???
If this was just an overnight thing................the odds of you doing any damage to the bore were slim & none.....especially after running that many cleaning patches through it before reloading.
But if it was going to be for several days - I too would give a more thorough cleaning before reloading.
But if it was going to be for several days - I too would give a more thorough cleaning before reloading.
