Cleaning my .40 cal. rifle

[mossyhorn]

I,m new to posting on this forum and have been looking for a thread on cleaning for a long time but can't seem to find one.
I know that some only use water and others use dish soap and water along with other methods. At one time I used a
solution made by Frank Bartlett in Tn. and liked it but don't have the ingredients. What is easiest and best?

[smylee grouch]

Most will tell you room temp. water, me included, and after the barrel is FLUSHED cleanyou dry with cotton flannel patches and finish up with a healthy dose of WD-40 and wipe out the excess with another flannel patch.

[axelp]

+1 keep it simple.
I have tried different products, but the best thing to dissolve burnt bp residue is tepid water.
As for rust prevention? WD40 works for me too.

[L. Akers]

Ditto Smylee and Ken adding a wiping with a good gun oil a couple of days after cleaning because  WD40 doesn't hang around.

[OldMtnMan]

I use hot water and soap, but I put a few drops of Ballistol in it to prevent any flash rusting. Then finish with plain hot water with the same few drops of Ballistol. It's worked well for me for decades.

[retired fella]

I agree with Ken P. warm, not hot water followed by WD40.  I take it a step further
by running a patch and WD for the next two days.  That way no moisture and no rust.  Has worked for me.

[michaelB.]

I use Ballistol on the range every 20 or so shots (my Rice barrel likes to be a little dirty)... then when finished shooting, a really good cleaning while still on the range.  I do NOT beieve in dish soap or $#@* like that, but there's them's who swear by it and a pox on their houses...  When I get home from the range I use as hot water as I can get through my barrel till it comes out perfectly clear, then Ballistol again, then a finish.  Now, let's just stop right here and let me say that THIS is what works for me after around 40 years of shooting and tryin' just about every darn different idea, new or old that came my way every decade or so.  THIS IS WHAT WORKS FOR ME AND THE RICE BARREL THAT IS ON MY SW VIRGINIA .45 RIFLE.

This is one of those questions (reasonable, gentle, innocent, etc)  that falls into the category of ask, then get 50 replies and 38 different answers, and man, you just asked it.  Five years from now, after that period of heavy shooting, I'll bet you a dollar to a stale doughnut that you will have found something that works well for you... further, I'll bet you a squashed bug that it will probably be some combination of the 38 answers you get here over the next week or so... and you know what?  Not one will be WRONG, although like my dispising of using SOAP in a gun barrel, it works for some folks.  Respect the ideas, consider them, try what appeals, then come up with your own cleaning regimen.

Prepare thyself!!!
Prepare thy self.  hehehe

[Standing Bear]

A mild variance to the water and WD40. After water cleaning and a couple of dry patches I pour an ounce or so of 91% {182 proof ;-) } alcohol followed quickly w an alcohol soaked patch. 4-5 minutes later comes the WD40.   For long term storage I add a wipe of LPS 3.

[EC121]

I wipe mine out with whatever is on the bench or in the shooting box until the patches are grayish.  Then spray everything with G96.  Never had one rust.  Once in a while I use a breech plug scraper and/or  a breech plug brush.  No point in overdoing it.  I believe the G96 is the real secret.  Also it doesn't seem to hurt the wood finish.  You can wipe the whole gun with  it.   I clean the lock with a toothbrush under the well house faucet or any cold water source, let it dry and spray it. too

[WaterFowl]

tepid water-dry patch-wd40-dry patch-protective oil. barrel and lock.

[retired fella]

Standing Bear  does the alcohol go down the bore or your gullet or both.  I've never thought of that but sounds like a good idea....

[Standing Bear]

  182 proof and on the patch go down the barrel.  86 proof is reserved for me!!! 

[hammer]

A bronze brush!     If you use only patches, just run a bronze brush through a few times and see what you have missed.  Oh, and a final, liberal application of a good gun oil.
Don't forget to clean the brush regularly or you will be transferring fouling back to the bore.

[Dewey]

tepid water-dry patch-wd40-dry patch-protective oil. barrel and lock.

Yep.  Only I also use a bit of Murphy's soap with the tepid water first, followed by a tepid water rinse.
Then the WD-40 to help get the water out, then the oil for protection (or RIG grease for longer term storage).

[smylee grouch]

Years ago I used a bronze brush once. I had a cleaning patch around it and when I tried to pull it back out , it came apart, still at the breech end of the barrel. I was somewhat lucky as the gun had a patent breech and I was able to get some 4f behind the brush and because the patch around it helped seal up the bore some what, I got the thing to pop out. Don't plan on using a bronze brush any more. Nylon maybe.

[Daryl]

Most will tell you room temp. water, me included, and after the barrel is FLUSHED cleanyou dry with cotton flannel patches and finish up with a healthy dose of WD-40 and wipe out the excess with another flannel patch.

Only change to this - the water I/we use is cooler than room temp, barrel removed and flushed method in bucket, works perfectly - no soap needed, so I do not use it.
 Dry it well then as symlee noted, flushed with WD40 - excess WD40 patched out, rub down the steel with THAT WD40 soaked patch - clean the lock with toothbrush and water, shake of blow escess water all - spray liberally with WD40, shake and wipe excess off, reassemble everything and store muzzle down.
Compressed air is handy, but not necessary.

[OldMtnMan]

I use soap and water not so much for the powder fouling, but the patch lube. The same reason for hot water.

Put some butter on a dish and run cool water over it. Nothing happens. Run warm water and not much happens. Change to hot water and it comes right off clean. I get the same reaction with my patch lube.

I should add one thing that I didn't mention in my first post. I live in an apartment, so I clean in the kitchen in a bucket. At the strat of cleaning I turn one burner of the stove on. (electric) After cleaning and drying the bore with dry patches I used to worry about the breech be wet. So, I hold the breech end of the barrel over the burner to warm it up and dry any water left. Do that along with some Ballistol in the flushing water rinse has kept everything clean and rust free. I use Ballistol on the inside and outside of the barrel to prevent rust. I even use it on the stock to perk it up.

Then before I shoot I run an alcohol patch down the bore, then a dry patch. Shoot two caps, and i'm ready to shoot.

[axelp]

I see the value of adding a little soap to cut the grease, but I rarely seem to need it. The burnt fouling seems to be more water soluble than not. but I live in a relatively dry climate.

[OldMtnMan]

I'm not sure it's needed either. I just use it for a little extra insurance, and it's sitting there looking at me when I fill the bucket with water. 

[Natureboy]

I would only add that I use tow on a worm to scrub the breech plug, because patches on a jag don't make much contact with it.  If anything, the patch/jag combo pushes fouling down onto the plug.  I don't like to take my gun apart to do the flush in a bucket method, but that does a good job in cleaning the breech plug and flushing the vent or nipple.

[OldMtnMan]

I use one of these brushes for the breech area. I use it before flushing. Stiff wire bristles.

[hanshi]

Room temp water - with or without dish detergent, wet patches (nylon brush/patch from a green scrub pad as/if needed).  Dry with patches & a WD40 patch then an alcohol patch to remove everything.  Swab with a barricade patch.  I check it the next day and at least once a week from then on.  Clean and oil lock and wipe down metal and stock.  Works for me.

[jamesthomas]

 
 This question comes up quite often and I have read a bunch on it, a lot of it has to do where you live. Dry areas ie Arizona and such will need different procedures. Humid areas Like where I live (South Alabama) require a bit more cleaning because everything gets gunked up more (I think). Checking your barrel every few days or once a week is a good thing to do.

[David R. Pennington]

I always clean my rifles in the field when I am finished shooting. Plain water (or alcohol if it's below freezing). Bear oil liberally applied after a few dry patches. Bear oil for patch lube too.

[Natureboy]

Old Mountainman, I have one of those brushes, too, but when I give the tow a few turns after having the patches on my jag come out clean, there is still some fouling on the breech plug that doesn't get removed by the brush.   Using both gets the job done.