Keeping it simple

[n stephenson]

I have noticed different posts here about cleaning rifles/guns . When I built my first rifle I was fortunate enough to have the late Ron Ehlert  help me . After sighting the rifle in we cleaned it. I have cleaned every ML I`ve owned or shot the same way every since . Basically soap and water and when I`m done I put Bore Butter down it on a patch. I know someone will tell me I`m doing it all wrong but, I`ve got a rifle that shoots as well today as it did 35years ago.  I`ve seen tons of "new and improved"  super solvents , wonder jags , super rods , miracle greases etc.   I`m not against "progress" or "improvement" but , every time I see a new product I can`t help but think of a conversation I had with a professional B.A.S.S. fisherman. He told me that people already knew how to catch fish but, new lures were designed to catch fishermen not just fish. I realize that these days people are chomping at the bit for the latest gadget , miracle potion etc but, if I was starting out now I would really be confused . This stuff really isn't all that complicated . Keep it simple , it`s much more fun and , less money . JMHO!! 

[smylee grouch]

I agree with the keep it simple idea thats why I only use water to clean and WD 40 after I'm done. If you live in a more humid climate you might need some other bore oil after cleaning if you plan on storing the gun for extended times.

[Bill Raby]

It works just as good now as it did 250 years ago. But I had to get fancy and start using the pine scent bore butter. Smells nicer. Not sure why it matters what my guns smell like.

[hanshi]

Simple is also logical.  For me it's water with a bit of detergent for cleaning, regardless.  I will often use WD40 in the clean, dry bore if I won't get back to it for a couple or few more days.  Longer than that and I use Barricade or BreakFree CLP.

[EC121]

I have about four different half used bottles of cleaners on my bench.  I use a different one every time I clean.  Sometimes from patch to patch.  Not much difference in any of them, but the Lehigh smells nice so I use it last.

[steve1122]

I also do the soap and water method, with bore butter finnish. keeping it simple is the way to go.

[wattlebuster]

Im a soap water dry it then bear grease guy

[Dave Marsh]

I'm with Smylee Grouch on this.  Room temperature water followed by WD40.

Dave

[Standing Bear]

Yep, tap water and WD40.
TC

[little joe]

WD may be fine in some parts of the country, however in the high humidity areas such as southern Indiana, I use WD to absorbe any water residue followed by a good lube.

[Frank]

Yep, water and WD-40. Been working fine for me since the mid 1970s.

[leadslinger62]

   Another WD-40 user.  Went through Years of new and improved cleaners and nothing works better.

[oldtravler61]

I'm with Mate. Soap(dawn) hot water. Dry an bore butter. If I use a lubricant it's Ballistol dislike W-D. Oldtravler

[Darkhorse]

One good thing about  using Bore Butter is, it won't all drain into the breech area when stored upright. Most oils do.  My .54 was oiled with Rem oil after the season was over and I can look at the touch hole and see oil.
Water, maybe some detergent sometimes, for me. Been working since '76 with no complaints. A couple of dry patches then stand barrel down while I clean the lock. Then the lock is sprayed with WD 40 and shook and wiped out with a clean cloth. Then a few judicious drops of oil.
Next a patch sopping with wd 40 is run down the barrel a few times, followed by a couple of dry patches. Then bore butter or oil down the barrel.
The metal and wood only need a good rubdown as both are protected by several coats of wax.

[deepcreekdale]

Water and WD 40 for me as well. I generally go back 2-3 days later and run another patch or 2 down the bore, always seem to get a little more grunge out. If I am not going to be shooting again anytime soon, I grease the bore with RIG. Here in Florida, things can rust on you in a hurry. Little Joe, when I go to Friendship, my lips crack from the dry air compared to home! 

[Hungry Horse]

Plain old cold water, followed by dry patches, and then BreakFree. If I'm going to store the gun for a period of time, I use BreakFree chain and cable lube. It has a heavier body, and stays put.


  Hungry Horse

[little joe]

Water and WD 40 for me as well. I generally go back 2-3 days later and run another patch or 2 down the bore, always seem to get a little more grunge out. If I am not going to be shooting again anytime soon, I grease the bore with RIG. Here in Florida, things can rust on you in a hurry. Little Joe, when I go to Friendship, my lips crack from the dry air compared to home! 

Problem is you are not treating the cracked lips correctly. Rub them down with chicken $#@* (it will not help) but you will  never lick them forever, which will let them heal.

[Smoketown]

Little Joe, when I go to Friendship, my lips crack from the dry air compared to home! 

Problem is you are not treating the cracked lips correctly. Rub them down with chicken $#@* (it will not help) but you will  never lick them forever, which will let them heal.

Wow!

That brought back an old memory ...

The 50's version was  - "I put 'Bandini' on my lips to keep them from cracking." (Bandini was a popular brand of bagged steer manure.)

The other guy says, "Does it work?"

The reply was, "You don't see me licking my lips do ya?"      

Cheers,
Smoketown

[bob in the woods]

Water, then bear oil.   If out in the rain, or otherwise wet weather I will use WD-40 to insure that all is "dry" but for rust prevention and lube, bear oil is the best I've ever used.

[deepcreekdale]

Water and WD 40 for me as well. I generally go back 2-3 days later and run another patch or 2 down the bore, always seem to get a little more grunge out. If I am not going to be shooting again anytime soon, I grease the bore with RIG. Here in Florida, things can rust on you in a hurry. Little Joe, when I go to Friendship, my lips crack from the dry air compared to home! 

Problem is you are not treating the cracked lips correctly. Rub them down with chicken $#@* (it will not help) but you will  never lick them forever, which will let them heal.

Joe, we use a slightly different method down here in Florida but it seems to work. We use alligator $#@*. By the time you finish wrestling with one to collect your lip balm, you forget you had cracked lips. Also has the advantage of not leaving unsightly white residue like chicken $#@*. The ladies seem to like that better. At least until you try to steal a smooch.
Seriously though, some of the worst humidity and heat I ever saw in the Air Force outside of Southeast Asia was in central Illinois. It didn't even cool down or get less humid at night. Plus, the air conditioning up there was not really adequate for really hot weather.
As an aside on this subject, I tend to keep my rifles in my shop in hard cases. I find that keeping them inside in the air conditioning then taking them out side makes them sweat to the point that condensation can cause problems either with surface rusting or dampening powder. Of course, since they normally are taken outside to shoot, normal cleaning would address the rusting issues. Same goes for my shooting glasses. They tend to fog up so bad, especially in the early morning when the humidity is so high, shooting can be almost impossible.

[Candle Snuffer]

Clean with what works for you, and the only suggestion I would have is to avoid using any water that comes from a water softener, as that water is treated with salt. Right now windshield washer fluid suits me just fine (as I have a water softener), and when all is dry inside and out I give my smokepoles (both flint and cap) a patch with Sheath Oil. This is what works for me. 

[Bob Roller]

Water and WD 40 for me as well. I generally go back 2-3 days later and run another patch or 2 down the bore, always seem to get a little more grunge out. If I am not going to be shooting again anytime soon, I grease the bore with RIG. Here in Florida, things can rust on you in a hurry. Little Joe, when I go to Friendship, my lips crack from the dry air compared to home! 

Problem is you are not treating the cracked lips correctly. Rub them down with chicken $#@* (it will not help) but you will  never lick them forever, which will let them heal.

Joe, we use a slightly different method down here in Florida but it seems to work. We use alligator $#@*. By the time you finish wrestling with one to collect your lip balm, you forget you had cracked lips. Also has the advantage of not leaving unsightly white residue like chicken $#@*. The ladies seem to like that better. At least until you try to steal a smooch.
Seriously though, some of the worst humidity and heat I ever saw in the Air Force outside of Southeast Asia was in central Illinois. It didn't even cool down or get less humid at night. Plus, the air conditioning up there was not really adequate for really hot weather.
As an aside on this subject, I tend to keep my rifles in my shop in hard cases. I find that keeping them inside in the air conditioning then taking them out side makes them sweat to the point that condensation can cause problems either with surface rusting or dampening powder. Of course, since they normally are taken outside to shoot, normal cleaning would address the rusting issues. Same goes for my shooting glasses. They tend to fog up so bad, especially in the early morning when the humidity is so high, shooting can be almost impossible.

My grandfather told me that chicken $#@* was a cure for kids biting their finger nails.Never thought of it
as lip balm.

Bob Roller

[David R. Pennington]

I always clean in the field with water and oil wih bear oil. A couple drops of 10w oil for the lock.
 We used to do the fishing thing with all the latest gadgets, sonar, bass boat, boxes of lures. One day I realized I had MUCH more enjoyment wading the small streams in solitude (nobody else fishes them) with one rod and a few lures in my pocket and catching lots of smaller fish instead of the race to get the biggest one.

[Daryl]

Yep, water and WD-40. Been working fine for me since the mid 1970s.

yes- my method - water from the cold water tap, then dry, then flush with WD40, then re-patch, wipe her down, reassemble and store.  This works very well in fairly dry climates. If I lived on the coast, or South Western Ontario, I would use a better rust preventive than WD40.

[Stonedog]

I cannot agree more.

Really hot water and bore butter.

No problems since I bought my first T/C Whitetail Hunter in 1996!