Scraper on a flat breech face

[Marcruger]

Hi Guys,  I recall from a little while back about folks saying they don't use a breech face scraper. 

Well, I do use one. 

The first thing down my bore at the end of a flinter shooting session is the scraper on the end of the rod.  The photo shows what I poured out of my barrel after running the scraper on the breech face.  That's a cheap, large patch the debris is resting on. 

My thought is, it's easy enough to do.  I won't have to flush or patch that stuff out of the barrel in the cleaning process. 

Another cleaning tip I learned from an older gentleman friend is to always run an oiled patch or two (sometimes more) down the bore the day AFTER shooting and cleaning.  Almost invariably I get a little orange on the patch the next day.  My friend allowed that it is most likely residual moisture that we never quite get all out the day of cleaning.  Once I hit it the day after with oil, my bores stay pristine. 

Lest you think I am missing some fouling in my cleaning the day of shooting, that's not the case.  I never stop until I get totally clean patches out of the bore.  Then I oil well. 

Just some tip I thought might come in useful to someone.  Best wishes and God Bless,   Marc

[rmatt]

I do exactly the same thing.

[Marcruger]

I was made aware that  some folks are not familiar with one of these scrapers.  They basically screw on your rod just like a jag.  Track of the Wolf is where I purchased mine, and they are called "Fouling Scrapers for breech cleaning" on their website.  There's a photo below.
 

Just slide the scraper on the rod down the barrel, and rotate the rod clockwise (so as not to unscrew it) while pressing down.  The scraper is brass, so it won't hurt anything.  After you feel the resistance to turning lessen and smooth out, remove the rod, tip the gun muzzle down, and lightly bump the breech area with your hand.  The hard grunge pieces will fall right out. 

I hope this is helpful.  One last tip, I put some grease on the scraper threads before screwing it onto the rod.  As the motion of scraping tightens the scraper onto the rod, the grease helps it pop loose easier when done. 

[P.W.Berkuta]

I was made aware that  some folks are not familiar with one of these scrapers.  They basically screw on your rod just like a jag.  Track of the Wolf is where I purchased mine, and they are called "Fouling Scrapers for breech cleaning" on their website.  There's a photo below.
 

Just slide the scraper on the rod down the barrel, and rotate the rod clockwise (so as not to unscrew it) while pressing down.  The scraper is brass, so it won't hurt anything.  After you feel the resistance to turning lessen and smooth out, remove the rod, tip the gun muzzle down, and lightly bump the breech area with your hand.  The hard grunge pieces will fall right out. 

I hope this is helpful.  One last tip, I put some grease on the scraper threads before screwing it onto the rod.  As the motion of scraping tightens the scraper onto the rod, the grease helps it pop loose easier when done. 

I do the same -- and I ALWAYS follow up in two or three days with a quick wipe of the bore with a coarse cloth patch or two that have been lightly oiled.

[hanshi]

I usually use a scraper before doing anything else to the bore.  But I've never gotten that amount of crud from scraping the bore.  After cleaning I usually re- "oil" the bore a time or two over the next few days.

[Hungry Horse]

Somebody gave me one of those scrapers years ago. I tried it a few times, and got nothing out of the barrel, so I gave it away. This is another gizmo, for the collectors of gizmos.

  Hungry Horse

[Bill Raby]

I use one of these things. I put a few drops of water down the barrel and let it soak for a minute first. It really gets a lot of dirt out of there.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I clean with water, not brass.

[EC121]

I use a breech face brush and water to clean the face.  Plug the hole with a greased toothpick and spin the brush.  The scraper will work OK, but I like the scouring of the brush bristles.  Then I dump the dirty water and wipe the breech with a patch over the brush.   

[WadePatton]

I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but tow on a worm keeps my breechplug shiny (I polished it near mirror when putting the thing together). Have yet to ever need a scraper.   

I'm ridin' the short bus with HH. 

[wattlebuster]

Water tow worm an tow for me an the plug face stays shiny

[thecapgunkid]

The problem always seems to be lots of fouling down by the breech.  All I am doing now is working with that hose and clamp thingy that fits over the touch hole where the opposite end of the hose goes into an empty can of Folgers with just plain water in it.

I run a wet patch almost to the fouling and then pump.  Lift the end of the hose out of the water and set it back in and I empty that barrel every time.

I like the idea of the absence of metal on metal when cleaning the gun.

Run a dry patch down to the breechplug, lift the hose out of the water and dry/wd40/dry/oil and take a look next day or two.

I find my cleaning time is a lot shorter and more thorough.

Don't shoot yore eye out, kid

The Capgun Kid