Had a strange experience today at our local trap shooting match. I mentioned that I had devils own time getting plastic out of my barrel from a practice we had the week before and finally ended up using acetone. None of them appeared to worry about this, though some guys said they did clean their shotguns after a match or practice none of them appeared to worry about plastic. Several guys said they hardly ever cleaned their shotguns and two guys even showed me their shotguns. They were apparently telling the truth. What's the deal with this? I've heard this argument applied to 22's but didn't think I would hear it in relation to shotguns. Is it important to clean after each match/practice? Fred
Cleaning Shotgun or Not
- Thread starter BCFred
- Start date
- Location
- Ft. Mac. Alberta
I clean my guns EVERY time I shoot them!
Fred, chokes can get constricted in some guns after very few firings, due to the plastic and fouling build up.
There are some good plastic cleaners on the market, the one I use is from Ballistic products, but shooter's choice also makes one.
if you clean them regularly ( the only type of gun I use a bore snake on)
You will have no problems, but if you do leave them without cleaning , you may have a time of it, like you experienced!
As far as not cleaning .22's, I asked a Canadian champion at the nat's about that once, because one of the expert class shooters said he never cleaned his.
The Master class shooter's response was " Yup, and how many times have you seen **** win a grand agg?"
I was tought to clean when the accuracy fell of or if it was raining or damp, whichever came first.
Cat
Fred, chokes can get constricted in some guns after very few firings, due to the plastic and fouling build up.
There are some good plastic cleaners on the market, the one I use is from Ballistic products, but shooter's choice also makes one.
if you clean them regularly ( the only type of gun I use a bore snake on)
You will have no problems, but if you do leave them without cleaning , you may have a time of it, like you experienced!
As far as not cleaning .22's, I asked a Canadian champion at the nat's about that once, because one of the expert class shooters said he never cleaned his.
The Master class shooter's response was " Yup, and how many times have you seen **** win a grand agg?"
I was tought to clean when the accuracy fell of or if it was raining or damp, whichever came first.
Cat
I clean my guns EVERY time I shoot them!
Fred, chokes can get constricted in some guns after very few firings, due to the plastic and fouling build up.
There are some good plastic cleaners on the market, the one I use is from Ballistic products, but shooter's choice also makes one.
if you clean them regularly ( the only type of gun I use a bore snake on)
You will have no problems, but if you do leave them without cleaning , you may have a time of it, like you experienced!
As far as not cleaning .22's, I asked a Canadian champion at the nat's about that once, because one of the expert class shooters said he never cleaned his.
The Master class shooter's response was " Yup, and how many times have you seen **** win a grand agg?"
I was tought to clean when the accuracy fell of or if it was raining or damp, whichever came first.
Cat
Much appreciate these comments CITH and I'm more comfortable with your approach. Fact is I had some trouble removing one of the chokes from the shotgun when I wanted to try skeet (sometimes the club members shoot a match after trap practice). The trouble was due to just what you describe CITH. Now I take out the chokes while cleaning and do the threads on the chokes and in the gun with a toothbrush. I have been using Ed's Red, but will be looking for another cleaner now. There have also been some suggested in other posts. The 22 argument is interesting too and, while I don't clean the bore on mine all that often, I do take your point. Have noticed over the years that accuracy will fall off sometimes and is usually due to build up in the first part of the barrel. I have to use a mild abrasive to clean it out. Was told about this by a very fine Canadian shooter (likely the guy that won the aggegrate
). He told me to push a 22 slug through the barrel and pay attention to how it feels and was he ever right! You can imagine the feeling I had putting an abrasive in my match grade barrel for the first time
. Cheers fred
- Location
- Ft. Mac. Alberta
Chokes get neglected more than some of us realize!
I asked a buddy the other day if he lubed his choke tubes and he said he didn't need to because he never took them out!
Well, out the Kroil!
it took a few soakings to get them out, but I finally did.
it's amazing what a little moly paste or lithium based grease will do to prevent this, but they must be taken out regulalry to prevent seizing, for sure!
Anyway, the 22 story happened in 1968 at the Nats, so it was a long time ago, but it was a lesson not forgotten!
Cat
I asked a buddy the other day if he lubed his choke tubes and he said he didn't need to because he never took them out!
Well, out the Kroil!
it took a few soakings to get them out, but I finally did.
it's amazing what a little moly paste or lithium based grease will do to prevent this, but they must be taken out regulalry to prevent seizing, for sure!
Anyway, the 22 story happened in 1968 at the Nats, so it was a long time ago, but it was a lesson not forgotten!
Cat
I don't clean my shotguns very often. I try and keep the receiver free of dirt and grit every time I shoot, but I don't clean the barrels very often.
If it rains, then all bets are off and the receiver gets a cleaning/drying/lubrication.
I get to the barrels when there is some plastic buildup and I'll usually give a quick brush to clean up old powder residue before a competition.
Brad.
If it rains, then all bets are off and the receiver gets a cleaning/drying/lubrication.
I get to the barrels when there is some plastic buildup and I'll usually give a quick brush to clean up old powder residue before a competition.
Brad.
I don't compete, so I rarely clean my shotgun barrels... it's not like accuracy is going to drop substantially... it's a scatter gun
I do, however, keep the chamber/trigger group/receiver clean and lubricated at all times, and as mentioned above if the shotgun gets wet I clean/dry/lube the entire thing
I do, however, keep the chamber/trigger group/receiver clean and lubricated at all times, and as mentioned above if the shotgun gets wet I clean/dry/lube the entire thing
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beretta boy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Orillia, Ontario
The outside metal work gets a wipe-off with an oily cloth (usually G96) every time the gun gets used and put away.
The O/U gets a thorough cleaning, bores, chokes ( yes, plastic build-up removed ) extractors removed, cleaned & relubricated every quarter ... the auto-loaders, a thorough cleaning about every 2500 rounds or so. The SxS gets the same treatment, but is shot a lot less, so generally a twice a year ... before the "nice weather clays" and after waterfowl season.
If any get wet, then a thorough drying & cleaning is in order.
Top Gun's "Wads-Out" and the "Ed's Red" home made formulae both work very well as bore cleaner/powder solvent, plastic de-bonder & light lubricant.
I find G96 to be a good exterior protectant, and not as "greasy" as Breakfree. For hinge pins, etc., I genrally use either a high pressure graphite/grease Beretta sells - or STOS.
A 20mm phosphor bronze canon brush on a 3/8 rod works wonders on the barrels and I like the old Payne-Glaway style chamber brushes Pro-Shot sells for chambers. For agressive cleaning, either can go on a 3/8 drill, or out comes the Foredom (like a heavy duty Dremel)
The O/U gets a thorough cleaning, bores, chokes ( yes, plastic build-up removed ) extractors removed, cleaned & relubricated every quarter ... the auto-loaders, a thorough cleaning about every 2500 rounds or so. The SxS gets the same treatment, but is shot a lot less, so generally a twice a year ... before the "nice weather clays" and after waterfowl season.
If any get wet, then a thorough drying & cleaning is in order.
Top Gun's "Wads-Out" and the "Ed's Red" home made formulae both work very well as bore cleaner/powder solvent, plastic de-bonder & light lubricant.
I find G96 to be a good exterior protectant, and not as "greasy" as Breakfree. For hinge pins, etc., I genrally use either a high pressure graphite/grease Beretta sells - or STOS.
A 20mm phosphor bronze canon brush on a 3/8 rod works wonders on the barrels and I like the old Payne-Glaway style chamber brushes Pro-Shot sells for chambers. For agressive cleaning, either can go on a 3/8 drill, or out comes the Foredom (like a heavy duty Dremel)
The plastic build up is dependent on the type of powder and make of wads. A very hot propellent like black powder will leave long strings of plastic in the bore after only a few shots. I used to get some strings of the gooey mess that were well over a foot in length when loading black powder and plastic wads.
X2 on G96, have used it forever, and on cleaning after wetting. It is a Citori over and under I am using. My Ed's Red is homemade formula like you say, but it didn't seem to touch the plastic in the bore this time. There was a Fiocchi spreader wad in quite a few of the rounds I shot this time out (skeet), which is different from previous outings. No idea what a "Payne-Glaway" style chamber brush is. I'll see if I can find Pro-Shot site. Haven't got the drill out yet. This was the first time I've been tempted
, so far. I was originally using a bristle brush for cleaning but this session led to getting out the bronze brushes...scrub, scrub, scrub... Forgot to grease the hinge pins. Haven't even considered removing the extractors...maybe have a look when I go back to the shop to grease the pins. Good news is that I actually won my first shoot off at the trap match. Shot and lost all day (had a few seconds though...very good for me) then on the very last match 3 of us tied. It took a box of shells (plus or minus a couple, not completely sure) to decide it. I won $10 because they had run out of meat
. Made a double at skeet on my first time out too... Sometimes life is soooo good. fred
- Location
- Ft. Mac. Alberta
I never mentioned soap and water as many smokeless shooters cringe when one mentions using water to clean a gun.
One of the trap clubs in town offered 2 free rounds or 1 round with ammo supplied as a way to get new shooters. I took the 2 rounds so I could get a chance to surprise the instructor. My ammo was loaded with black. I was at station four so the game went something like
Pull... Bang,
Pull...Bang,
Pull...Bang,
Pull...BOOM! "What the Hell was that, everybody okay?" as a cloud of smoke hung in the air.
One of the trap clubs in town offered 2 free rounds or 1 round with ammo supplied as a way to get new shooters. I took the 2 rounds so I could get a chance to surprise the instructor. My ammo was loaded with black. I was at station four so the game went something like
Pull... Bang,
Pull...Bang,
Pull...Bang,
Pull...BOOM! "What the Hell was that, everybody okay?" as a cloud of smoke hung in the air.
- Location
- Ft. Mac. Alberta
Bin thar, dun that!!
It is especially fun when you loan your gun to someone and slip one into their shell bag!!
Cat
I know this has to do with rifles, but I had a great memory just now of a silhouette match I was at years ago. A guy was on the far left with a muzzle loader and there just happened to be a light breeze moving left to right. Barrooom! The whole line stopped shooting as this large, fluffy cloud moved slowly down the line...good days...
I try to clean them after every time out. Unless I just go hunting and don't take more than a couple of shots. Every 400-500 shots I like to take the reciever apart and give everything a good cleaning and oiling. For some reason I really enjoy taking my guns apart.
beretta boy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Orillia, Ontario
I liberally soak the barrel with Ed's Red and fully submerge the choke tubes ..
No, the plastic wad build-up doesn't just "disappear", but the solution seems to debond it from the metal & the canon brush just rips it out in chunks.
No, the plastic wad build-up doesn't just "disappear", but the solution seems to debond it from the metal & the canon brush just rips it out in chunks.
Haven't given up on Ed's Red yet. (I made such a large batch that I keep looking around for things to do with it
). Have already tried letting the barrel sit after soaking with some success, but still wasn't satisfied. Think I might try letting it sit and repeating the soaking from time to time. So far, acetone seems to raise the plastic best. Problem with acetone, apart from the fumes and it being a carcinogen, of course, is how quickly it evaporates. One has to be careful to get it in the barrel quickly and I don't imagine it stays there long. Would rather work with something else. fred
MauserMike
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- SW Ontario
Acetone is not a carcinogen.
For gosh sakes! It looks like acetone doesn't cause cancer when applied to animal skins and is not listed as a carcinogen. It does cause kidney damage, liver damage, nerve damage, birth defects and lowered ability to reproduce in males...all in animals, according to my brief survey. So, it is something to be very careful with. It also irritates various systems in the body, but it is unknown whether long term breathing or swallowing of acetone will cause cancer in humans.
I know where I got the impression it was a carcinogen and why I have treated it as such. It was in a lab I studied in many years ago where I was told it was a carcinogen and to work with it in a fume hood and wear rubber gloves. Should have checked my facts. Sorry if I misled anyone. I still wouldn't take the chance myself as not known doesn't mean doesn't. Still...
