Gun cleaning: Newbie question

[mrdale]

I am a new gun owner, and have been learning as i go how to clean my nova. My problem is, no matter how many patches, I run through the barrel, I can't seem to get it clean. here is what I do, mabe you can tell me what I am doing wrong.

1. Patch with solvent
2. copper brush
3. patch till clean (this hasn't happened) 20+ patches
4. oil
5. patches till clean

- I have tried w/ and w/o the choke, thoroughly cleaning the threads. I noticed a gap an inch or two in the barrel, in front of where the shell sits, and I am thinking, its a build up there. Haven't tried going at it with a toothbrush, and some solvent yet. Im asking first, to see what you guys do.

[adriaticum]

Do you leave your solvent for 10-15 minutes to start to break down the buildup?
Don't assume because the patches are "somewhat" dirty that the barrel isn't clean.
If you use too much solvent and leave it for too long and use the brush too much you might start to take the barrel steel off which will be different colour.
It's important to see the colour of the dirt.
There are many good videos on youtube that can help you with this.


8541 Tactical
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5_vO2Donhg


NSSF

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WRO17sk_dI

[Foxton Gundogs]

I think you are over thinking it I shoot a LOT during waterfowl season I dry it wipe it down with an oily rag run a pull thru, thru the barrel and it's good to go. If I hunt salt or at the end of the season I strip it down run a brush with solvent and a couple of patches down the barrel, degrease it with dish soap and warm water, spray down with WD40 to displace any water dry, wipe the WD 40 off and lube with Kleen Slip. My 1947 Mod. 12 has lived its life in the salt and fresh duck marshes thru 3 generations of waterfowl hunters and it still looks and works very well. My Xtrema 2s and Super X never let me down and show no corrosion. Treat your Nova well but don't be anal about it, it will last you a lifetime. Have fun out there

[jeff341]

I have been told that WD40 is not a good solvent/lubricant to use. My understanding is that is reacts with the powder residue and just turns into a glue like mess over time. Anyone else heard this?

341

[Foxton Gundogs]

There are all kinds of dos and don't but If you notice in my post I said I use it to displace water then wipe it off and then lube. I do not use it as a lube but rather to displace water.

[eaglesnester]

What type of solvent are U using? Most all of the stuff sold on the market that is gun cleaning solvent is just so much snake oil and does nothing. There are a couple of very good cleaners to use. My cleaner of choice is WipeOut with accelerator.
WipeOut works slow but it works and it works good. It will remove crazed on carbon, copper and lead fouling. It is so good at removing copper that U can not use a copper brush or jag as it will eat it up and turn your cleaning patches blue. (blue color tells U that U still have copper in your bore) U do not need to use a nylon brush or any form of aggressive cleaning on your bore, which your bore will thank U for. Just wet a clean patch with accelerator, run it down the bore from the action end (remove bolt) if on a rifle or break open the action on a shotgun. If it is an auto shooter clean from the muzzle end. and then run a patch wet with WipeOut down the bore. Allow to soak for a couple of hours. Run a clean dry patch down the bore and it will come out black, brown, and blue. Carbon and copper fouling. Do this procedure again. I like to let my rifle bore set over night wet with WipeOut. Continue this process until your patch comes out looking like it went in. The other good solvents on the market are Bore Tech Eliminator, and KG 1, KG2 , KG3 and KG4 from KG industries out of Tyler Texas. These solvents are not commonly available in Canada if at all. I had to special order from the US. There is also a KG12 which was developed for the US military to use on big bore guns and on naval battery.

[eaglesnester]

I have been told that WD40 is not a good solvent/lubricant to use. My understanding is that is reacts with the powder residue and just turns into a glue like mess over time. Anyone else heard this?

341WD40 does nothing to clean your bore, it will however help to keep moisture away from the surface of the inside of your bore. I use it in my 52 caliber Hawken cap locks and flint lock just for that purpose after cleaning.

[brian]

WD-40 is mostly solvent mixed with a smaller amount of oil amongst other ingredients. I use it as a penetrating oil to help break up stuck parts and as a degreaser on my bikes but it's pretty useless as a rust preventative or as a lubricant. I don't think it would help much in clearing out bore fouling unless it was somehow grease or oil fouling. Wipeout is my preferred cleaner, it works like a hot damn, just watch the old wood stock finishes with it.

[cgizen]

I like the KG line of cleaners, like mentioned above, it does a really good job. I'm not sure where you are located but if your in the okanagan, grouse river carries the KG line.

[Foxton Gundogs]

WD-40 is mostly solvent mixed with a smaller amount of oil amongst other ingredients. I use it as a penetrating oil to help break up stuck parts and as a degreaser on my bikes but it's pretty useless as a rust preventative or as a lubricant. I don't think it would help much in clearing out bore fouling unless it was somehow grease or oil fouling. Wipeout is my preferred cleaner, it works like a hot damn, just watch the old wood stock finishes with it.

WD40s purpose when developed was as a water displacement agent, hence the name W(ater) D(isplacement) 40(th formula tried). I have used for that purpose on my Model 12 vintage 1947, my father first got it in the late 50s from a friend who lived in the US and started using it then. it has never hurt the wood finish in all those years. That old gun still looks good and works perfectly

[cgizen]

I am a new gun owner, and have been learning as i go how to clean my nova. My problem is, no matter how many patches, I run through the barrel, I can't seem to get it clean. here is what I do, mabe you can tell me what I am doing wrong.

1. Patch with solvent
2. copper brush
3. patch till clean (this hasn't happened) 20+ patches
4. oil
5. patches till clean

- I have tried w/ and w/o the choke, thoroughly cleaning the threads. I noticed a gap an inch or two in the barrel, in front of where the shell sits, and I am thinking, its a build up there. Haven't tried going at it with a toothbrush, and some solvent yet. Im asking first, to see what you guys do.


Might be a dumb question but, in step 3 are you using dry patches? If not you should be using dry patches. Also in step 5, now I may be wrong on this but, I run an oil patch through the barrel then only one or two dry to get excess oil out. The idea is not to get all the oil out of the barrel, just not have an excess of oil.

[brian]

WD40s purpose when developed was as a water displacement agent, hence the name W(ater) D(isplacement) 40(th formula tried). I have used for that purpose on my Model 12 vintage 1947, my father first got it in the late 50s from a friend who lived in the US and started using it then. it has never hurt the wood finish in all those years. That old gun still looks good and works perfectly

Nah its Wipeout that can strip the finish right off, which is ironically how I came about refinishing my first gun stock.

My main experience with WD-40 is with bikes. I've always used better lubes after using it to degrease. But now that you mention it, a bore is not exposed to the same kind of mechanical strain as a bikes drive train is so it would have a completely different oiling needs (obviously). So now I am curious whether WD-40 is good for rifle bores? You got me thinking... which is usually a bad thing according to the women in my life.

[Waynewjw]

Wipe Out. Foam the barrel, forget about it for 2 hours or 24 hours depends on build up, run a patch thru. If it's blue, still copper, if it's black still lead, foam again. When it comes out white, all done. Not brushes, pushing, pulling.

[BgBlkDg]

I like Butchs Boreshine for most cleaning and will use Sweets on some fouled bores, VERY carefully, as it can etch a bore if left too long, I am told.

I have used many cleaners on the 150+ guns I have had since 1964 and most are OK, but, Butchs seems to work well and quickly.