Well I'm no Chemist although I did A level chemistry but I did ask a proper chemist about the conditions in a rifle barrel ie. combustion and the resultant products and effects, so don't shoot the messenger!
One of the products of combustion of a nitro powder is nitrogen monoxide, this on cooling is converted to nitrogen dioxide, the water formed in the oxidisation of ammonia condenses and absorbs some of the nitrogen dioxide to form Nitric acid.
Of course he may be wrong in which case I stand corrected.
One of the products of combustion of a nitro powder is nitrogen monoxide, this on cooling is converted to nitrogen dioxide, the water formed in the oxidisation of ammonia condenses and absorbs some of the nitrogen dioxide to form Nitric acid.
Of course he may be wrong in which case I stand corrected.
Barkingsnake
Well-Known Member
Apologies for the innacuracy. What I was trying to point out that the strength of the acid produced was comparable to that in a car battery, in actual fact I believe it can actually be stronger (60%).
Barkingsnake
Well-Known Member
Barkingsnake
Well-Known Member
I remember a mate being asked to help clean a keeper's 22 Hornet a few years back. It took him most of the day to get the copper out and the bore was like the surface of the moon.
When asked "How often did you clean the rifle?" the keeper responded just once and you did it...and the rifle must have been ten years old. It was a total mess...
I clean mine every time it's out and even if unfired I'll give it a wipe through in case of moisture getting in. For a single round, it'll be pretty quick: brush out with solvent to get the powder fouling out and patch out dry.
If I've "hammered" it on a range then a good brush out and some copper solvent if needed and patch out dry.
Here's a test: if you mates say "I clean mine once a year" then just ask yourself would you buy their rifle?
Brithunter
Well-Known Member
Well I believe I can top that 
when looking for a donor rifle for my project I recalled seeing an old BSA Majestic in F.A. Andersons several years back to phoned them on the off chance and yep it was still in the back. I was not THAT surprised as the stock had been sanded down to remove the chequering on the fore stock and there was a very neat hard wood piece spliced into the schnable tip to repair a split. The bore appeared to be very work with very shallow rifling visible.
A price was agreed and on a trip to visit old friends in the area it was picked up. On getting home I followed my usual procedure and striped the rifle down and gave it a quick clean. Then a test firing followed by a clean whilst it was still warm. Boy-oh-boy you should have seen the crud that came lose. As it showed potential despite what looked like a worn bore I set to over a week end to clean the bore of the fouling.
First the bore was scrubbed with a bronze brush soaked in P-H 009 which was allowed to sit in teh bore for at least 10 minutes then this was swabbed out. This was repeated three times then after a good swabbing out Forest bore foam was applied and left to work. And so it went on all through the week end into Monday. On Monday morning a full kettle of boiling water was poured down the bore using an old boiling out funnel and the bore cleaned with P-H 009 whilst it was still hot. I have found this often loosens up fouling.
The end result was a nice bright smooth, non pitted, bore with clearly defined rifling unlike when I picked it up. I doubt the bore had ever been cleaned with nitro solvent in it's entire life. The rifle shoots MOA or under now depending upon the load used.
Now the reason for using the P-H 009 which is Nitro Solvent then the Forest Bore foam is that the burnt on powder residue seals the copper fouling in under it. The fouling is laid down in layers and so must be treated as such the copper remover cannot work if it's not in contact witht eh copper fouling due to nitro powder fouling sealing it way.
I found a P-H Model 1000 in .243 that was fouled out, this time with moly fouling, it took two days to clean that muck out and the bore was pitted under it. It shot ok but was rejected as there were other issues found once the rifle was cleaned of the filth that covered it.
Now there is no way one of those damned bore snakes would have cleaned those bores
.
when looking for a donor rifle for my project I recalled seeing an old BSA Majestic in F.A. Andersons several years back to phoned them on the off chance and yep it was still in the back. I was not THAT surprised as the stock had been sanded down to remove the chequering on the fore stock and there was a very neat hard wood piece spliced into the schnable tip to repair a split. The bore appeared to be very work with very shallow rifling visible.A price was agreed and on a trip to visit old friends in the area it was picked up. On getting home I followed my usual procedure and striped the rifle down and gave it a quick clean. Then a test firing followed by a clean whilst it was still warm. Boy-oh-boy you should have seen the crud that came lose. As it showed potential despite what looked like a worn bore I set to over a week end to clean the bore of the fouling.
First the bore was scrubbed with a bronze brush soaked in P-H 009 which was allowed to sit in teh bore for at least 10 minutes then this was swabbed out. This was repeated three times then after a good swabbing out Forest bore foam was applied and left to work. And so it went on all through the week end into Monday. On Monday morning a full kettle of boiling water was poured down the bore using an old boiling out funnel and the bore cleaned with P-H 009 whilst it was still hot. I have found this often loosens up fouling.
The end result was a nice bright smooth, non pitted, bore with clearly defined rifling unlike when I picked it up. I doubt the bore had ever been cleaned with nitro solvent in it's entire life. The rifle shoots MOA or under now depending upon the load used.
Now the reason for using the P-H 009 which is Nitro Solvent then the Forest Bore foam is that the burnt on powder residue seals the copper fouling in under it. The fouling is laid down in layers and so must be treated as such the copper remover cannot work if it's not in contact witht eh copper fouling due to nitro powder fouling sealing it way.
I found a P-H Model 1000 in .243 that was fouled out, this time with moly fouling, it took two days to clean that muck out and the bore was pitted under it. It shot ok but was rejected as there were other issues found once the rifle was cleaned of the filth that covered it.
Now there is no way one of those damned bore snakes would have cleaned those bores
.I'm sure it's been said before, but I took someone on here's advice about finishing with a patch dipped in methylated spirit, then several dry patches afterwards - really does solve the problem of having to let the rifle settle down as mine now shoots on zero straigt after cleaning.
Re moderators - does WD40 really neutralise all the nasties in the moderator? I've had and seen a big puff of smoke out of mods (when a shot's let off) when this method is used!
Re moderators - does WD40 really neutralise all the nasties in the moderator? I've had and seen a big puff of smoke out of mods (when a shot's let off) when this method is used!
Barkingsnake
Well-Known Member
Blaser6.5x55
Active Member
Ok. Back to the original topic.
Saturday morning I had the rifle cleaning and zeroing session at Corinian. Well worth the trip and investment and I am totally happy that my rifle is clean and bang on.
I will be ordering the recommended cleaning equipment this week.
I was embarrassed to discover my scope was not correctly tightened (by my local dealer).
I would highly recommend this to any other novices.
Saturday morning I had the rifle cleaning and zeroing session at Corinian. Well worth the trip and investment and I am totally happy that my rifle is clean and bang on.
I will be ordering the recommended cleaning equipment this week.
I was embarrassed to discover my scope was not correctly tightened (by my local dealer).
I would highly recommend this to any other novices.
6.5
It was a pleasure to meet you. I'm glad you found the visit informative and useful despite the nay Sayers on the forum. Yours are not the first mounts/rings I have had to adjust and they certainly won't be the last - most gun dealers are only interested in taking your money rather than going the extra mile to set things up properly even when manufacturers provide a specification to do so. You have a fine rifle which will continue to shoot straight providing you do your small part.
Regards
HME
It was a pleasure to meet you. I'm glad you found the visit informative and useful despite the nay Sayers on the forum. Yours are not the first mounts/rings I have had to adjust and they certainly won't be the last - most gun dealers are only interested in taking your money rather than going the extra mile to set things up properly even when manufacturers provide a specification to do so. You have a fine rifle which will continue to shoot straight providing you do your small part.
Regards
HME
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