Field Cleaning

[Lou Graham]

We camped (no more of that!) at the M-D Stampede, which means I had to clean guns without the comforts of my kitchen.  I was pretty paranoid about ooops-lost-a-screw-in-the-tall-grass so I laid out a towel on the folding camp table (I'm not camping anymore) and went to work.  I kept the small parts together and nobody vanished on me.  Once again, those bore snakes proved their worth.  Sure makes the job easier.  I can dance with bore snakes in the grass just as well as in the driveway at home.  All guns ran well throughout the match and the nice Snakebites my pard Mason made me worked great -- no more foolin' with the guns between stages and no more wild shots from the rifle 'cause it has fouled out.  My shotgun loads were disapointing.  I had to "swat" spent hulls most of the time.  I think the fiber wads are sweling up just a bit -- enough so the hulls have bulged and don't fall right out anymore.  I think I'll go back to plastic wads.  They're easier to clean up after and easier to load and they don't cause the hulls to stick.  That's my story.

Lou (always trying new things) Graham

[T.J. McSuds]

 The BoreSnake is the best thing since the invention of Black Powder.

  T.J. McSuds

[Cactus Cris]

Lou-Lou-Lou  I told ya to keep away from them fiber wads.  They DO swell the case enough so that they stick.  Plastic comes right out of a seasoned bore- Balistol left in bore.
    Will load ya up some BP shotgun for WR.  It will be "colorfull"

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[Cuts Crooked]

Great to hear about yer success Lou!

Wat hulls are ya usin' fer them scattergun shells? My scattergunz absolutely will NOT shuck anything but STS or AA hulls when I shoot BP! The "ribbed" hull designs are very bad about not squirting out of the chambers!!!

[Dick Dastardly]

Yup Lady Lou,

The Bore Serpants work great, and when not in use, coil up into a neat little package.  I was worried about tellin' the sizes till I noticed the dent in the brass fob at the end.  The caliber is stamped rite into that lil dent.  I have 'em in all the calibers that I shoot, even those I don't shoot Holy Black in. . .

The onlyist thing I use besides the Bore Snake is Ballsistol.  I mix it up one to seven and put it in a spritz bottle.  Spritz the bore and pull the snake thru and I'm all done.  A quick wipedown with a soft cotton cloth moistened with straight Ballistol completes the job in record time.

Shootn' "Mississippi Fandango" this weekend.  Silas McFee n' me will be runnin' all Genuine powder loads again.  We will  amaze our critics once again as we do our entire cleanup for all match guns in under 15 minutes.  I've won many a twelve pack on that.

Keep yer powder dry.

DD-DLoS

[Silver Creek Slim]

I don't clean my guns for a multi-day match until I get home. That way I won't lose part in the grass. I rarely clean me guns the same day I shoot them, sometimes two to three days after, depending on temp and humidity.

DD,
My "Mighty 10" is calling your name. 

Slim

[Russ T Chambers]

I don't clean my guns for a multi-day match until I get home. That way I won't lose part in the grass. I rarely clean me guns the same day I shoot them, sometimes two to three days after, depending on temp and humidity.

DD,
My "Mighty 10" is calling your name. 

Slim

A man after my own heart Slim
I don’t usually bother for a day or two after a shoot the clean up (sometimes longer).  Maybe a quick shot of ballistol to soften things up a bit.  Then, here in Nevada Territory, we don’t have the humidity you have to put up with.

[Qball]

Same here in sweden.
I usualy clean my guns the day before next shoot.
And i only shoot blackpowder, did i mention that

[Silver Creek Slim]

Same here in sweden.
I usualy clean my guns the day before next shoot.
And i only shoot blackpowder, did i mention that

That would be a month for me. 

Slim

[Sergeant Smokepole]

I don't clean my guns for a multi-day match until I get home. That way I won't lose part in the grass. I rarely clean me guns the same day I shoot them, sometimes two to three days after, depending on temp and humidity.

DD,
My "Mighty 10" is calling your name. 

Slim

A man after my own heart Slim
I don’t usually bother for a day or two after a shoot the clean up (sometimes longer).  Maybe a quick shot of ballistol to soften things up a bit.  Then, here in Nevada Territory, we don’t have the humidity you have to put up with.

nOW WE SEE HOW YOU GOT YOUR NAME................lol

[Qball]

Same here in sweden.
I usualy clean my guns the day before next shoot.
And i only shoot blackpowder, did i mention that

That would be a month for me. 

Slim

Try six months

[Lou Graham]

I buy Fiocchi hulls with primers already in them. Remember, I'm shooting 16 ga. in a 100 year old gun.  They worked great the first time.  I re-sized them as part of the reloading process and thought once-fired hulls would work fine.   Then, I decided to switch to fiber wads at the same time.  Bad idea to introduce 2 variables.  I know better.

I've reloaded  12 ga with once-fired hulls and it's never been a problem as long as I was careful about the brand (as some pards mentioned) Wonnerfull Hubby shoots the cheapest, crummy, smokeless ammo he can find in his pump, so I go through the bucket at the end of the shoot and pick out the nice hulls other pards that don't reload leave behind.

The plastic wads for 16 ga. are a PITA.  All of them are too big for Goex Cowboy, which does not smash down the way APP did.  I cut the little tulip thingy ends down (that's the PITA part) with scissors and I'm a little short on shot, more than 7/8 but less than the 1 oz. I would like.  It's all I can fit.  The load patterns great and takes over knockdowns -- guess that's all I need to do    There's not a lot of options for 16 ga.  I hope as it picks up in popularity with modern shooters, more stuff to reload will start to show up on the market.

I just can't bear to leave my guns dirty.  A heap of laundry or dirty dishes in the sink is OK, I've learned to live with that, but I have to clean the guns. 

[prs]

Lou!

I hope I didna lead you astray in using them lubed fiber wads.  Mine do not swell (remember I am stuffing a lubed 14ga  wad into a 16ga hull) that I have noticed and the hulls do throw out the back OK when I thrust the gun foreward.  The Fiocchi hulls are very thin and flexible and that may be your Huckelberry.  I have not loaded lubed fiber wads in them and my Mec press doe not like them much anyway.  I have done my fiber wad loading in ACTIV, Cheddite, and also BP Multi-Hulls.  If you use a plastic wid that fits Fiocchi and these other large internal diameter hulls, you may find harmony, but using an AA type wad in them may be a dirty mess with lots of melting and burning of plastic.

On the other matter, I recommend doing the cleaning at home and not worrying about the firearms being "dirty" -- they like being a bit grubby -- more authentic that way.  If yer using good lubes and such they ain't gonna rust fer quite a spell.

prs

[Lou Graham]

PRS, I been "led astary" before, but that's another topic 

Maybe smaller fiber wads would work, too, but they are VERY messy and  I'm not seeing any advantage in shot pattern or clean up -- which leaves me with the dubious distinction of being more "period correct" inside my plastic hull which seems kinda loopey.........  The Cheddite hulls don't shuck well in this old sister, tried them, too.  These old guns have such personalities, it's a matter of trial and error until you hit on the right combo.  I had something that worked and then I started trying to "improve" it.  I always learn stuff, even if it's just a reminder to leave well enough alone.