shoughton Posted July 12, 2010 Report Share Posted July 12, 2010 (edited) I have always used fibre cartridges - most grounds mandate them and in general I feel they are better for the environment. My gun cleaning has got beyond a joke though - typically spending 45 mins+ cleaning the gun after shooting 150 cartridges on clays! Our Hatsan Escort gun cleans easier - but my Lanber O/U seems to get in such a mess just past the chambers - I end up brushing/scrubbing with a bore cleaner to shift the fouling. The problem has been far worse in the hot weather - due to the fact, I think, that the barrels get SO hot. The debris from the cartridges seems to form a very strong bond which once cooled is tough to shift. I have tried different cartridges - instead of using Eley Firsts, English Sporter etc I went up to Eley VIPs to see if that made a difference. It didn't. On Friday I tried Eley VIPs but plastic wad. After 150 cartridges all I needed was twice through with a brush, twice with patches and the barrels were perfectly clean. So - it's fibre cartirdges and heat that are responsible for the cleaning nightmare I have with my Lanber. From now on I'll be using plastic whenever I can! Fortunately at The Fennes, Braintree where I do most of my clays - plastic wads are permitted. Just thought it worth sharing this experience - although maybe this is a known fact anyway? I've only been shooting with the shotgun for 18 months so it's all part of the learning curve for me! Interested to hear any other views/experiences on the different cleaning requirements after shooting fibre/plastic. Steve Edited July 12, 2010 by shoughton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted July 12, 2010 Report Share Posted July 12, 2010 Is it really necessary to be so meticulous after each time you shoot Not doing any real harm is it. I just pull a boresnake thru mine and give them the full works every now and again. I shot four different guns yesterday and I'd still be cleaning them now if I followed your regime :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoughton Posted July 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2010 Is it really necessary to be so meticulous after each time you shoot :blink: Not doing any real harm is it. I just pull a boresnake thru mine and give them the full works every now and again. I shot four different guns yesterday and I'd still be cleaning them now if I followed your regime That's all quite subjective and down to personal choice at the end of the day. I always fully clean my barrels after shooting. With all respect I've no desire to present arguements to convince you to clean your guns more! What I was more interested in was the comparasion in ease of cleaning between plastic and fibre wadded cartridges. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeker Posted July 12, 2010 Report Share Posted July 12, 2010 Have you tried one of the gun cleaner bore foams or solvents , Napier or Hoppes etc? The biggest hassle with a 28 and certain makes of cartridge is the plaswad ... ! now I let the solvents do the work - it wipes out but looks .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted July 12, 2010 Report Share Posted July 12, 2010 I agree about the difference. I have shot D and J cartridges - plastic wads - okay - not dirty. I have shot D and J fibre wads and will never use them again - not even as a freebie. The deposits took forever to clean - very stubborn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poontang Posted July 12, 2010 Report Share Posted July 12, 2010 I avoid fibre if at all possible. Filthy things!! Love a bit of plastic me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest topshot_2k Posted July 12, 2010 Report Share Posted July 12, 2010 i find plastic leave deposits which are really hard to shift, fibre looks dirtier when you look up the barrel but is easier to shift. I tend to soak the inside barrels with a strong cleaner then push a brush through it a few times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoughton Posted July 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2010 (edited) i find plastic leave deposits which are really hard to shift, fibre looks dirtier when you look up the barrel but is easier to shift. I tend to soak the inside barrels with a strong cleaner then push a brush through it a few times. I suspect that the effects may be different with different guns - possibly due to tiny differences in the size of the bore just past the chamber. The Lanber may be slightly tighter? Pushing a brush through a few times would be fine - but I have to scrub, and scrub, and scrub ....... With plastic it was fine! Edited July 13, 2010 by shoughton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apache Posted July 12, 2010 Report Share Posted July 12, 2010 I have a Beretta Silver Pig III and I always use fibre carts, Ely Firsts are the dirtiest cartridges I use. Makes me sad because they are what I can buy the cheapest. Hull CompX easiest to clean up after I have found. Other makes sit somewhere in the spectrum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M4X Posted July 13, 2010 Report Share Posted July 13, 2010 i find plastic leave deposits which are really hard to shift, fibre looks dirtier when you look up the barrel but is easier to shift. I tend to soak the inside barrels with a strong cleaner then push a brush through it a few times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad93 Posted July 14, 2010 Report Share Posted July 14, 2010 Using some cheap RC2 competition in size 6 plastic wad and they are seriously dirty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted July 14, 2010 Report Share Posted July 14, 2010 (edited) Its rare for me to have much trouble with dirty cartridges ( I mainly use RIO and Eley HB ). I tend to use plas wads as my gun patterns better with them. They are safe in the environment and quickly bio degrade. This is despite what some people beleve , none of the farmers I know have any worries about plas wads and i have never first hand heard of any livestock picking them up and having any problems. And over the years i have shot over fields with all sorts of livestock , cattle , sheep , horses and pigs. Edited July 14, 2010 by anser2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoughton Posted July 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2010 Thanks for the responses. It certainly seems that cartridges leave differing levels of mess in differing guns. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.