Shotgun cleaning kits

[DirtyDeeds]

OK This is going to sound silly, but.....

 

How do you use these kits?

 

 

I have a Bisley one which comes with some linen 4x2's, a duster cloth, oil, bore cleaner, and a 3 piece rod on which screws a wooly 'tampon', a soft brass brush, and a plastic 'clothes peg'.

 

So, as I've said, I know it sounds silly, but for the un-initiated of us, what do you use to do what with (ie, when cleaning the barrels)?

 

Ta,

Steve

[alanlee]

How do you use these kits?

 

Firstly, I'd go and buy some proper cleaner/oil, and some 'shotgun patches'(these are just bits of rag, around 3"x1"), the oil spray is around £3, and the patches £2 for 25.

Spray the cleaner down the barrels, leave it for 5 minutes, then rub the brass brush up and down a few times.If you can see any residues still stuck on, repeat the process, though you may not be able to see as there is usually a black mess all over the barrel walls.

Now wrap a patch around the brass brush and rub that up and down (I've actually got a nylon brush for this - wrap the patch round it, and it goes up and down easier than the brass brush) . The barrels should now be spotless and shiny. If not, start again.

Once they are clean, spray some oil down the barrels and rub the wool brush up and down a couple of times to give the internals a fine coating of oil. If you have a multichoke, take out the chokes, give them a wipe, and wipe the internal thread, put on a drop of oil on the thread, then refit them.

Finally get a lightly oiled rag, and wipe over the exterior of the barrels.

A wipe over of the action metalwork with a lightly oiled rag is also a good thing, but try to keep the oil off of the wood, and dont overdo the oil.

Others do it differently, though the above works for me.

HTH

Alan.

[DirtyDeeds]

Thanks. As I said, a silly question, but my only previous experience was with .22 rifles. All I had then ('twas when I was in the ATC) was a rope pull through and a roll of 4x2 which I used to use as 4x1! A couple of pieces pulled through to clean the barrels, and then one pulled through to oil it!

 

The wooly mop and the brass brush are new to me. So if the wool mop is only used for applying the oil, I may just keep it oily and put it in one of those plastic coin bags from the banks to keep it clean.

 

Won't the brass brush score the barrels if used too often? I've noticed some very light scoring down the barrels of my shotty; a s/h 686. Is this caused by the shot, or from the brush?

[alanlee]

Won't the brass brush score the barrels if used too often? I've noticed some very light scoring down the barrels of my shotty; a s/h 686. Is this caused by the shot, or from the brush?

 

No, the brass wont damage the steel of the barrels - it is a lot softer than the steel, or maybe chrome coated barrel wall. Is it definitely scored? or maybe hasnt been cleaned properly? Sometimes I look at mine and see marks down it, thinking it is getting pitted, but it is just bits of muck/dust/oil sticking to the wall.Cheap cartridges can also cause a coating of lead to stick to the internal wall - I've had that on a .410 before, and it was a real pain to get it off.

It is hard to score a barrel, possibilities are grit stuck on cartridges, or maybe some 'dodgy' steel shells have been used, though the 686's are steel proofed anyway I think.

Alan.

[DirtyDeeds]

No, the brass wont damage the steel of the barrels - it is a lot softer than the steel, or maybe chrome coated barrel wall. Is it definitely scored? or maybe hasnt been cleaned properly? Sometimes I look at mine and see marks down it, thinking it is getting pitted, but it is just bits of muck/dust/oil sticking to the wall.Cheap cartridges can also cause a coating of lead to stick to the internal wall - I've had that on a .410 before, and it was a real pain to get it off.

It is hard to score a barrel, possibilities are grit stuck on cartridges, or maybe some 'dodgy' steel shells have been used, though the 686's are steel proofed anyway I think.

Alan.

 

Well, it does look like the barrels have minute surface scratches in them. But I'll give them another clean and see what happens. BTW, I'm not unduely worried about them, just curious.

 

Thanks.