Barrel cleaning at lever action without damage to muzzle

02 September 2021, 16:39

I have several Winchester model 95s and a 1886. I'm skeptical of cleaning the barrel from the muzzle. I Leary of un-necessary wear and tear on the crown.
Is there some sort of funnel like protector?
Any suggestion sure would be appreciated.

02 September 2021, 19:24

dpcd

How much are you cleaning them? Normal cleaning with any rod, will not hurt them. Steel rods are actually the safest; won't pick up grit. But if you are real concerned, remove the bolt. I use the plastic coated rods with the red handles; forgot the brand. I never try to get barrels free of everything; remove the carbon and any heavy copper, shouldn't be any. A light copper wash is fine. Like an iron frying pan, I never want the steel to be down to bare metal. I use RBC, then CLP. Now, if you are sitting there all day, frequently, pumping on it with an aluminum rod, eventually you will wear the muzzle. But that is not necessary.
Or use a pull through. Muzzle protector?

02 September 2021, 20:57

arkypete

quote:
Originally posted by dpcd:
How much are you cleaning them? Normal cleaning with any rod, will not hurt them. Steel rods are actually the safest; won't pick up grit. But if you are real concerned, remove the bolt. I use the plastic coated rods with the red handles; forgot the brand. I never try to get barrels free of everything; remove the carbon and any heavy copper, shouldn't be any. A light copper wash is fine. Like an iron frying pan, I never want the steel to be down to bare metal. I use RBC, then CLP. Now, if you are sitting there all day, frequently, pumping on it with an aluminum rod, eventually you will wear the muzzle. But that is not necessary.
Or use a pull through. Muzzle protector?

I use stainless rods. When, I'm testing loads I clean the barrel between firing test lots of 10 rounds.
Prior to starting each testing session the barrel gets a dry patch run down.
When testing I'll fire 50 to 100 rounds of cast bullets.

.

03 September 2021, 03:41

dpcd

I have owned a lot of 95s and 86s; never found a need for that much testing or cleaning.
I can rebarrel them when they wear out.

03 September 2021, 06:18

Michael Robinson

Use Wipe Out. Even for bad fouling, a couple of applications and a half dozen swipes is all you will need. But you will not be able to use it at the range.

03 September 2021, 16:02

arkypete

quote:
Originally posted by dpcd:
I have owned a lot of 95s and 86s; never found a need for that much testing or cleaning.
I can rebarrel them when they wear out.

With 5 or 6 different cast bullet molds molds to tinker with using IMR 4064, IMR 3031, and IMR 4895 I see a fall and winter of testing a head.
I don't have the ability to replace nor the desire waste a barrel if there is a way to prevent it. Thank you for your reply.

03 September 2021, 18:20

cgbach

I make bore guides for most of my rifles and handguns that have to be cleaned from the front. I use scraps of delrin or hdpe. They slip over the muzzle and keep the cleaning rod centered. They are not very hard to make.
C.G.B.

03 September 2021, 18:53

arkypete

quote:
Originally posted by cgbach:
I make bore guides for most of my rifles and handguns that have to be cleaned from the front. I use scraps of delrin or hdpe. They slip over the muzzle and keep the cleaning rod centered. They are not very hard to make.
C.G.B.

Most excellent, thank you.

03 September 2021, 23:53

gwahir

Bore snake.

05 September 2021, 05:11

crshelton

Buy take downs:

Most of my Winchesters are take downs.
My 1886,1895, 1892, 22pump, 22auto, 22 mag lever gun, double rifles, double shotguns, etc are take down.

05 September 2021, 15:56

arkypete

My 1886 is a take down. Couldn't find any take downs in 95s when I was buying.

05 September 2021, 17:38

Labman

Here's what I use.

https://www.midwayusa.com/prod...934135808?pid=194393

05 September 2021, 19:51

arkypete

quote:
Originally posted by Labman:
Here's what I use.

https://www.midwayusa.com/prod...934135808?pid=194393

Thank you! As I get older I'm become more bum fuzzled, I become.. Have one in the PVC pipe that the cleaning rods ride in to the range.

05 September 2021, 22:10

crshelton

Labman,
Yep, I have a couple of those too.

06 September 2021, 08:47

Use Enough Gun

Good advice, all!

06 September 2021, 15:48

arkypete

quote:
Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
Good advice, all!

Can't agree more. Thank you to all.

07 September 2021, 23:14

MARK H. YOUNG

As to the lever actions and Wipe Out be very careful not to get any and I mean any in the action. Ask me how I know...........

Mark

MARK H. YOUNG
MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES
7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110
Office 702-848-1693
Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED
E-mail markttc@msn.com
Website: myexclusiveadventures.com
Skype: markhyhunter
Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716

14 September 2021, 14:44

p dog shooter

I use by levers for hunting. My 99 savage gets the most work.

Over the decades I have owned it I would bet I haven't fired 100 rounds trough it.

I run a patch trough it before season fire a couple of rounds to check zero. Then go kill a couple of critters

Then before it is put away I run a brush, some hoppes and then a oiled patch.

Put back it back in the safe.

I would guess that is what happens to most hunting rifles.

I have plenty of other rifles to shoot for fun and practice.

Except for my varmint and target guns none of them get shot a lot.

19 September 2021, 04:04

Paul Reed

Take a 12 or 20 gauge (depending on your barrel diameter) fired case and drill out (after depriming) the flash hole with a drill that is sized to your cleaning rod. Drill the hole in progressively larger steps otherwise, the drill bit will catch and destroy the case. You can hold the case in your hand this way if you increase drill size. Once the hole is drilled, slice the plastic case longitudally in the appropriate way to allow it to slip over the muzzle and with the front sight in the slot you cut.

24 September 2021, 19:48

buckeyeshooter

quote:
Originally posted by crshelton:
Buy take downs:

Most of my Winchesters are take downs.
My 1886,1895, 1892, 22pump, 22auto, 22 mag lever gun, double rifles, double shotguns, etc are take down.

I have several takedowns too, they certainly make clean up easy.

27 September 2021, 07:14

TCLouis

labman
Have one of those on every rod including my SS muzzle loader range rods.
I see no one mentioned bore snakes, what is the general opinion on them.

I sometimes drag one through the bore several times when changing loads shooting cast lead projies.

27 September 2021, 08:21

SlamFire

Been using bore guides on Garands, M1a's, Marlin lever actions for decades. Learn to keep the bore guide in the muzzle. I have detected no muzzle damage above the normal wear due to muzzle blast.

Barrel muzzles do wear due to the blast of hot powder upon bullet exit. Match service rifle shooters have throat gauges, and muzzle gauges. Barrels wear is often described in TE and ME.

10 October 2021, 04:42

Atkinson

Most reloading supply businesses have a brass funnel type protector for the crown..MY approach to lever guns, and most guns is the bore snake...the best thing since white sliced bread...

28 January 2022, 21:43

Atkinson

they make a brass funnel to clean from the bore with, but Ive found if you use thumb and finger on the crown to guide the rod, you will avoid wear of the crown..simple and effective..Yes only SS rods but again use a boresnake is the best of worlds.