I've noticed that there is no way that I can clean my rifle at the range without getting some solvent on my hands, and consequently, my nice finished wooden stocks. This is especially true during barrel break in, when I'm cleaning and brushing between every shot.

I use Butch's for break in, and just wipe it off with a dry rag followed by a silicon rag. Am I ruining my stock finish?

I will often form the patch down over the spear point jag. Then I apply the solvent with one of those polyethylene pipettes. This can be done with precision so it does not get on my hands.
The pipettes are about $3 for 10 and they last forever and are easy to keep clean. If I do get a little on my fingers I use a ratty but clean bath towel to wipe my hands on.

Search Amazon.com for "Sinclair Precision Stock Boot Stock Protector".
It's about $20 will shield your stock from chemicals.

Or throw an old bath towel over it.
Set,
Sinclair has a $7.95 shipping charge to add to the purchase
I recently bought a RCBS shell holder and a jag for a 22 cal. Dewey rod from Sinclair and got charged $7.95 shipping for 2 items that didn't weigh more than a couple ounces.

Stepchild

quote:

Originally posted by GAHUNTER:
I've noticed that there is no way that I can clean my rifle at the range without getting some solvent on my hands, and consequently, my nice finished wooden stocks. This is especially true during barrel break in, when I'm cleaning and brushing between every shot.

I use Butch's for break in, and just wipe it off with a dry rag followed by a silicon rag. Am I ruining my stock finish?

I know a lot of people believe in breaking in the barrel, i'm not one of them.
I have a safe full of rifles, several with after market barrels. Shilen,Hart,Douglas, Montana Rifle Co just to drop a few names and NONE of them were treated to the barrel break in and all shoot extremely well. I think it's a waste of time. I have a Shilen stainless match barrel chambered in 22/250 Ackley that went from zero to 4,000fps on the 1st shot, imagine that.

Stepchild

Stepchild

quote:

Originally posted by stepchild 2:
Set,
Sinclair has a $7.95 shipping charge to add to the purchase
I recently bought a RCBS shell holder and a jag for a 22 cal. Dewey rod from Sinclair and got charged $7.95 shipping for 2 items that didn't weigh more than a couple ounces.

Stepchild

Stepchild, if you would search Amazon as I said you would see that it ships for free.

quote:

Originally posted by SET:

quote:

Originally posted by stepchild 2:
Set,
Sinclair has a $7.95 shipping charge to add to the purchase
I recently bought a RCBS shell holder and a jag for a 22 cal. Dewey rod from Sinclair and got charged $7.95 shipping for 2 items that didn't weigh more than a couple ounces.

Stepchild

Stepchild, if you would search Amazon as I said you would see that it ships for free.

I'm so ashamed!

I asked this question because I have just ruined the finish on a stock during break-in I used one of those bore guides with the "rapid" feature where you use a pipette to wet your patch in the guide's patch chamber before pushing it through. This supposedly keeps you from dripping on the stock.

Of course, they didn't take into account that it's very easy to overfill this area and drip on the stock. I didn't notice it until it was too late.

Oh well. I just refinished this stock in the spring. Might as well do it again. You can rest assured that when I refinish it, it will not be cleaned without protection again!

quote:

Originally posted by GAHUNTER:
I've noticed that there is no way that I can clean my rifle at the range without getting some solvent on my hands, and consequently, my nice finished wooden stocks. This is especially true during barrel break in, when I'm cleaning and brushing between every shot.

I use Butch's for break in, and just wipe it off with a dry rag followed by a silicon rag. Am I ruining my stock finish?

I'd say you are using WAY too much solvent. Me, I barely wet a patch (already stabbed on jag) or brush and the occasional drip can be quickly swabbed off with a patch. Use a patch at the bore guide/cleaning rod juncture as you make passes. Assume cleaning cradle use or Tipton gun vise there. Otherwise, drape a towel piece over the stock...

Has anyone tried Carnauba wax as a hard finish for gun stocks?

I know it is a hard top finish ans it is not an "in the wood" finish like oil finish.

I am just wondering if I should put that on top an oil finish or not.

Wax is OK as long as you don't have checkering

It's better (to me) to just learn it only takes a drop or two of solvent

Keep some rags or "wet wipes" to clean your hands

It depends on what type of finish you have on the stock.I have factory rifles with stock finnishes that were never damaged with anything I used.Custom rifles with hand rubbed oil finnishes are another story.You don't need to spill liquid on the stock.A used patch with tough copper solvent is enough to damage the finnish if it were to come in contact...same said for the stock coming into contact with a little solvent stain on the cleaning mat or bench.The best thing would be to take your time cleaning your rifle..something I have a hard time doing.

Yes, it was a stock I had refinished myself with a Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil finish. I have since re-sanded it and am into my fourth round of oil application. I usually apply about 10 coats over two weeks.

Thing is, when I sanded, the drip marks were well into the wood itself, I liked to never got enough of the surface off to make the stain go away.

I promise you, when I'm finished, there will be a car floor mat hung over the butt stock before any solvent goes into the barrel!

The good thing about double rifles is that you can remove the barrels and not worry about the stock.

On most of my rifles the barrels come off.

Doubles, Drillings, Blasers...

Usually the stock is in the other room...

I only have synthetic stocks. No problems with my cleaning regime.

I don't use anything that will damage the stock if it gets on it for a minute or a two. If I get a little on the wood I am quick to wipe it off.

Firstly use an old towel as already suggested.

Secondly use a bore guide and get the jag with patch into action before using the dropper to drip solvent on the patch.

Thirdly add solvent from the muzzle end.

Fourthly push the patch out and change to a nylon brush from the bore end.

Finally - when you get home use Wipeout Patch out with Accelerator & alternate with Carburetor cleaner to remove layers of carbon & copper fouling.

Depends on the gun, most of my hunting rifles don't get babied to death or get more than an ocassional pass of a lighly oiled brush on a bore snake..

But I do take a fired case on CERTAIN guns such as my custom rifles drill out the primer hole of the rifle case and glass in a section of 12 inch or there abouts aluminum arrow pushed to the inside of the cartridge neck, bingo you got your problem solved.. Stick that rascal into the chamber from the rear of the action..put a towel over the stock, stick a patch on a rod and insert it into the arrow shaft and swab the bore, it also centers the patch and the neck of the case protects the throat..You don't get stuff on your hands or on the gun this way..sometimes I get really fancy and cut a slot in the arrow shaft, then run the dry patch to the slot, oil it and then run it through the bore..You can buy such stuff, but cheaper to just make most of that stuff yourself. The arrow shaft can even extend beyond the butt is you wish..or just use a bore snake at the range with just a tad of oil on the wire portion of the snake..Using too much oil is another reason it spills over on your wood, it only need be damp to do its job..

Put some plastic over that stock before you put the old towel on. Solvents can soak through the towel and hurt your stock. I went to the Sinclair boot to put on the stock to prevent this. The boot has a non-penetrating inside surface to protect the stock.

How about using Saran Wrap or other food storage film. You could test it with your solvents to see if it holds up before using. Another option if you can't find any food storage wrap that holds up to solvent is plastic film wrapping used in shipping.

Sinclair stock boot.

My wife makes mine. Drape a piece of thin cardboard over the butt stock so that it covers all the way down front to back. It is rectangular, or tapered to match the stock. Go to the fabric store, and buy a yard of the quilted material, like they make oven mitts out of, and the same amount of soft cloth. I got her to sew the two pieces together with a piece of the small bubble bubble wrap in the middle, and invert it so the cloth side is inside. The soft cloth, along with the bubble wrap and quited outside keeps scratches or dents from forming in the stock.

If you make it rectangular, you can sew the sides and end together, and just make it a slip on sleeve.

Yeah, I know buying one is easier, but $20 worth of the two types of cloth makes about a dozen.

I use the Sinclair stock boot along with bore guides from Mike Lucas. No problem so far. I did mess up a couple of stocks before I figured this out. Cheers. Chip.

If it's a bolt action why don't you just take the barrel and action out of the stock and put the stock in a safe location and clean away?

Then give everything a good wipe down with the oil of your choice when done and put it back into the stock?

quote:

Originally posted by Sniper:
If it's a bolt action why don't you just take the barrel and action out of the stock and put the stock in a safe location and clean away?

Then give everything a good wipe down with the oil of your choice when done and put it back into the stock?

In my case. I don't like pulling the action because I then have to sight in the rifle again, which kinda negates cleaning after sighting in.

Actually I have never worried about it, a little solvent on a custom stock bothers me not at all, my stocks get so beat up hunting that its a moot question..Then again I can always refinish a stock and I make my own...but those nicks and scratches and such all have good memories..Guess just a different approach to life and such stuff..I use them, I don't abuse them...

There are plenty of options available It depends on which why the stock goes. Call or put.