Barrel cleaning

D

digisol

Guest
The subject of cleaning competition rimfire barrels is well documented where many shooters will dry patch every 50 - 100 rounds and full clean only every 500 - 1,000 rounds as the full clean removes the wax from inside the barrel, needing substantial follow up sighters before the wax has been returned to the bore.

Is it possible that the use of a Lanolin based lubricant where it would allow a sufficient dry Lanolin coating to remain after a full clean negating the follow up rounds to re apply the lost internal wax coating.

Basically put I have used different Lanolin products on all sorts of mechanical components including the sears in my comp handguns and rifle bolts etc where it shows brilliant performance when compared to all other lubricants, never mind being a far superior general gun lubricant and moisture barrier against the overpriced gun oil which is no more than synthetic oil moved from other uses.

Lanolin based lubricants have proven to be far superior in all harsh conditions including those subject to full salt water immersion and including many acids, not unlike the chemical & carbon remnants left inside the actions and bolts from burnt smokeless powder.

So I put it to those who might be interested, would a Lanolin based lubricant be a useful bore conditioner for a competition rimfire, noting that I have used it with great results on all parts of my centerfire rifles and handguns including the bore with no adverse problems whatsoever, I do know the rimfire is a different creature and would like to hear any views on this.

Those who don't know, Lanolin comes naturally from the fleece of sheep.
 
The layer of lubricant or wax layed down by a rim fire bullet during each shot will be on the order of a few millionths (.000001) thick. After thousands of shots the layer could be on the order of a few hundred thousandths (.00001) thick. This is based on lube normally applied to bullets and the surface area this has to be spread over, and of course the ability of the bullet to bore interface to maintain this thickness. Powder, ash, carbon, and metal particles will be held by this film and very fine particles could be actually adsorbed into the film.

Larger particles are swept out with each shot so it's the fine stuff we try to clean from the bore. Unfortunately you can't get the fine particles out without also removing the lubricant. This is true regardless of the type of lubricant so it makes no difference whether it's petroleum based, whether it's animal based as is lanolin, or if it's a synthetic. In other words the applying, cleaning, and then reapplying the bore film that you chose to go through as you fire and clean your gun, is not influenced by the type of lubricant applied to the bullet.

We chose bullet lubricant based on how well it can provide a film that separates bullet from bore, how well it resists physical or chemical change over time, how well it resists handling, and how well it protects the bore from corrosion. If lanolin does this better than the other lubricants then it probably would be suitable as a bullet lubricant.
 
I do not "scrub" my barrel any more.It has zero use.But don't misunderstand me I clean after maximum 50 shots,mostly every card.

I use vfg felts with shooters' choise lead remover or boretech rimfire blend.Then I dry patch followed by a wet one with shooters' choice fp10.And then some dry ones untill clean.I don't use a rod but something like a patchworm.I made it from plastic trimmerwire.Zero possibility for damage compared to a rod.I pass it one time one way each wad.

Once in a while I "scrub" the beginning of the barrel a bit with wet ones,also with vfg.This is done with a vfg pistol rod and a boreguide.Then I clean as usual.

A month ago I used a brush to clean thoroughly,I have the annie a year now.So I thought it might be time.I used a new quality brush and the bore guide.Again I passed it one way.It removed a little more as with the vfg,but really not that much.It did take a lot of shots to have it regrouping as before.

Conclusion:regular cleaning with vfg works fine.It takes only about 3 shots to set the barrel,then I do my sighters and start the card.About 10 shots in total to warm me and the annie up.As someone suggested me in another topic,you brush scrub it really clean only to find out you need a thin layer you removed to have it shoot as before.

As fore ammo lube,there is difference.Eley has beeswax and is quite fouling.RWS R50 is more liquid and is smoother,and less fouling.
 
????????

Something said by a number of shooters......you need a thin layer you removed to have it shoot as before.

Lets see if I understand this: You clean whatever is in your barrel because you feel this was not allowing your gun to shoot properly. Then you must fire several shots to put the stuff back on the barrel so it will return to a proper level of shooting that, before you cleaned the barrel, you felt was improper.???
 
pacecil said:
Something said by a number of shooters......you need a thin layer you removed to have it shoot as before.

Lets see if I understand this: You clean whatever is in your barrel because you feel this was not allowing your gun to shoot properly. Then you must fire several shots to put the stuff back on the barrel so it will return to a proper level of shooting that, before you cleaned the barrel, you felt was improper.???
Click to expand...

I guess you'll have to shoot and clean yourself before you understand this.

Another way to put it: To get the bad stuff that builds up out of the barrel, you have to clean it in a way that also takes the good stuff out...then you have to shoot it until the good stuff builds up again. Then you will have it shooting optimum until the bad stuff builds up again.

The number of shots it takes to reach these points varies with different barrels and ammo and you just have to figure out the points for your barrel yourself.

Jim
 
I understand the principals fully, as some of their basics were repeated many times over from guys who win national and higher competitions so it was good advice.
Pretty simple that a complete clean/scrub should give you the same barrel you had cleaned just after you purchased, less it's wear from use, and no one should argue that.
It's without doubt that many simply dry patch their barrel and little else, but when people that are good enough to win major titles and then give up their own personal cleaning tips, the basics are all shown to be similar, no matter who they are.
If any person has never used lanolin-based products they are at a disadvantage right from the get go no matter who they are, and NO I don't sell the stuff.
But to clarify, after a full clean, lanolin is flushed through the bore of my c/f rifles then dry patched until clear, rest assured you are very unlikely to remove all the remaining lanolin compound which does give you a "thin" coating over the bare metal, the results are very good over doing normal bore cleaning, as to if rimfire would benefit, I would say very likely yes.
The fact that many do fully scrub at some time if only rarely, and then have to fire enough rounds to get back the accuracy, is likely due to friction and the point being that Lanolin is very slippery stuff and does indeed leave a coating after patching clean.
I can hear some say why bother, and fair enough, on sears or parts that have constant high rubbing stress it has no equal I have proved that, put simply high priced fancy gun oil can't compete for protection or lubrication.
 
Where can you get that stuff than?I never heard of it before.

fp10 is very slick too.Get some on your hands and after washing them with soap it still feels slippery.
 
IndianaJames said:
...
Another way to put it: To get the bad stuff that builds up out of the barrel, you have to clean it in a way that also takes the good stuff out...then you have to shoot it until the good stuff builds up again. Then you will have it shooting optimum until the bad stuff builds up again.
...
Jim
Click to expand...

Hey, I get it now! It's kind of like taking antibiotics and eating yogurt. The antibiotics kill all bacteria. Yogurt puts the good stuff back.
Makes perfect sense to me. :D

shoot well,
mako
 
just wondering if the "better" shooters tell you they scrub their barrel when they might only dry patch instead. a tournament fisherman who is catching his fish on a plastic worm might just tell you a buzz bait is really working-- any thoughts??

bill
 
Moly Bore

Sirs
About using, after cleaning a Moly Bore Treatment Paste in a bore and lanolin in all bullets, respect to accuracy.
Thanks in advance.
Bigatupa
 
This thread started ot to discuss two things; cleaning (bore) and lubricants (probably bullet lubricants and specifically, lanolin)).

As far as cleaning goes, as always, it breaks down into three groups: 1) Those who think it necessary to clean the bore down to bare metal every so often. 2) those who wipe barrel bore with a dry patch followed by perhaps an oily patch every so often. and 3) those who rarely, perhaps every several thousand rounds, clean by any method they think sufficient. I have known, and know of, national rim fire champions who have used any one of these methods with equal success.

Considering lanolin as lubricant, it has some properties that would make it desirable, but it also has some things against it. It is a wax and as such it has a low melting point. It is lower than some other waxes so that may be why it's not used much as bullet lubricant. Rim fires operate right around the melting point so you can never be sure whether you are lubricating with a solid or with a fluid. This could mean an inconsistency in friction and most bench resters, or anyone seeking accuracy, would stear clear of this. However other waxes are not that much different than lanolin so melting point may not be what makes manufacturers avoid lanolin. Lanolin comes from an animal so it's properties may vary as compared to say a synthetic so this may be why it's not chosen.
 
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