How do you clean your lever gun? - Page 2

jaysouth · January 14, 2018, 01:16 PM

When I get a new Marlin, I strip the wood from the metal. I then clean and degrease the metal with acetone. After heating with a heat gun, I apply johnson's paste wax. The excess is wiped off with a soft rag. The gun is waterproof for a year or two. Before the wood goes back on, I spray the inside of the stock with spar varnish or urethane.

If I am out in the rain, I use WD-40 and compressed air on the inside of the frame.

After cast bullet sessions, I drop the lever and bolt and clean from the breech. One of there makes that a lot easier: https://www.brownells.com/rifle-part...prod27019.aspx

gw44 · January 20, 2018, 05:31 PM

I hunt with a 99 savage, when I need to I remove the butt stock pull the bolt stop screw and get it a good cleaning, one thing you do not do is mess with the magazine on a 99 !!!

3Crows · January 21, 2018, 01:59 AM

I did a moly treatment on the barrel of my 45-70 SBL. I shoot only cast loads, now mostly home brew but some Buffalo Bore +P ride in the cuff for serious use. I pull a Bore Snake through it after a range session. As I said earlier, the rifle really stays clean and the bore shows little leading.

ms6852 · January 21, 2018, 02:12 AM

Normally I just use a bore snake than every 10th outing I do a field strip taking off the buttstock, lever, receiver bolt, etc. and the magazine to ensure that the spring is not rusted.

COSteve · January 21, 2018, 10:49 AM

After I run a boresnake down the barrel a few times, I remove the buttstock, hold the muzzle high, open the action, and spray both down the barrel and inside the action with brake cleaner. Then I follow it up with a healthy dose of high pressure air from my compressor; repeat if necessary. I've found that these 2 steps removes most if not all the powder residue, etc., from the action. Then I liberally re-oil the action before reattaching the stock and finally wiping down the entire outside with a rag with some light 3 in One oil on it.

ThomasT · January 22, 2018, 11:51 PM

Poster #26 jaysouth beat me to it. He does what I do. Good advice there. Plus I don’t hunt in the rain. We have way too many nice days here in TX to have to hunt in the rain. Besides, contrary to popular opinion I am made out of sugar and I do melt.

Big Shrek · January 29, 2018, 11:35 PM

I've got my Grandfather's 1952 Marlin 336RC Waffle-top.
When first received, tore it completely down, inspected, cleaned, and lubed.
He was a WW2 Jarhead, and kept his tools CLEAN & well-oiled.
It does have a slight cant to the sights...but it's a natural cant that helps line up the sights.
Added a new sling to it because the old leather one had rotted.

After every hunting trip it gets a field strip, clean with Q-tips & toothbrush.
Proper lube & oil where needed, and lovingly stored in a safe with a Goldenrod.

When I first got it, didn't expect it to be nearly as precise as it was...honestly thought
that lever-actions weren't supposed to shoot little cloverleaf groups, boy was I wrong!
If the shooter does their part, the Marlin 336RC will most certainly do its job!

Also had a Marlin 1895-SBL in .45-70 at the time, that I'd bought a few years before.
Ended up just using Grandpa's rifle most of the time...there's just a different feel when
you are out with His rifle, in His woods, walking down the trails He showed me...
those connections to the past become so much more important, the older you get!

Brian48 · January 30, 2018, 10:05 PM

I field stripped my Henry once. ONCE. Now I just blow it out with Gunscrubber and spray down the innards with Ballistol.

Barrel gets cleaned from muzzle to breech with rod and brush. Can't do it from the breech.

DMK · January 31, 2018, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Ended up just using Grandpa's rifle most of the time...there's just a different feel when
you are out with His rifle, in His woods, walking down the trails He showed me...
those connections to the past become so much more important, the older you get!

That's poetic!

It's nice that you can keep such a connection to your grandfather.

Bayou · January 31, 2018, 10:24 AM

I've got a Win 94 in 32 Win SPL and a Marlin 39A Golden Mountie by way of lever actions. I do not strip them. For cleaning, the usual procedure is used for the bore (Hoppe's followed by brush and patches followed by Kroil, brush and patches).

Other small nitch areas in the receiver get cleaned with Q-tips.

Bayou

Sure Shot Mc Gee · January 31, 2018, 01:17 PM

Have a Kleen Bore Supreme 1 pc stainless rod w/a muzzle guard. I prefer not to pull my rifles bolt and associated parts so to {just} clean a barrels bore. The only time I clean such Actions is shortly after their purchase. (complete tear down) There after. Very seldom to never.
With pre-model winchesters. (That's how tiny screws end up missing.) With Savage 99s its the rotary mag spring. If over tensioned ~~and broken. That will turn a dandy quick shooting 99 into a single shot only.

January 21, 2018, 02:12 AM	#29
ms6852 Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2010 Location: Texas Posts: 1,394	Normally I just use a bore snake than every 10th outing I do a field strip taking off the buttstock, lever, receiver bolt, etc. and the magazine to ensure that the spring is not rusted. __________________ ONLY TWO DEFINING FORCES HAVE GIVEN UP THEIR LIVES FOR YOU. ONE IS JESUS CHRIST FOR YOUR SOUL AND THE OTHER IS THE AMERICAN SOLDIER FOR YOUR FREEDOM.

January 29, 2018, 11:35 PM	#32
Big Shrek Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2009 Location: NorthWest Florida Posts: 1,358	I've got my Grandfather's 1952 Marlin 336RC Waffle-top. When first received, tore it completely down, inspected, cleaned, and lubed. He was a WW2 Jarhead, and kept his tools CLEAN & well-oiled. It does have a slight cant to the sights...but it's a natural cant that helps line up the sights. Added a new sling to it because the old leather one had rotted. After every hunting trip it gets a field strip, clean with Q-tips & toothbrush. Proper lube & oil where needed, and lovingly stored in a safe with a Goldenrod. When I first got it, didn't expect it to be nearly as precise as it was...honestly thought that lever-actions weren't supposed to shoot little cloverleaf groups, boy was I wrong! If the shooter does their part, the Marlin 336RC will most certainly do its job! Also had a Marlin 1895-SBL in .45-70 at the time, that I'd bought a few years before. Ended up just using Grandpa's rifle most of the time...there's just a different feel when you are out with His rifle, in His woods, walking down the trails He showed me... those connections to the past become so much more important, the older you get! __________________ Marlin Specialist Calico Specialist A gun should be a tool in the hands of a deadly weapon, not a deadly weapon in the hands of a tool.

January 30, 2018, 10:05 PM	#33
Brian48 Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2001 Location: Boston, People's Republic of MA Posts: 1,616	I field stripped my Henry once. ONCE. Now I just blow it out with Gunscrubber and spray down the innards with Ballistol. Barrel gets cleaned from muzzle to breech with rod and brush. Can't do it from the breech. __________________ Proud to have served.

January 31, 2018, 10:24 AM	#35
Bayou Senior Member Join Date: March 8, 2016 Location: SE Louisiana Posts: 300	I've got a Win 94 in 32 Win SPL and a Marlin 39A Golden Mountie by way of lever actions. I do not strip them. For cleaning, the usual procedure is used for the bore (Hoppe's followed by brush and patches followed by Kroil, brush and patches). Other small nitch areas in the receiver get cleaned with Q-tips. Bayou __________________ Bayou NRA Life Member "Keep Calm and Reload"

January 14, 2018, 01:16 PM	#26
jaysouth Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2001 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 787	When I get a new Marlin, I strip the wood from the metal. I then clean and degrease the metal with acetone. After heating with a heat gun, I apply johnson's paste wax. The excess is wiped off with a soft rag. The gun is waterproof for a year or two. Before the wood goes back on, I spray the inside of the stock with spar varnish or urethane. If I am out in the rain, I use WD-40 and compressed air on the inside of the frame. After cast bullet sessions, I drop the lever and bolt and clean from the breech. One of there makes that a lot easier: https://www.brownells.com/rifle-part...prod27019.aspx

January 20, 2018, 05:31 PM	#27
gw44 Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2015 Location: Michigan Posts: 311	I hunt with a 99 savage, when I need to I remove the butt stock pull the bolt stop screw and get it a good cleaning, one thing you do not do is mess with the magazine on a 99 !!!

January 21, 2018, 01:59 AM	#28
3Crows Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2017 Location: Wichita, Kansas Posts: 220	I did a moly treatment on the barrel of my 45-70 SBL. I shoot only cast loads, now mostly home brew but some Buffalo Bore +P ride in the cuff for serious use. I pull a Bore Snake through it after a range session. As I said earlier, the rifle really stays clean and the bore shows little leading.

January 21, 2018, 10:49 AM	#30
COSteve Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2009 Posts: 1,344	After I run a boresnake down the barrel a few times, I remove the buttstock, hold the muzzle high, open the action, and spray both down the barrel and inside the action with brake cleaner. Then I follow it up with a healthy dose of high pressure air from my compressor; repeat if necessary. I've found that these 2 steps removes most if not all the powder residue, etc., from the action. Then I liberally re-oil the action before reattaching the stock and finally wiping down the entire outside with a rag with some light 3 in One oil on it.

January 22, 2018, 11:51 PM	#31
ThomasT Senior Member Join Date: January 22, 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 2,753	Poster #26 jaysouth beat me to it. He does what I do. Good advice there. Plus I don’t hunt in the rain. We have way too many nice days here in TX to have to hunt in the rain. Besides, contrary to popular opinion I am made out of sugar and I do melt.

January 31, 2018, 01:17 PM	#36
Sure Shot Mc Gee Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,876	Have a Kleen Bore Supreme 1 pc stainless rod w/a muzzle guard. I prefer not to pull my rifles bolt and associated parts so to {just} clean a barrels bore. The only time I clean such Actions is shortly after their purchase. (complete tear down) There after. Very seldom to never. With pre-model winchesters. (That's how tiny screws end up missing.) With Savage 99s its the rotary mag spring. If over tensioned ~~and broken. That will turn a dandy quick shooting 99 into a single shot only.