pillow ticking ?

[Irish Jack]

The alcohol dispaces moisture very fast in the barrel and breech. Soap and water was used in the old days. The guns were made with soft iorn barrels. Modern muzzle loaders are made from mostly 4140 high carbon gun steel. I would not clean my Sako .338 with soap and water.

[B.L.E.]

Originally Posted by Irish Jack

I would not clean my Sako .338 with soap and water.

I would, if I shot it with black powder loads or corrosive primers.

Smokeless powder fouling on the other hand is best removed with modern gun cleaning solvents.

[Irish Jack]

You would clean a high grade modern Sharps barrel with water?

[Hawg]

You would clean a high grade modern Sharps barrel with water?

If I shot bp out of it I wouldn't consider using anything else and if I had a high grade Sharp's I doubt I'd shoot anything but bp out of it. I wouldn't stop at the barrel tho. I'd break the receiver down and drop all the parts in a sink full of soapy water.

[Irish Jack]

Like you said. You don't own a high grade Sharps.

[Hawg]

Like you said. You don't own a high grade Sharps.

No need to be snide. I've dunked many a genuine Colt revolver and Colt 1911's in soapy water after shooting bp. Oh and a 1926 3rd model S&W made in 1930 I could probably swap for a NIB high grade Sharp's if I so wanted and an M1 carbine. So just because I don't have a high grade Sharp's don't think I wouldn't.
It may not be a high grade Sharp's but a high grade Sharp's will clean exactly the same in water as this one.

[JT-AR-MG42]

You don't own a high grade Sharps

Don't know if mine are 'high grade'(I did not have them engraved),
but they were both custom order (the highest grade American and French walnut
available from them with high polish blueing)
Shilohs when I got them in 1989.

You would clean a high grade modern Sharps barrel with water?

I only shoot BP through them and use nothing but wso for cleaning.
Then get them nice and dry before lubing the bore and surfaces.

I am sure the recipe mentioned in an earlier post works.
I just don't have the need for it (or the hot soapy water for all that matter).
But since they're my guns, it's my problem, or lack thereof.

My Sako is a .222 Magnum and I've never bothered to try black in it.
I've never cared for having to swab between shots.
.32 cal is my personal cut off point for BPCR.
The (1 in 10"?) 338 would be a challenge for me as well.

JT

[Irish Jack]

Hawg no need to be "Snide"? You are correct.

[B.L.E.]

I use soapy water and usually skip the hot part. Sometimes I just use water. Most all acids, salts, and bases are highly water soluble and what water leaves behind is most likely not going to rust your barrel.

I have stopped using heat to dry the parts after observing flash rust occurring in freshly honed engine cylinders as they dried after washing them with soap and hot water. So I started spraying water displacing lube on them while still wet. No more flash rusting.
So now, when I clean the bore of a gun, after the soapy water and rinse, I spray water displacing oil in the bore while the bore is still wet and then wipe dry with patches followed by a coating of RIG for long term storage.
Sometimes, just to make sure all the water evaporates, I'll hook an air hose to the nipple and use an aquarium air pump to purge the barrel for a couple of days.

[Hawg]

Maybe I'll go load up some bp cartridges for my Weatherby Mark V Deluxe so I can say I cleaned it with water.

[Erno86]

For matches with my Thompson Hawken, Green Mountain round ball barrel in 50 caliber --- I use thin white flannel cotton linen, that I buy at a clothing store.
I cut the patch with out scissors, then I give the patch a squirt of Simple Green Solution; before ramming the patch & ball down the pipe.