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Airgun barrel cleaning ..... 50+ patches and it's still dirty !

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ANGLIAUSA
(@angliausa)
California
Joined: 7 years ago
Posts: 70
Topic starter  

Either I am doing something wrong or my barrel is beyond dirty - 12 ft lb STEYR LG100 AZ tuned ....barley twist .177 barrel ...

I have used multiple products, WD40, GOO GONE, Goof Off, JB Bore Paste and multiple dry patches ....

And my barrel is still dirty ... what the heck is going on .... some kind of cruel joke ? 

Accuracy seems to be back on par .. with JSB 7.9's or 8.4's but if I pulled another patch it would look like I just shot 500+ filthy pellets ... 

IMG 9916
IMG 9914

thoughts ?

 


   
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Shutik
(@shutik)
Connecticut
Joined: 7 years ago
Posts: 122
 

Are you pulling patches with muzzle break on? If so, maybe they pick up dirt from muzzle break?


   
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awilde
(@awilde)
Tennessee
Joined: 7 years ago
Posts: 414
 

Dunno what to say, you might need to start doing the dirty diabolo dance and sacrifice a rubber chicken at that rate boss.

That being said I had a similar experience on the very last 1/4" or so of my mrodair airmax 2 pistol and ended up being the muzzle break as Shutik suggested (at least I assume that's what the little section on the end of the barrel was with all the vent holes drilled into it leading into the shroud) where a bunch of crud and various cleaning goo had been seeping through.


   
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ANGLIAUSA
(@angliausa)
California
Joined: 7 years ago
Posts: 70
Topic starter  

I'm cleaning the Barrel only  with a pull through ... air stripper is removed. Trying with Hoppes Bore cleaner now ... 20 wet patches and they are still coming out black ....

I am at a loss ... 

tonight I will make an offering to the airgun gods .... not sure what yet ... 😉

 


   
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(@mildot-52)
New York
Joined: 7 years ago
Posts: 30
 

 

I would never ever push or pull  a rod 50 or more times down a barrel on such an expensive rifle be scared to damage the rifling. hope you are using that crown saver patch puller. unless the rifle was inaccurate which I doubt why all the cleaning?  like others said it must be lead accumulating in the break. did the rifle shoot accurate before cleaning?


   
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ANGLIAUSA
(@angliausa)
California
Joined: 7 years ago
Posts: 70
Topic starter  

NO brass brushes, no rods, just a bore pull through and soft cotton or paper patches designed for air rifles. Accuracy went from 1/2" at 55 yds to 3" at 55 yds .. hence the deep clean. FPS is 780 with 7.9's with a 5ft lbs spread over 50 shots so the regulator is just fine. No sign of clipping and I am only cleaning the barrel.  It's seriously BIZZARE .... 

Accuracy is finally back to normal .. but according to my 'black' patches the barrel is still dirty ....


   
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nervoustrigger
(@nervoustrigger)
Mississippi
Joined: 7 years ago
Posts: 292
 

Well, you reminded me of an experience a few years ago where it took 61 patches with Goo-gone to clean one of my barrels.  

Shortly thereafter I gave it about 100 progressive strokes with J-B bore paste and bore brite, and  now clean strictly with Kroil and it never takes more than 10 patches.


   
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ANGLIAUSA
(@angliausa)
California
Joined: 7 years ago
Posts: 70
Topic starter  

OK well I am glad somebody else has had a similar experience ... I've never tried KROIL .. time to buy and try... me thinks. Thanx for the reply.


   
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Limbshaker
(@limbshaker)
Alabama
Joined: 7 years ago
Posts: 228
 

Id run a brass brush down it, on an Otis pull through, wetted with Hoppe's. If you want it clean of lead residue, then use something that will get it out. I've done it on some guns that I bought that had very neglected (fouled) barrels, and after getting the crud out, they shot great from then on. I gave up after so many patches just as you did. Two or three strokes with a brass brush and then a few dry patches and that was that. 

None of my guns have ever had a barrel soft enough that brass would scratch it. Because they were all made from steel.  ? I'd have to assume that Steyr uses steel in their barrels too, and for the money they charge it should be some pretty good steel at that.  ? 

 

 

 


   
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(@hector_j_medina_g)
Maryland
Moderator
Joined: 7 years ago
Posts: 1298
 

One of the reasons why Steyr barrels are easily removeable is to be able to get them clean every now and then.

Mark where the barrel is located. Remove the barrel and all muzzle end accessories. Use a good quality CF rod with proper fitting bronze brushes and get the solids out. Then use JB Bore paste, or Corbin bore cleaner, in a mop. Make sure that the mop never leaves completely the bore. Use a rod stop for that.

If the barrel was shot at High Power with Premiers (antimony laced), you will probably have to go through at least 100 patches interspersed in five 10 stroke sessions of the mop to get down to bare metal.

Once you get there, you will need to establish which lube is the barrel's preferred lube and then use it.

Steyr hammerforged barrels can be extremely accurate, and they are made of really good steel but, in general, the better the steel, the worse relationship there is with high antimonium pellets.

After cleaning the barrel, take the time to also clean the muzzle end accessories, specially the closed ones.

HTH

 

 

HM


   
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ANGLIAUSA
(@angliausa)
California
Joined: 7 years ago
Posts: 70
Topic starter  

Thank you Hector .... 'Mr. Airgun Guru !' You are always a wealth of information.  I was scared of using a brass or bronze brush for fear of damaging the barrel - but I'll give it a go. Cheers JB


   
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dan_house
(@dan_house)
Montana
Joined: 7 years ago
Posts: 147
 
Posted by: Hector J Medina G

you will need to establish which lube is the barrel's preferred lube and then use it.

HM

ok, gonna admit my ignorance here..... how do you figure that out? lube then shoot a tin or two, then scrub the "old" lube out and repeat with a different product?   Or am I over thinking it?

 


   
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(@mildot-52)
New York
Joined: 7 years ago
Posts: 30
 
Posted by: Limbshaker

Id run a brass brush down it, on an Otis pull through, wetted with Hoppe's. If you want it clean of lead residue, then use something that will get it out. I've done it on some guns that I bought that had very neglected (fouled) barrels, and after getting the crud out, they shot great from then on. I gave up after so many patches just as you did. Two or three strokes with a brass brush and then a few dry patches and that was that. 

None of my guns have ever had a barrel soft enough that brass would scratch it. Because they were all made from steel.  ? I'd have to assume that Steyr uses steel in their barrels too, and for the money they charge it should be some pretty good steel at that.  ? 

 

 

 

I remember a guy that owned a major barrel company one of the famous ones said he loves metal rods JB bore paste and brash brushes. he said it keeps him in business. he also mentioned more target 22 RF's were ruined from cleaning then not cleaning


   
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nervoustrigger
(@nervoustrigger)
Mississippi
Joined: 7 years ago
Posts: 292
 

Dan, most any lube will have a substantially positive effect on extending cleaning intervals as well as making it easier to clean when the time comes. However sometimes a lube will have an adverse effect on groups so I suspect Hector was leaving some room for experimentation to find something that works well for you.

You can find all sorts of recommendations for specific products but from what I’ve seen, the lube that seems to have the widest acceptance for troublesome barrels that tend to cake up quickly with lead, particularly tight chokes, is FP-10. A little goes a long way. For example, you don’t want so much that it will pool up in the skirts and potentially skew the axial balance.

For general purpose use, I like a dry wax like Krytox or White Lightning (bicycle chain wax). Most of its volume is a solvent carrier that evaporates so it’s fairly forgiving if you use too much. It just leaves behind a very thin film of wax on the surface. And it doesn’t leave an oily residue on my fingers so I appreciate that.

Or Whiscombe Honey might be of interest if you use a springer. Its claimed not to detonate but I don’t have any first hand experience with it myself.


   
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