Help for newbe

[w1spurgeon]

My favorate gun is my 1885 Winchester low-wall in .32-20. Are modern loads in this caliber (Winchester, Remington) loaded with black powder?

I know Cabela's sells a .32-20 that states explicitly that it is GOEX, but I have been reluctant to try it. I just assumed that other modern loads I'm shooting are not black powder and therefore do not require any additional/different cleaning than I would give a modern rifle using a Boresnake.

If I shoot black powder loads, do I need to do extra cleaning to preserve the bore, which is currently in excellent shape? If so, what should I do?

Thanks for the help.

[mrkirker]

w1,
Everyone has a favorite technique for cleaning B/P.
I shoot Swiss B/P exclusively in a repro Henry. I just clean the "H%&&" out of it, using a black powder jell cleaner and a brass brush. I saturate the brush with jell cleaner (after placing a spent case in the breach to keep the gunk from getting in the action, which you probably might do with any gun) and 'scrub' the bore really good with the brush. Then, I run patches through it till it's clean. A light coating of Break-Free on a patch and I'm done.

I do the same with my (original) Smith Carbine, except I use Goex B/P in that application.

[armedandsafe]

Hot water and soap, followed by a good application of Ballistol. If you are shooting at the range, or more than an hour or two from cleaning, carry a coffee can with water and soap or Ballistol in it to drop the brass into. Clean the brass with liberal application of hot soapy water and dry it in the oven.

Oh, and the best hint of all? If you use the dishwasher for your brass, don't get caught.

Works well. I use BP reloads in my Cadet fairly often and find this works for me.

Pops

[Little Rooster]

I finding cleaning up after smokeless powder more a pain in the @$$ than Black Powder. .. I use the Big Lube(tm) bullet and a mix of Ballistol and water(aka Moose Milk) followed by a Bore snake from breech to muzzel.