[Dizos]

Hello,

I'm a new owner of a Win Super X2. I have owned many rifles and handguns but this is my first shotgun. I have put about 100 shells through it. Is the inside of the barrel supposed to keep a mirror finish when clean? To my dread I am noticing a great number of scratches -- looks like they are from the shot itself. Is something terribly wrong?

-- Jeff

[Nippy]

Hi, I have a 11-87 and when I am done cleaning it I can usually see if there is any crud left in the barrel. I don't notice any deep scratches but I can see that my barrel has been shot thru. Are your scratches really deep?

How do you like the Super X2?

[Dave McCracken]

My guess is they aren't scratches, just a bit of fouling not removed. A little elbow grease, a good brass bristle brush and Hoppe's 9 should fix.

Congrats on that X2, fine shotgun...

[sm]

Welcome to THR Dizos.

SX2, great gun. I'm not one to ask about cleaning--I'm the bad boy of the bunch. See I have the SX1, I'd easily go 750 -1k rds before I cleaned it. After a bit it all looked the same inside the bbl, scratches--what scratches?

Ok, now Dave is gonna scold me and send to the back of the class--as usual.

[Dave McCracken]

73, no scolding, but you'll stay after class and write 100 times on the blackboard...

"Take care of your guns and they'll take care of you"....

[sm]

NO chalk:D Goody- can I pull for you guys instead?

I DID take care of everything else,(lubrication...action, trigger, gas system, even pipe cleaned the ports when needed between cleanings...sometimes ) Its just the darn thing would run, and there was practice and tourneys...and..and...

oh brother, you reaaaalllly don't want to know how many rds a SX1 will run before it totally quits. I won't even mention the 870, I'd never get away from the blackboard...

FWIW it's in a safe all sparkly clean and glistening, even the chokes. New "O" ring, recoil pad all clean. Someday it'll get the stock refinished...don't want to push it...besides, I worked hard at giving it 'character". ;)

Here comes the scolding...I ran a bit over 6 k rds in one month before the 'O' ring gave out...ducking

[HSMITH]

Jeff, if you were shooting Win SuperSpeed, or Rem Dove and Quail or some other low rent ammo the scratches are actually lead tracks from the pellets rubbing the bore. They are rubbing the bore becuase the cheap wads used in those shotshells don't work well at all.

The 100 pack of Federals at walmart and the Remington Gun Club are the only "promo" level shells that I have shot that are made with any quality......

BTW, after 3000+ rounds of steel shot through my X2 there are definately some scratches in the bore. It will NOT hurt anything, or affect performance. Keep shooting and don't sweat the small stuff.

73, my X2 has gone over 7 THOUSAND rounds with only a squirt of oil every 500-1000:what: LOL, I finally cleaned it because I got dirty when I picked the thing up:scrutiny: I wanted to know if it would shoot dirty and the test extended a couple months longer than I thought it would. My 870 never made it that long, but I never gave it the shot of oil either....... My 1100 will go over 1000, my BGH 20 will go over 2500.........

[sm]

HSMITH...Nice to know I'll have company writing on the blackboard:D Quick, hide the chalk...before Dave reads this...

Good advice on the loads and leading , I agree, and add only if one is building up Hulls to reload, buy shells that can be( partial to AA myself, or the STS).

See I read Brister's comment in his book, that in his testing the SX1 was the most reliable of the semi's at that time, being a fan...well you understand, I just had to see.

The 870 , was sooo loose and all ...but like you I was surprised, It didn't go but shy of 4k...oh what's the dealie one the left side of the receiver that is staked in place, it cracked and the trigger broke. This 870 was old and well worn when I bought it, I rode it hard and put it up wet, you might say. Rebuilt -used some, then sold to be used as a HD gun only.

[BigG]

Prolly plastic wad fouling. Gun scrubber will lift that crap right off the mirror bright steel.

[Dizos]

Great stuff. Thanks guys. I'll have another go at it tonight to see if I can scrub off those marks. I have a 12ga brass brush but was a little reluctant to use it too hard. Any suggestions on a good cleaning rod? I've been using my 1 piece .30 rifle rod with the 12ga attachments (patch holder, brass brush). I could also use advice on a good online source for shells.

Nippy - I love my SX2. I don't have a lot of comparitive experience and I certainly haven't given it the longevity test yet, but she sure is fun to shoot. I love how it feeds the shells. Very easy to control. However, I need to spend some time learning how to handle a shotgun -- I'm still shooting it like a rifle.

-- Jeff

[Dave McCracken]

Old thread, Cleaning 101, might be of help,Jeff.

73 and H, I'll find you plenty of chalk. You're setting bad examples(G)....

[Mike Irwin]

Either lead smears, or just as likely, plastic smears from the wads.

[blackhawk2000]

Wow what a coincedence I was just about to ask the same thing. At first I panicked and thought I scratched it with the cleaning rod. Then I got to thinking and figured I would have scratched it by now, so why marks all of a sudden. Then it dawned on me. My last shooting session was about 20-30 3"-2 1/2" full power slugs (all I could handle). That made me think the barrel got hotter than normal, and melted a good amount of plastic. Either that or lead streaks. I normally just shoot a couple hundred rounds of light target stuff whilst shooting at hand thrown clays.