Barrel plugs for CCW? keeping dirt/lint out

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Lee308

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I recently posted a short "range report" on another forum about carrying my KelTec P11 for 6 months, in all types of situations including loose in cargo pants pocket, thrown in back pack, tossed in car console, etc. Never cleaning or shooting. Pulled it at my last range trip, All 9 I had loaded went bang and on target. (yes, I went to the range more often, just did not shoot that pistol)

In the thread, I mention the barrel was full of lint. ( I did check for barrel for obstruction)

My question is, if I put a compressible type ear plug in the barrel to keep dirt out, would it be enough resistance to cause a pressure problem?

Or, does anyone make a light plastic push in plug to keep dirt/lint out of the barrel?
 
I wouldn't stuff a complete foam plug in the barrel. Any obstruction will increase pressure, it is just a matter of how much.

A safer process would be to simply clean your gun more regularly an actually using a holster, even if it is just a pocket holster.
 
I wouldn't.

The barrel is better off with free air circulation and some pocket lint then plugged up with sweat and moisture held in close contact with the metal.

Anyway, why are you going 6 months between cleanings on a pocket gun??

Blow out the dust bunnys with an air hose every couple of weeks at least.

If you thought the bore had lint in it?
You should see what is inside the action!

Blow it out.

rc
 
rcmodel said:
I wouldn't.
...Blow out the dust bunnys with an air hose every couple of weeks at least.

If you thought the bore had lint in it?
You should see what is inside the action!

Blow it out.

rc
Click to expand...
Or maybe use a can of computer cleaner. The kind you use to blow out the food and dust from your keyboard.

Jim
 
I've read about people doing this with sniper rifles to protect the crown and prevent grime from getting in the barrel. Some just put a strip of electric tape over the bore as well. As I recall, the earplug affected accuracy of the first round fired but did not cause any damage to the gun and I wouldn't expect it to with a pistol either, which generates much lower pressures. However, I think its a waste of time as a small amount of lint in the barrel will get blown with the first shot anyways. As said already, just get a holster. You should use one anyways for safety to prevent accidental discharges or obstruction behind the trigger. Just get a small, cheap pocket holster.
 
You are trying very hard to see a problem where there is none.

The lint is inconsequential by your own admission. Just leave it alone and keep doing what you have been.

Worrying about silly things, and the inability to let well enough alone, is the most common pitfall for gun people.
 
Never tried it with a handgun, but wouldn't think of using my hunting rifles without taping over the muzzle. I started doing it only in rainy weather, but now tape over the muzzle of all of my rifles and keep the tape on all season long. It not only keeps out water, but leaves, dirt, sand, and would even prevent mud from getting in the barrel if it fell muzzle down.

The air pressure in front of the bullet blows the tape off before the bullet reaches the muzzle and it has no effect on accuracy at all. I keep extra tape on the barrel to replace it if I fire a shot.

Might work pretty well with a revolver. Not sure if it would effect the functioning of a semi or not, but I don't see how it would hurt to try.

001-6.gif
 
Long ago I pondered using one of those self-adhesive "spots" that are available from Staples (or the like) to lightly seal the muzzle of my PF9 in order to help minimize the dust bunnies that come with pocket carry.

I decided that it was a bad idea since it would create a dead air space in the bore that might actually trap moisture.

Between cleanings, out of habit, I periodically remove the PF9 from its DiSantis Nemesis holster and remove the dust by blowing, wiping or vacuuming.

Not a Biggie. :)

I certainly would not put a plug of anything in the muzzle.
 
So check the barrel before you shoot it at the range. Check it when you clean it. If you do neither of these, check it once a month when you pay your bills, AND when you rotate your magazines to distribute wear (and yes, responsible-type people do BOTH of these things AT LEAST this often, if not more frequently).

IF, in between one of these events you must shoot a creep, then the minimal amount of lint in the barrel will, with any luck at all, become lodged in the recess of the hollow-point as it leaves the barrel, and be imbedded deep within the thorax or bowels of the would-be assailant, carrying with it all manner of sepsis and pestilence. If they don't do the honorable thing and die of the gunshot, then maybe they'll linger and die painfully of peritonitis. In either case, it's a better demise than they deserve.
 
jmr40,

"Leaves, dirt, sand, and mud" , where the hell you hunt, Iwo Jima? In all the years I've hunted, I'm 64 now, started hunting at 14, I've never had any of that in my rifles. Even when hunting in deep timber, on prairie grass lands, and land in between, I was taught to keep that stuff out of my equipment. Putting tape over the muzzle? Your rifle.
 
Thanks for the replys.

This was sort of a tourture test. Yes it will get cleaned more often, but I wanted to see how it worked under bad conditions.

I do not like a pocket holster as it requres pulling it off to get to the trigger, and believe me, the trigger pull is long and strong. I'm not worried about an AD. If you have ever fired the P11, you know you have to mean for it to go off. That trigger is not going to snag anything in my pocket that would pull the trigger.

This was the reason for purchasing this weapon, dull chrome finish on slide AND barrel. Its a work pistol, not a safe queen.

I will keep things as they are, just with more cleaning.

Thanks.
 
jmr40,

"Leaves, dirt, sand, and mud" , where the hell you hunt, Iwo Jima? In all the years I've hunted, I'm 64 now, started hunting at 14, I've never had any of that in my rifles. Even when hunting in deep timber, on prairie grass lands, and land in between, I was taught to keep that stuff out of my equipment. Putting tape over the muzzle? Your rifle.
Click to expand...

There is absolutely no down side to using tape over the muzzle. Accuracy and safety are not affected in any way. If a 10 cent piece of tape keeps obstructions out of my barrel it is time and money well spent. This is a very common practice among experienced hunters and anyone would be foolish not to do so.
 
Just use a closed bottom holster and all will be well. Seem like a common sense thing but maybe not.

Electic tap on a hunting rifle works fine as the pressure built up ahead of the barrel blows the tap off far ahead of the bullet.
 
If you blow it out, then you'll have to oil it. If you're going to oil it you need to clean it first. Clean your gun regularly and keep it in a holster, especially with an auto... I'm sure you're off the barrel plug idea by now... I clean my edc very often, some times when it doesn't even need a cleaning.
 
A carry gun--even a pocket gun--should be practiced with at the range from time to time. It would seem unlikely that a gun would accumulate enough lint between range trips to cause an obstruction, so if you're practicing enough with your pocket gun, lint should never be an issue.
 
Strong believer in pocket holsters!

A good one will do a lot more than just keep lint out of the barrel. It will keep coins, keys and whatever else out of the action, and help avoid accidental discharges when attempting to draw the gun or fishing for keys in pocket.

I regard a pocket holster as good safety!
 
Interesting concept. I kind of like the suggestion of the adhesive "dot". I don't think the lint is a big deal, but I also don't think a label dot would cause any issues, and it might be of some value.
 
Lee it looks like, despite your objections to the contrary, most who have taken the time to respond believe that you should be using a holster, especially in the pocket.

A holster is important for safety and it helps keep the crud out of the barrel and the works.

You don't pull the holster off to get to the trigger. You draw the gun and the holster says in your pocket. As soon as the gun clears the holster, which is about an inch or so of movement, your finger is free to access the trigger. Try it. Your finger shouldn't even be on the trigger until you get on target anyway.

And it is a little scary to hear of a handgun floating around loose in a backpack or console. The gun should be holstered there too. Your confidence in the P11's trigger is interesting but imprudent.
 
From Lee308,

I recently posted a short "range report" on another forum about carrying my KelTec P11 for 6 months, in all types of situations including loose in cargo pants pocket, thrown in back pack, tossed in car console, etc. Never cleaning or shooting. Pulled it at my last range trip, All 9 I had loaded went bang and on target. (yes, I went to the range more often, just did not shoot that pistol)

In the thread, I mention the barrel was full of lint. ( I did check for barrel for obstruction)

My question is, if I put a compressible type ear plug in the barrel to keep dirt out, would it be enough resistance to cause a pressure problem?

Or, does anyone make a light plastic push in plug to keep dirt/lint out of the barrel?
Click to expand...

Well you've said it was a torture test of sorts so I assume that it's over now and done with. So why would you need a muzzle plug to keep lint out? If the test is over why not just clean the gun more often or just run a Boresnake through the bore once a week or so?

http://www.hoppes.com/boresnake

If you carry the gun loose in a pocket, etc. with an ear plug in the barrel it will likely get jammed in there. Once it's jammed in there you'll have to field strip the piece to push the plug out right? So why not put a patch on a rod and swipe the bore at that point?

Now the electrical tape idea is a fun one. It will keep stuff out of the bore for a bit anyway. Try it. I'm betting that after a day of pocket carry the tape peels back some and leaves a sticky residue on the muzzle and slide. This'll hold lint and grit like a motherxxx and get on your pocket, fingers and be a general irritation. But try it. Maybe I'm wrong.

I do not like a pocket holster as it requres pulling it off to get to the trigger, and believe me, the trigger pull is long and strong. I'm not worried about an AD. If you have ever fired the P11, you know you have to mean for it to go off. That trigger is not going to snag anything in my pocket that would pull the trigger.

This was the reason for purchasing this weapon, dull chrome finish on slide AND barrel. Its a work pistol, not a safe queen.
Click to expand...

A holster will help. But that's too simple and not Carlos Danger enough so no go with that.

Frankly I gotta wonder what the advantage is for carry of a gun that is hecka hard to shoot well over one that is easy to shoot well.

With tape on the muzzle, pocket carry and "long and strong" trigger pull we now have a dirty, sticky gun that is hard to shoot.

Maybe we can rethink this some?

tipoc
 
Several years ago I did something similar. I pocket carried a Seecamp 32, 7 days a week for a year, with zero maintenance. Went to the range at the end of the test and emptied the gun. It was a dry dustball, but it fired every shot with no malfunctions. I was impressed.
 
I'll top that! True story, my aunt use to carry a Baby Browning in 25acp in her bra along with about 25 pieces of wadded up Kleenix, her scapula, a rosary and her wallet and check book. She was unloading this onto a table one day and I asked her about the gun. The gun was loaded.

She said she started carrying it when she divorced my uncle and used to go out dancing at the bars. I asked when she had last fired it. She said she didn't know probably not long after she got it. I said lets go fire it now. I stripped it and blew out the dust in the barrel and pushed the kleenix out with a pen. So we did and it did what it was built to do.

This was about 1984 or 85. She had divorced my uncle in 1967.

tipoc
 
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