"English" gun cleaning?

[Gary O]

I have a real nice SxS headed my way and was thinking about cleaning it when it arrives. How many of you folks use those fancy cleaning tools that you see in magazines. You know; ebony rods, silver bottles, handmade "turnscrews" and such? Is there any evidence that this upgraded stuff will actually help? What say you? Thanks...

 

[desidog]

Ebony doesn't do anything brass doesn't do except splinter better and cost more.

Silver bottles? that have to be polished? You are implying getting cleaning equipment... that must have it's own cleaning regimen.

Unless its never going to be handled and live in a glass display case, I wouldn't bother.

 

[oneounceload]

IF the turnscrews are built to match the screw heads, they are most certainly worth the cost and effort to obtain them as some screw slots can be anything but standard size. I have seen (and used) rosewood cleaning rods with brass threaded parts - nice and comfortable, do not scratch anything like metal rods do.

Define "nice" English gun - H&H, Purdey, Boss, MacKay Brown, or similar?

 

[Onmilo]

For yucks and giggles, here is a "Modern" version of the traditional English cleaning kit.
http://www.thesportinglodge.co.uk/shop/products/travel-shotgun-cleaning-kit.htm

Wooden rods don't scrape or scratch the bores.
Most are now made of rosewood or ironwood, both of which are very hard to break and resist crud and metal debris from embedding into the wood.

As for traditional silvered bottles, meh. They leak and are heavy.

Turnscrews are great if they are precisly fitted to the screws used on the gun, if they aren't, they just look cute.

A true cased gun will have all the accessories precisely fitted out for that gun.

 

[rcmodel]

IMO: Unless you are stranded on the continent with a broken shotgun in the middle of an 8 week safari in 1900??

You will do more harm then good using 'turnscrews', or anything else, to take a fine English shotgun apart to see what is inside there.

If It Ain't Broke?
Well you probably know the rest of that one.

rc