Sidelock cleaning questions

[Rpriestlyjr]

Not that I'm a total idiot, but I recently acquired a CVA Hawken and am confused about cleaning the barrel . I have an in-line and completely understand cleaning it, but with the sidelock having a 'solid' breech plug, how does one clean the barrel with the jag and patches without the patch getting stuck in the barrel ? It just seems to me (from what I've read) that the patch will get stuck in there. And if so, how would I get it out?
For now, I use a bore brush and cotton swab, hot, soapy water and bore butter. Seems to do the trick, but am I correct this way?
Thanks for any input.

 

[BigG]

You normally unscrew the cleanout screw in the side of the drum (that nipple screws into). The rifle barrel is probably held in the stock with wedges so it's easily removable. You remove the barrel - it has a hooked breech that hooks into the tang. Then you put the breech end of the barrel into a bucket of hot soapy WATER. Take your ramrod with a proper jag and a cleaning patch on it. Insert in the bore and try to remove. You will suck water up the tube and if you are careful, you' won't spill any on the floor. Actually, the ramrod acts just like and old fashioned pump and you will quickly dissolve all the fouling by stoking up and down a number of times. When the bore is clean, you drain it back into the bucket. If the water is hot enough, the remainder will evaporate fast enough that no rust will result. You then run a patch down with bore butter to preserve and reassemble.

You can also remove the lock screws and clean the lock and inletting from time to time as a quite a bit of residue gets back inside there. HTH

 

[Rpriestlyjr]

So I'm under the impression that the cleaning jag will hold the patch while cleaning the bore, and also while running a lubed patch throught the bore. I'm not to worry about the patch getting stuck in the barrel?
It just seems to me that I'll encounter this problem at some time...just my luck.

 

[BigG]

No - if you get a proper jag - 50 caliber for a 50 caliber, for example, you will have no trouble. My CVA came with a 54 jag as part of the pkg. I use the bulk patches that you clean 30 caliber and up. You can buy a large package at gunshows. They are about 2" square. Work perfectly for all sizes, including shotguns.

There is also a little attachment called a worm, iirc that is used just in case you do lose a patch in the bbl. It is a couple of corkscrew wires set in a brass head that screws onto your ramrod. Black powder has a fruitful supply of paraphernalia.

 

[Rpriestlyjr]

Thanks, Big G. That's just what I need to know. I'll get to the store and pick up one of those 'worms.' Knowing my luck, I'm going to get a patch stuck somehow.

 

[Chawbaccer]

Just be sure your cleaning patches aren't longer than the undercut of the jag or you risk getting the whole works stuck in the barrel.

 

[SASS#23149]

Yes,you can get the patch stuck in there.

Don't ask me how I know.
just pour some water down the bareel and let the patch get real wet then yank like heck.
If the end of the rod pulls off the jag,I have no ideas.
we are going to start cuttin out patches down,the .50 caliber patches are huge round things and can easily get stuck in dirty bore,down in the chamber area.
One fella suggest unscrwing the jag and 'trapping' the patch between the jag and rod.

 

[rlltdjpr]

I got a patch and rod stuck while at the range and could not budge it, even with some pliers on the rod, so I took off the nipple and put some powder in--It shot the whole works straight out, worked like a charm.

 

[Boogyman]

Here's a tip:

Wrap a piece of cotton cloth (from an old sock or??) around your bore brush, leaving about 1/2" hanging off the end. I use an older, worn-out bore brush, or a .45 cal. brush on my .50 cal. barrel. Then swab away. The 1/2" hanging off the end gets down in the very bottom of the chamber, and you can twist your rod around (just don't unscrew the sections!) to really clean the chamber. The cloth gets sorta imbedded in the brush bristles and won't come off in your barrel.
Also if you ever get anything stuck in your barrel, I've found compressed air will blow almost anything out, including a lead ball. (in case you ram a ball in and forgot the powder, don't ask) Just put the tip of a blowgun nozzle on the nipple, point the barrel in a safe direction, and blow. You may have to remove the nipple or the screw on the side of the nipple drum to get a better blast in there.
If you don't have a compressor, most auto repair shops do, and the mechanics would probably get a kick out of it anyway.