Lever actions

[rjtfroggy]

Knowing that one should not go through the muzzle to clean a barrel, how do you guys clean one?
Little back story, Friend has a Winchester 30/30 original New Haven model purchased at the factory right off the line (his uncle worked there). This was back in the 60's and given to him as birthday gift.
I know this gun went to Vermont every season for at least 20 years and was maybe shot 40 times (sighters) and never cleaned just put on rafters in cellar until the next years season.
Needless to say it is in deplorable condition and I was thinking about a winter project and thought maybe I would attempt to bring it back to life so he can pass it on to one of his grandsons, but before I start I want to clean and inspect the bore to make sure it is worth the time and effort.
I don't have any pictures but if I can pry it away I will take some before and after.

 

[akajun]

muzzle guid is the best you can do. Either one of the brass or plastic cone shape ones or machine one that fits over the barrel.

 

[Prose]

Yep. Just gotta go through the muzzle

 

[farmerjohn]

As a lever action rifle lover I have several that I shoot regularly, I use a shorter Dewey rod, coated with a aluminum tip. I turn the rifle upside down in the cradle so that the chamber is lower than the muzzle and the liquid and crud that is pushed out of the barrel runs out of the top of the chamber into a plastic bowl that butter comes in rather than draining into the action. I am very careful with starting the rod and use a patch that covers the tip up to where the coating on the rod starts, if I have to use a brush, I use it the same way. It takes longer but Bore Tec copper and carbon eleminator products make it a lot easier, letting it soak a few minutes and then another patch rather than doing a bunch of rod strokes in a hurry. Hope this helps you.. John

 

[Evan]

Why not disassemble the bolt and lever to get access to the barrel? If it's a thorough, return to good condition cleaning, then full disassembly and reassembly is probably worth considering.

 

[farmerjohn]

Why not disassemble the bolt and lever to get access to the barrel? If it's a thorough, return to good condition cleaning, then full disassembly and reassembly is probably worth considering.

That's good with some of the newer version rifles that take down quickly but if you take some of the vintage early Winchester and Marlins down it's quite a chore. One thing I omitted from my first post is the side ejectors need to be turned on their side with the action lower than the muzzle. If you just push a few patches through while they are still warm from shooting they won't be building up layers of crap and will stay clean.. John

 

[rjtfroggy]

This a top eject, that at one time had a scope mounted on the side, it also has one of those worthless compasses inbedded in the stock.
I've taken my 1970 Marlin apart and it is a PIA. I was hoping someone would say fill the bore with foam cleaner, let sit for a day or two and then pull a new bore snake through it.
Guess I'll go old school and break it down and clean everything while I'm at it. May as well do it right.

 

[farmerjohn]

On a rifle that has been neglected that long, that's what I think you should do, then after that just a little regular maintenance will keep it going.... John
one piece of advice; if it's a Winchester model 86 or a model 48 you D#@N sure better know what you are doing if you strip it down...

 

[STOMP442]

You could always go the bore snake route as well. It's not the best cleaning solution in the world but it will allow you to go the proper direction.

 

[Leo Smith]

Place cleaning tip, brush, in chamber. put cleaning rod in barrel and thread into tip.Pull out. Repeat.

 

[parson48]

I drilled out the primer pocket of a .38 special case to run the rod through for my Rossi .44 mag. Seems to work fine.

 

[farmerjohn]

Two good ideas above, I am confident enough with my method that I will not worry about hurting the crown and that's the important thing here. Don't hurt the crown and don't let the mess you are pushing or pulling out get into the action. There's enough good info here to work out a method to suit you and your equipment. If you do choose to take it down be sure and use the proper screw driver and not bugger up the screw heads. Nothing will kill the value of a good rifle quicker than buggered up heads on the screws because it shows that an amateur has been in there messing around... John

 

[Riesel]

Since we are just kicking a can down the road so I'll throw in my two cents. Assuming the rifle was shot with jacketed bullets, I would get a new bore snake, soak the entire thing in carbon remover, Seafoam maybe,
let sit for a couple of hours and pull it out. I would repeat this at least four times and then have a look see
at the bore. If there is no rifling in there I would abandon the idea of it being much of a shooter' If rifling looks OK just pitted a bit, take all the wood off and soak the whole gun in kerosene for a couple of days, air pressure clean and shoot it. If it will put three in an inch and a half at 50 yards, I would call it good. Remember, it's Grand Pappy's old 30-30 and every mark and scratch on that old rifle means something.

 

[rockrat]

Foaming bore cleaner and a bore snake wouldn't be a half bad idea. Foaming bore cleaner followed by a brass welding rod (1/8" or 3/32nds) down from the breech with a patch on it might work. The Brass welding rod is flexable. I would clean it off often as grit might embed in the brass rod. Otherwise, as said, a cleaning rod from the muzzle using a bore guide. I would do the bore snake/foaming cleaner first to clean all the loose crud out of the bore.

 

[kvd]

The little Otis cleaning kits with the plastic coated cables and short brushes might be an option for pulling brushes and patches from the breech to the muzzle.

 

[shortgrass]

Win. '94s and Marlin 336s are not that hard to take down/assemble! I'd take it down in a heart beat, clean the barrel and internals, lube what should be lubed, and put it back together. Why do a halfazzed job of it? You said it needs some TLC.... So, give it some!