Old Ruger 77 tang barrel cleaning

[Schandler]

I’ve had this rifle in the back of the safe for years. 243 heavy barrel I bought used long ago and the reason i purchased was because it shot so well. I worked up a load and then put it up. Well during the winter i usually reload but now I’ve started cleaning barrels on the rifles i don’t shoot. Clean and oil and stick back up. Well i pulled it out last night and the barrel was nasty. I’m thinking i moly’d all the reloads for it and maybe that’s why barrel looked so nasty. I am looking for suggestions on how to start the cleaning on this barrel. I will shoot the same ammo with molybdenum and keep golden rod in safe for fear of moisture and rust. I have every cleaning bottle of “stuff” you can imagine and am looking for suggestions on where to start to get as clean as possible. I’ve read ugly post about moly holding moisture but I’ve run a patch through and only see black. Appreciate any suggestions

 

[JEFFPPC]

I doubt you do high volume loading, so why moly? First thing I would do is throw the moly out. With this rifle I would soak it up overnight with Hopper 9, patch it out and repeat process but before I patched it out the second time I would give it 10 strokes with a new tight bronze brush, wet brush with more solvent every pass in one direction.. Then I would flush it and patch it out letting it wet about 8 hrs between applications to soak. Depending one what I see at that point I would brush again or just soak and patch till I felt I had all the carbon out. Then I would apply Sweets and let it soak about 2 or 3 hours then patch out to confirm I had any copper out. Other solvents also work but I have found Hoppes for a lot less moneys works just as well or better just not as quick.In my opinion if you don't have soak time your not getting it clean. Yes, I use borescope but less and less since I have found whar works for me.

 

[Schandler]

Jeff thanks The Moly - best i remember it was the only really accurate rifle i owned and i planned on shooting much more than i did or that’s my best guess. I have a couple hundred rounds loaded that have moly. Rifle really does shoot well and i may shoot it a little after your cleaning regime and then clean again and put back up. I don’t own a bore scope so if it has carbon built up the cleaning should help but i wonder if it will affect accuracy ? Either way i want the barrel clean before i put back up.