BACO bore wipes

[mike herth]

These are a hoot. Used them at Quigley and it greatly eased the stress of trying to get a clean barrel by wiping with 2 wet and 1 dry patch while the smokeless shooters are wondering why bother with black at all. I'm still learning, however, to get just the right amount of moisture in those wool pads. I shoot PP in a 45-110 with 105 gr of OE 1.5 and have learned that if the bore isn't dry enough it leads to patch stripping and leading. Not enough moisture in the pads and not all the fouling is removed leading to chambering issues. What works initially may fail as the barrel becomes too hot too touch. As temps rise maybe soaking wet pads will not be an issue. I'm trying to avoid running a second wiper or dry patch through the bore, but maybe that will be the answer. The learning curve continues.

[craigos]

I just bought a bunch myself as i used to run a wet patch and then a couple dry. Now the wipes .. question is what to put on them.

[martinibelgian]

Ever thought of pushing the bore wipe with a dry patch?

[VectorMan]

I bought the BACO bore wipers, took the plastic ferrule with the o-ring and screwed it on a brush with 2 felts. 1 in front of the brush and one at the rear between the brush and ferrule. It’s soaked only in water. I shoot a PPB in my 45-70. Been using this method for about 2 years in every condition. When I chamber the brush after the shot I place a dry patch just behind the ferrule and push it all through at once with a delrin rod. Clean and dry every time. EZPZ.

42B56545-6EAF-4CA0-BEFF-026B0ACA51CB.jpeg

[SSShooter]

Am wondering if any of you PP shooters have compared using the dry patch to not using a dry patch. I've wiped for years and have never bothered with a dry patch or chamber mop and after trying same and finding not difference.
Why the need to dry the chamber/bore? Is it to preserve the integrity of the paper or something like that.

[martinibelgian]

Glenn,

Paper and moisture can make for a 'mushy' result, which will keep the paper from doing what it is supposed to do - prevent leading (IMO, of course). Dry paper is rather important... For GG use, I tend to agree, even if my 45-70 tends to think that the brush with felts leave the bore too clean, and it will lead. 2 moist patches work better.

[Barry Miller]

SSShooter, I find if the chamber is to wet or not dry enough you can your brass may stretch.

[Don McDowell]

If you don't push the dry patch the chamber and bore are likely to be to wet. The dry patch usually comes out with some fouling left on it, and a clean dry bore is vital to sustained accuracy with patched.
I know one greaser shooter of great fame , that uses MPRO 7 on the bore wipers, and he pushes them with a patch barely damp with the MPRO7.

[desert deuce]

Baco Bore Wipes and Grease Groove Bullets:

.45-70, .45-90 black powder, two felt buttons on tip of squeegee with metal tip barely showing, dipped (not soaked) in MPRo-7, push into chamber so O-ring passes chamber step & slightly enters rifling, using .355" diameter jag on rod place 2.5" square damp cotton patch with MPRo-7 on jag and push through to about six inches from muzzle, slowly push last six inches and observe liquid 'spit' from muzzle before bore wipe pops out followed by patch. Visually observe patch drop from muzzle. Mop chamber, load, shoot. Repeat.

So far, works at Raton, Phoenix, Byers, Lodi, Tucson, etc.

PS-you may need to modify this for .40 Cal, several only use one felt button and no chaser patch with grease groove bullets.
Prominent rifle builder recommends to keep MPRo-7 from soaking into stock wood.

NOTICE: Run damp assembled squeegee through barrel of rifle "BEFORE" going to range! Should not be tight or difficult to push through.

[bpcr shooter]

I shoot a 45-100 with 108.5gr of 1.5 and in Wi summer weather I have found that soaking the bore critter in 10-1 solution, with a dry patch cleans and drys very well. I actually use a old MTM case and just pour in the solution in so half of the critters are covered. Worked well in practice, worked well at the last gong shoot, will see next weekend at mid-range.

matt

[Distant Thunder]

I have used these bore brushes while shooting PPB for 11 years now and have been using the cartridge box idea for about 5. None of this is original to me, but are ideas I have borrowed from other shooters and refined to my needs.

45 caliber Bore pigs.jpg

The night before the match I put about 3/4" of a 10% oil and distilled water mixture into each well and put the brushes in felt down so they soak up the liquid. After each shot I pull a brush from the box and just touch the felt to a small towel to remove excess liquid so it isn't dripping. I then push the brush up into the chamber just like a cartridge and let it soak for a few seconds with the felt just in front of the chamber while I grab a dry patch from my popper, I place the patch at the breech and push everything through in one slow motion feeling the resistance as I do so. I visually watch the liquid, brush and dry patch as they fall from the muzzle into a waiting container in front of my sticks. I note several things throughout the process among them are, 1) any tightness that would any indicate excess fouling, 2) the color of the dry patch as it exits the muzzle and 3) that EVERYTHING clears the muzzle and falls into the container. The dry patch should not have any black fouling on it, maybe just a greyish color more from moisture more than anything else.

This process works well for me in everything from silhouette to Creedmoor and only takes a few seconds if you are a little organized. It is my experience that the felt can't be too wet, the tight fitting rubber washer pushes any excess liquid and fouling out ahead of the dry patch which just picks up any little bit of moisture that may remain.

Needing a clean, dry bore for best accuracy with paper patch bullets I have found this method is the fastest possible while giving me the most uniform bore condition shot to shot under a variety of match conditions. It works for me, YMMV.

[Kurt]

Jim,
For the .44, what is the size of those Bibb washers? like 00-double aught 000- triple aught 1/4 S ??

[Distant Thunder]

Kurt,

I make those myself and for the .44 I made them at .452". They are made from 1/8" thick rubber sheet I bought at the local hardware store. They seem to hold up well. The nylon bushing behind the washer I also purchased locally but I had to run an 8-32 tap through the existing hole so they would screw onto the brushes. I didn't like a metal nut on the back even though it really can't touch the barrel.

I really think it is the best combination for cleaning, the soaked felt carries a lot of liquid to soften the fouling, the brush works it loose even in the corners of the grooves and the washer backed by the nylon bushing squeegees out the liquid and all the loosened fouling. The dry patch picks up what little moisture is left behind. The amount of liquid pushed out the muzzle is impressive. It will run down the underside of the barrel so you want to make sure you allow for that.

I have come away from the firing line when my rifle has been too hot to even hold on to the forend and never had any trouble with fouling. Even with two soaking wet patches and one dry patch I would lose the battle under those kind of conditions. This method has always worked well for me. It is faster and so much easier on the shooter.

I use oil mixed with my water for a couple of reasons, 1) it lubes the bore for paper patch bullets, 2) I can leave my rifle sit for hours after shooting a relay or all day and not worry about rust forming anywhere, 3) I don't have to worry about rust down inside my action because the oil I use is a very good rust preventative and 4) it has work very well for me from the beginning.

YMMV

[Kurt]

I made 5 bore wipes a couple years ago and I used an old leather belt and cut some wads with the wad punch for the squeegee and marked the center using a base from a separated case to hold the leather wad centered and ran it up to the depriming pin to mark the center for drilling the hole but I used a small brass washer and brass nut to hold them together. For the felt I had some felt hat trimmings and cut wads for the front. The leather worked really well removing the water but you need to soak them in oil once before using them so they don't dry out after using them between shoots. After that I think the oil/water mix will keep them soft. I should maybe make some bore wipers a lot of shooters seem to be content using them.

[bpcr shooter]

Kurt,
In Eriks Hepburn 44-100 I got him the same exact washers (.5in), brushes (45 rifle), felts(45 rifle) that I use in my 45. they seem to work just fine. The first push is pretty stiff but after you use them once of twice they work really well.

Matt