A problem with Napier Ultraclean

[Scotty]

Hey folks, looking for some assistance with gun cleaning. I got the Napier ultra clean set but haven't gotten on with it. I tried it today after shooting yesterday.

First off the tape didn't self amalgamate so it just happily unravelled. I also used the spray oil as directed but after 3 separate passes the barrels still have lines running down the inside of fouling. It did come out dirty so it definitely cleaned something but regardless when I looked down the barrel it wasn't clean.

Does anyone have any experience of this cleaning system? Any advice on what I'm doing wrong? I did run some legia and a bore snake down the barrels right after shooting so hoped that would have helped stop too much nasty drying in.

Do you think a more aggressive solvent is required? 

I picked the Napier system as their own marketing has it down as a very easy but thorough process.

 

[chippy]

you need a bronze brush. nothing else will remove that plastic fouling.

 

[vmax1010]

All I've got is a cleaning rod, bronze brush, spray bore cleaner, kitchen roll, small pot of grease and an oily rag nothing posh does the job a goodun

 

[Will Hewland]

Napier spray the barrels. Then push some paper through to get the soot out. Then spray again and make your arm sore from shoving and twisting a bronze brush down the bores for 2 minutes. More paper, job done.

 

[Westward]

If you're using fibre wad shells you could have what's called leading which is literally streaks of lead. These can be tough to shift so after a good soaking with bore cleaner (I use WD40 but only in the bores), a paper towel rammed very tightly down the bore will usually shift it.

If the worst streaking is on the forcing cones which is a classic Beretta Optima bore issue (ask me how I know), use the bronze brush with a little oil and spin it up with your drill. Then finish with paper. If the gun isn't going to be used for a time, I run a paper or cloth patch through with a little oil - but then I'm slightly OCD about maintenance.

 

[Will Hewland]

Yeah my 694 barrels seem to attract more marks in the barrels than my Blaser did..

 

[Salopian]

A lot of barrel fouling is actually plastic from the wads.

All of the advice given above is very good, BUT you may need to respray the bores and leave to soak for maybe 24 hours to get under the plastic film to enable you to remove it.

 

[Scotty]

Thanks everyone. It is just plastic wads cartridges that I use so it may be plastic fouling. I presume the heavy duty (and perhaps all) cleaning should be done with the chokes left in, so as to not push dirt into the threads of the barrel?

 

[Will Hewland]

Thanks everyone. It is just plastic wads cartridges that I use so it may be plastic fouling. I presume the heavy duty (and perhaps all) cleaning should be done with the chokes left in, so as to not push dirt into the threads of the barrel?

Yes leave chokes in. 

 

[steve204me]

Although I use, mostly, fibre wad cartridges of late, I use Napier Gun Cleaner, in the pump spray, and found it fine. A bronze brush, and elbow grease works wonders. When I used plastic wads, I never had an issue.

Steve.

 

[wisdom]

Here's what works for me.I always clean after every use.I use both fibre and plastic wads.

1.Firstly stuff dry kitchen roll down each barrel tight enough so it squeaks when pushed through with a rod.

2.Spray legia spray or napier down each tube from the breech end.

3.Make a brew whilst it does its job.

4.phosphor bronze bush down each barrel,worked fairly vigorously(I clean mine over an old towel to catch the splatter).

5.Back to the kitchen roll stuff in tightly again so it squeaks.Repeat until the roll sections come out clean,(about 3 or 4 passes normally).trial and error to get the right amount.I prefer it hard to push through so it really cleans.

6.Check the barrels in the light from both ends.I think you will find them clean.

7.I always finish with a lightly oiled wool mop.Always have and never had a problem.Lightly oiled is the key.

I find cleaning the gun very therapeutic and rewarding its all part of the shooting.Finish off with an oily rag on the barrels.

 

[westley]

My cleaning method involves the Napier Ultra Clean tape stuff. I spray the barrels with GT 85 cycle cleaner ( around £2 for a Large spray can). Leave the barrels flat on the bench and have a brew. I then use 2 pieces of kitchen towel, each screwed up and shoved into the barrels and then pushed through with bronze brush. Then the Napier Ultra Clean on a conventional split brass jag (NOT the Napier thing). It was trial and error getting to decide the correct length of the piece of Napier tape, but once found, I simply cut a new piece the same length as the old. I use this tape up to a dozen times before I need to renew it. I do use a 'clean' cartridge in the first place and I don't have to use the GT85 spray very often, simply 2 swipes through with the bronze brush and then once through with the Napier patch. I never bothered buying the 'special' extra long jag that Napier sold, for their tape, using my current split brass jag instead. My guns are spotless and have always been like that since I started shooting in the 1960's. I learned a long time ago that 'gun cleaning ' products are a rip off, along with specific 'gun' oils and grease.  The Napier tape stuff I bought when it first came on the market and when it is finished it is back to the 3 pieces of bog roll, it works just as well.

 

[Scotty]

My cleaning method involves the Napier Ultra Clean tape stuff. I spray the barrels with GT 85 cycle cleaner ( around £2 for a Large spray can). Leave the barrels flat on the bench and have a brew. I then use 2 pieces of kitchen towel, each screwed up and shoved into the barrels and then pushed through with bronze brush. Then the Napier Ultra Clean on a conventional split brass jag (NOT the Napier thing). It was trial and error getting to decide the correct length of the piece of Napier tape, but once found, I simply cut a new piece the same length as the old. I use this tape up to a dozen times before I need to renew it. I do use a 'clean' cartridge in the first place and I don't have to use the GT85 spray very often, simply 2 swipes through with the bronze brush and then once through with the Napier patch. I never bothered buying the 'special' extra long jag that Napier sold, for their tape, using my current split brass jag instead. My guns are spotless and have always been like that since I started shooting in the 1960's. I learned a long time ago that 'gun cleaning ' products are a rip off, along with specific 'gun' oils and grease.  The Napier tape stuff I bought when it first came on the market and when it is finished it is back to the 3 pieces of bog roll, it works just as well.

Thanks. I'm actually having no end of bother. I seem to have streaks at the breach end of the barrels that I just can't get rid of completely. I ended up just giving up last time as it was the first time I had real cleaning materials.

But yesterday I went out and only shot 50 and thought I was going to have an easy time cleaning. These streaks are just too stubborn! Down by the chokes the barrels look like an unblemished mirror, but up at the breach I can't shift the mess.

With the folded up kitchen roll it actually got stuck but I think the forcing cones are so long on the 694 the chambers are too wide to clean easily

Its like a tardis in there.

 

[Will Hewland]

My 694 is a pain the way it gathers marks in the barrels. As a punishment I have told it it can stay sh*tty while I just keep on shooting. So there! I’ll just keep cleaning all the other bits of the gun that matter. 

 

[westley]

LSorry Scotty, I don't have any experience of the 694, although a shooting pal has just bought one. I do however have experience of Browning and Miroku, plus a couple of early Beretta 301/303. semi auto's. I have had some streaking of lead/plastic origin, near to the Chambers, in the forcing cones, usually from fibre wads, but the GT 85 from Aldi or Wilko usually does the trick. I also do have a bottle of '009' which is about 15 years old, due to the amount of times I have had to use it. Whatever you choose, spray and leave for around 20 minutes.  Cut sufficient Napier tape to make it a snug fit in the barrel, then use it as a pattern for the next strip and so on. I have found it sticks to itself very well, but I am using a conventional split jag.





My barrels shine from muzzle to breech, no need to use clean patch material for EVERY clean and I find the Napier stuff very good, if not a bit expensive. 

 

[westley]

Just a further note and I am sure that you are aware, BUT, cartridge storage has a great bearing on cartridge performance. A point brought home to me a few weeks ago. I was doing a 'first time shooter' lesson to a group of 4 lads. As they all looked like the were adverts for the local gym, I decided to let them shoot 50 targets each. They each bought 50 Cheddite cartridges from the ground. We all had a good time and I was left with 2 guns to clean. I was surprised as to how dirty my guns were, I use Cheddite for most of my shooting, along with Hull Superfarts and my guns are usually pretty clean after use. Then I realised that these cartridges were from the shooting ground, the clubhouse is metal, including the roof and the ammo is stored inside a metal cabinet. In that August heat, the inside of the building was unbearable and at night the temperature dropped significantly.  The cartridges had been subjected to those massive temperature changes leading to the abnormal degree of deposits left in the barrels. I keep my cartridges in the house, only taking them out to my car as I leave home for the shoot.

 

[Scotty]

So will that perhaps be unburnt powder due to condensation inside the cartridge? I would hope that it would easy to clean off.

I'm not sure what the streaks are in my barrels, other than bloody difficult to shift. I would hate to have to resort to harsh solvents after every time out.

I'll try the GT85 as mentioned above to see if that helps. I honestly thought I'd find cleaning therapeutic, but it's just frustrating now!

 

[westley]

I think that the fouling is more likely to be from plastic wads and once cleaned  should not reoccur too often. If all else fails, use the front section of cleaning rod and a bronze brush, spray one barrel at a time, then put the end of the cleaning rod into the chuck of an electric drill and moving the rod back and forth in the barrel until clean. Shove a piece of kitchen towel through and check, repeat as required, then do the other barrel.

With regards to the cartridges, I think the temperature changes cause a lot of the powder to remain unburned and this stays in the barrels. Store cartridges correctly and it won't happen.

 

[ColinD]

Beretta and Browning barrels seem the worst to clean to me. Blaser clean really easy, wonder if it's better chrome as they always seem to come up like a mirror.