Barrel cleaning trick

I found an interesting solution to my barrel cleaning woes. My usual setup is a Crownsaver using pieces of old T shirt for patches. About a year ago, the plastic sheath for the Crownsaver was destroyed by my dog. So I was left with a long Dacron loop with a nice handle at the end. That's not going to work.

I was given a Patchworm at an airgun show. Works great until you run out of patches. The T shirt patches tend to pull through the end of the Patchworm. 

So then I went with the Weedeater line DIY patchworm. I have a problem making the big end large enough to hold the patch without pulling through yet small enough to pass through a .177 barrel. When I get one perfect, the head (or tail) snaps after about 10 or 15 uses.

I was sitting here looking at the broken Crownsaver. It was right next to a bundle of paracord. Hmm. I made a new sheath by hollowing out the paracord and running the Dacron from the Crownsaver into it. So now the Crownsaver works like new (it's a little floppy but stiff enough to feed down the barrel). This is great because I have come to realize that feeding a loop down the barrel works better for me than feeding from the breach. However, I ran into a snag. The new and un-improved Crownsaver will only fit in .22 barrels or larger. I still need a solution for .177 guns.

As I was pondering this, my daughter asked for something for a project she is working on. Digging around for whatever she was asking for (I forget, maybe forceps?) I happened upon an old length of fly line that had been damaged a few years ago. Then the light bulb popped! A fly line is a braided Dacron core covered in stiff PVC with a loop at the end. Eureka! I cut about 3 feet from the loop end and tried it out. Works perfect. It's a 3 weight line, so it's a tad bit stretchy when cranking on it, but I'm pretty sure I have a damaged 8 weight line around here somewhere that will be perfect.

TLDR: I'm too cheap and lazy to acquire proper barrel cleaning equipment and instead use recycled garbage to clean my nice air guns.
 
Thanks for sharing. Nothing wrong with ingenuity! If by chance a family member asks what you would like as a stocking stuffer, May I suggest this-

https://airtanksplus.com/product/boreman-pull-through-barrel-cleaning-kit/



30B0795A-D54A-4F81-BA3D-8518E6E0FFE8.1608138427.png
9763E3DE-D367-47E3-A0F7-812064733D36.1608138427.png
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All aluminum handle, a outer sheathing impervious to any gun cleaning chemical, and patches or rope that can be pulled. All in its own handsome case. Best I’ve ever used, and I don’t work or am associated at all with airtanksplus. Just passing on a great product to others.


 
Thanks for sharing. Nothing wrong with ingenuity! If by chance a family member asks what you would like as a stocking stuffer, May I suggest this-

https://airtanksplus.com/product/boreman-pull-through-barrel-cleaning-kit/



30B0795A-D54A-4F81-BA3D-8518E6E0FFE8.1608138427.png
9763E3DE-D367-47E3-A0F7-812064733D36.1608138427.png
03F48149-5476-478F-A0D6-50FCF4F510D4.1608138427.png


All aluminum handle, a outer sheathing impervious to any gun cleaning chemical, and patches or rope that can be pulled. All in its own handsome case. Best I’ve ever used, and I don’t work or am associated at all with airtanksplus. Just passing on a great product to others.


Agree. I have Patchworm kits and they work well but this kit is the one I reach for first.
 
Mr. Cyclops did a video that makes barrel cleaning a snap. Get a bore snake of the appropriate caliber, remove the brass brush. Now you can just pull it through. If you feel the need to add a cleaner, just put it on the bore snake. Run it through the washing machine when you are done. So easy.

Best part is you can buy the bore snakes on ebay (Chinese specials) for a couple bucks and have a bunch of calibers and spares.
 
Thanks for sharing. Nothing wrong with ingenuity! If by chance a family member asks what you would like as a stocking stuffer, May I suggest this-

https://airtanksplus.com/product/boreman-pull-through-barrel-cleaning-kit/



30B0795A-D54A-4F81-BA3D-8518E6E0FFE8.1608138427.png
9763E3DE-D367-47E3-A0F7-812064733D36.1608138427.png
03F48149-5476-478F-A0D6-50FCF4F510D4.1608138427.png


All aluminum handle, a outer sheathing impervious to any gun cleaning chemical, and patches or rope that can be pulled. All in its own handsome case. Best I’ve ever used, and I don’t work or am associated at all with airtanksplus. Just passing on a great product to others.


Agree. I have Patchworm kits and they work well but this kit is the one I reach for first.

Nice kit but Joe wants $35 for it. You can get 3 Crown Savers from Timmy Mac for less. Uj