1886 Winchester Cleaning question

[Captain*kirk]

I have a new, unfired Miroku Winchester 1886 Deluxe in .45-70 Gov't, the 'unfired' part which I intend to rectify very shortly. My question concerns how to clean it both before and after firing. I have two choices; either use a bore snake from the breech end, or a one piece JDewey CF rod from the muzzle end. The muzzle idea makes me cringe, and the reviews on the bore snake method are less than impressive. And forget disassembly...pulling the bolt on that rifle is like brain surgery (I've seen the videos). What do you '86 owners do?

 

[Captain*kirk]

And no, it's not the takedown model.

 

[Pat Riot]

You could always get a muzzle protector to slide onto your cleaning rod if you’re concerned.
Bore snakes are okay for a quick cleaning, but you’re definitely going to want the ability to use a cleaning rod.

Pro-Shot Brass Muzzle Guard 27 Cal Up Rod

The Pro-Shot Muzzle Guard is a quality brass accessory that protects your firearm while making cleaning from the muzzle much easier.

www.midwayusa.com

 

[Captain*kirk]

You could always get a muzzle protector to slide onto your cleaning rod if you’re concerned.
Bore snakes are okay for a quick cleaning, but you’re definitely going to want the ability to use a cleaning rod.

Pro-Shot Brass Muzzle Guard 27 Cal Up Rod

The Pro-Shot Muzzle Guard is a quality brass accessory that protects your firearm while making cleaning from the muzzle much easier.

www.midwayusa.com

Something like that could work!

 

[Bazoo]

It won’t hurt a thing to clean from the muzzle.

My 1886 is a takedown, but I do it without issue for several other leverguns.

Just don’t thoughtlessly rub the cleaning rod against the bore; in other words if you are careful you won’t have any damage.

If it’s just a couple of patches to remove oil before firing, I usually won’t use a guide. I will guide with my fingers though. But if I need to scrub thoroughly, yes I’d want a guide.

 

[Charlie98]

Something like that could work!

You don't use a guide already? I even use one when I'm cleaning a revolver barrel, no matter how short.

As far as cleaning the rest of the firearm... the action... I use GunScrubber or something similar. Hose it out real quick, then a few drops of CLP gets it moving, again.

I made the mistake of disassembling my brother's Winchester Trapper (94)... I won't ever make that mistake, again, and for that reason, I'll never try to disassemble my 71 (same action as the 1886) unless I've broken something.

 

[Captain*kirk]

You don't use a guide already? I even use one when I'm cleaning a revolver barrel, no matter how short.

With my Sharps and 1885 I clean from the breech, so no guide needed. I would do the same with the 86 if I could, but the geometry is kinda wonky...

 

[Charlie98]

With my Sharps and 1885 I clean from the breech, so no guide needed. I would do the same with the 86 if I could, but the geometry is kinda wonky...

I use a bore guide from the breech as well... just something to consider.

 

[Bazoo]

A 94 or 92 ain't too bad, they just have a lot of parts. An 86 is hard because they don't have a lever pin access hole.

I was into my 92 yesterday, though I didn't take it all the way down. I decided to tinker on it on my outside table, and, halfway through the phone got hot, so I didn't get as many pictures as I'd have liked.

 

[Show Me]

I vote bore snake so any yuck goes out through muzzle

 

[Bazoo]

I vote bore snake so any yuck goes out through muzzle

That's a good point, for the first swipe with a traditional rod, I will put the cleaning rod in the bore and then attach the patch holder and patch and pull it out the muzzle to remove the bulk of the fouling.

 

[vanfunk]

Dear Lord, Bazoo, that’s a beautiful rifle. What is it?

 

[dfariswheel]

For rifles that have to be cleaned from the muzzle, I use a Dewey one piece stainless steel rod and a brass cone shaped muzzle guide.
I do all the cleaning by putting rod down the bore and attach the patch or brush on the rod and pull it out the muzzle.
The brass protector prevents any contact with the muzzle and all the crud comes out the muzzle and not into the action.

To apply solvent to the patch or brush I use small paint transfer bulbs to give a squirt after the patch or brush is in the chamber.

 

[Kp321]

+1 on using the Dewey bore guide. To prevent crud from falling into the action, screw the brush or patch loop in the breech opening and pull out towards the muzzle. Slower but keeps the action clean. Also, sometime in the past 50 years, I bought some cleaning jags that had a slot in the center so a patch could be inserted like in a loop but then have a jag type area to keep the patch tight in the bore.

 

[Captain*kirk]

Dear Lord, Bazoo, that’s a beautiful rifle. What is it?

You might like this?

 

[vanfunk]

Oh yeah. I don’t want to create a distraction but those rifles are, uh, distracting!

 

[Captain*kirk]

Yeah. One view and the image gets burned into your brain. After that it's game over. Resistance is futile.