Cleaning my 1866

[Noz]

Did a tear down cleaning of my 44-40 1866 this morning. It has been fired an estimated average of 200 rounds per month of 2.2 cc FFg under a Mav Dutchman Big Lube bullet in Starline case with either Winchester or CCI primers for about a year since last tear down. If I had used a Kleenex tissue to wipe up all the dirt I would have had plenty of room on it to blow my nose. Could not believe how little blow back with the 44-40.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Yes, indeed.

I found basically the same results in both my '66 and my '92.

And I shoot 45 Colt with BP ... which everybody knows is terrible for causing grunge problems!

[August]

My experience also with the 38-40 in the '73.  I haven't taken mine down in over a year (3x month shooting).  I'm debating whether to do it soon as I have three, two-day matches coming up in the next month.  I am disinclined to do so, however, because it's running fine and what ain't broke don't need fixin'.

I do wipe the elevator channel and what parts of the elevator I can see with a q-tip and Hornady One Shoot Cleaner/Lubricant.  Seems to keep the elevator happy.  While there's no blow back, soot collects from the smoke that pours out when the action opens.  So, a little spritz with One Shot seems to keep the soot washed out of the elevator.

[Montana Slim]

Those results are typical, but may vary based on one's ability to minimize slopping cleaning juice into the receiver.
Mine are 44-40s as well (1873, 1866). I'm running the "10-year-plan" or next time it gets drenched.

I do recommend removing the repro 73/66 mainsprings and polishing (with medium and fine sanding wheels) to remove the crosswise grinfding marks. It caused my mainspring to break after several years and 6-7K rounds fired.

Regards,
Slim

[Mako]

My experience as well...  I wish my .44 special and .44 Russian loads did as well in two '66s I have.  I tried everything to minimize blowback, heavily compressed loads, annealed brass, no resizing, etc.  Nothing helps that much.  My .44WCFs do just what you reported.  Very clean. One of them is a 19th century Winchester and I pulled the side plate off for the first time in about ten years last weekend.  I had a friend over and we were looking at the firing pin retractor on the Winchester which the Uberti doesn't have.

Montana Slim had a good suggestion as well about the mainsprings, I also polish the magazine tube inside with a split dowel wrapped with wet and dry, or a small diameter cylinder hone on a long rod.  I replace the magazine springs with stainless springs and the magazine follower with a stainless one as well.  I used to get corrosion in the magazine tube from the water used during cleaning.   I don't anymore because I now remove the end cap, spring and follower when I clean and run an oiled patch through the magazine when finished.  Otherwise I just brush off the face of the bolt with a toothbrush, spritz it with Ballistol and blow everything off after pulling a couple of patches from the breech to the muzzle and I'm finished.

~Mako

[Montana Slim]

Good advice there. I'll add my cleaning method:

1. Stand rifle, muzzle up
2. Insert fired (empty) cartridge case
3. Close action
4. Clean with 3-4 damp patches (until clean)
5. Remove cartridge case
6. Dry patch
7. Oiled patch
8. Wipe rear breech face & bolt with oiled patch
9. Done

This keeps moisture away from all the innards and magazine housing. I use nothing more than an oiled patch to wipe down inside the carrier recess.

Regards,
Slim

[Dr. Bob]

Howdy Montana Slim,

What kind of tip do you use on your cleaning rod?  Thanks!

[Montana Slim]

Howdy Montana Slim,

What kind of tip do you use on your cleaning rod?  Thanks!

I use a .44 caliber Pro-Shot jag....except I trim/file the spear tips off.


Regards,
Slim

[Cuts Crooked]

Slim,

How do you keep the jag/patch from becoming trapped in the ca'tridge case? With straight wall ca'tridges like the .357 or the .45 Colt it should be no problem. But I've encountered problems with the bottle necked cases getting the jag/patch trapped. I always advise the owners of rifles chambered in those types to plug the empty case with patches, or use a blank with a full wadcutter in it, for cleaning from the muzzle.

[August]

I find it easy to feel the point where the rifling ends and the chamber begins when using a rod from the muzzle.  I do my first two, or three passes just down to the chamber and only proceed down into the chamber once the barrel is clean.  After getting the barrel clean (usually two patches does it), I work the patch back and forth from the chamber to the beginning of the rifling numerous times.  I repeat until I get clean patches (which, with big lube bullets, seems to occur after a couple of patches).  In other words, I really don't take any patches out the breech end until everything is clean and I'm lubricating for storage.

Hope this helps.

[Montana Slim]

Slim,

How do you keep the jag/patch from becoming trapped in the ca'tridge case? With straight wall ca'tridges like the .357 or the .45 Colt it should be no problem. But I've encountered problems with the bottle necked cases getting the jag/patch trapped. I always advise the owners of rifles chambered in those types to plug the empty case with patches, or use a blank with a full wadcutter in it, for cleaning from the muzzle.

Offhand....I don't know....I've been doing it this way since I started shooting CAS. I've done it in in .357 and 3 different 44-40s including an original Winchester. Could be I subconciously know when to stop the rod (?)...or I'm just lucky 

Oh, I do remove the empty cartridge before dry and oil patching.

Slim

[Haggis MacGurk]

Well, if we're comparing cleaning methods, I spray moosemilk down the barrel of my '66, let it sit for a few minutes, and follow with a couple passes with my .44 cal boresnake. Once in a while, about twice a season, I'll take the rifle apart and clean and lube everything I can find, which includes tossing the elevator into my brass polisher to remove the stains. Unneccessary? yup, but I've been in the infantry for 19 yrs, and having clean, shiny stuff was beaten into me long ago.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

.... which includes tossing the elevator into my brass polisher to remove the stains. Unnecessary? yup, but I've been in the infantry for 19 yrs, and having clean, shiny stuff was beaten into me long ago.

Howdy!

Haggis, I was a treadhead for 14 yrs. - I know what ya mean.


Fortunately for my love of authenticity, I was able to get over that.  Now my '66 looks clean, but carried.  Not brand new.


But that shiny brass does look beautiful!

[Dr. Bob]

Shiny brass has it's place!    In the gun, not on the gun!

[Noz]

Shiny brass has it's place!    In the gun, not on the gun!

+1

[Mako]

Shiny brass has it's place!    In the gun, not on the gun!

+2

[Haggis MacGurk]

OK, let me clarify that a little. I put the elevator in there to get rid of the black stains that accumulate from powder smoke, however, the outside of the rifle is probably just as aged looking as everyone elses. Maybe we should have a photo contest here to see who has the filthiest '66? 

[Noz]

I win -I win -  uh  What did I win?

[Mako]

OK, let me clarify that a little. I put the elevator in there to get rid of the black stains that accumulate from powder smoke, however, the outside of the rifle is probably just as aged looking as everyone elses. Maybe we should have a photo contest here to see who has the filthiest '66?  

Arrrrrrgh! I could have won this last week.  I cleaned all three of my '66s last weekend.  I try to remove a portion of the black spots that you get from BP and even out the patina. I wish I could just make it a uniform soft aged brown like my Brass Trigger Guards.  It's the BP residue that makes all of the brown and black spots.

http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/tt358/Mako_CAS/Rifles/IMG_2431.jpg
http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/tt358/Mako_CAS/Rifles/IMG_2434.jpg
http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/tt358/Mako_CAS/Rifles/IMG_2438.jpg


As you can see the Carrier, Bolt and Barrel Extension are bright and shiny.  I keep the insides as clean as possible and let the exterior tarnish.

~Mako

[Mako]

I win -I win -  uh  What did I win?

I call, show 'em Noz...
~Mako