Cleaning Tips, Tricks, and Secrets:

INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING Love My Guns' RUBY powder solvent or other powder solvent bore cleaner:

The most important rule of gun cleaning is to always clean from breech to muzzle in the direction of the bullet. There are no exceptions to this rule. If you go in the wrong direction ("muzzle to breech") you will bring powder residue and abrasive dirt from the barrel into the chamber and neck. This causes stuck cases and other malfunctions of the action. The next bullet down the barrel will drag this dirt and erode the bore.

a) Insure that the firearm is unloaded and that all magazines are removed. Cleaning is most effective when done while the barrel is still warm to the touch from firing. Saturate a cotton patch with RUBY, wrap or impale on a jag and push it through the bore from breech to muzzle. The patch should be a snug fit. Let the first patch fall off and do not pull it back into the bore.

b) Wet a second patch, and similarly start it into the bore from the breech, this time scrubbing from the throat area forward in 4-5" strokes and gradually advancing until the patch emerges out the muzzle. Waiting approximately 1 minute to let the bore cleaner soak will improve its action.

c) For pitted, heavily carbon-fouled "battle" guns, leaded revolvers or neglected bores a bronze brush wet with bore cleaner may be used to remove stubborn deposits. This is unnecessary for smooth, target-grade barrels in routine use.

Note: It is recommended that the EBC Electronic Bore Cleaner be used to clean up these heavily fouled bores.

d) Use a final wet patch pushed straight through the bore to flush out loosened residue dissolved by RUBY. Remove the patch without pulling it back into the bore. If you are finished firing, leaving the bore wet (or wet with ONYX) will protect it from rust for up to 30 days.

Alternately, run 2 dry clean patches through the barrel to dry the RUBY, run 1 wet patch with ONYX to oil the barrel (ONYX is lighter than RUBY). Finish up by running 1 dry patch through the barrel to remove excess.

e) Wipe spilled RUBY from exterior surfaces before storing the gun. Wipe all exterior metal surfaces with ONYX to prevent rust. ONYX should be used to lubricate receivers, actions, and any moving parts.

f) Before firing again, if left wet, push two dry patches through the bore and dry the chamber, using a patch wrapped around a suitably sized brush or jag. First shot point of impact usually will not be disturbed by RUBY if the bore is cleaned as described.

How to properly clean after using corrosive ammo, works for Black Powder too!

This is how to do it... it's easy, it's fast, and it's effective. Best of all you can do it while still on the firing-line and thus not offend anyone with the stench of chemicals in your home.

Diamond solution works best for this and you won't have the hassle of making it up. Diamond is especially good for black powder residue. Otherwise, us cheapskates will dilute regular household ammonia (sudsy is best but regular is OK too) to 2/1 or 3/1 with water. Keep in a small bottle to take with you to the range but label it so you don't mistake it for something else!

a) After you are done firing and while still at the range moisten (not dripping-wet) a patch and run it down the bore and back once. This instantly will neutralize and dissolve the corrosive salt-compounds from the primers and start in dissolving the copper and powder fouling.

b) Let stand for thirty seconds or so (just enough time to throw away the patch you just used and put a new, dry patch on your rod). Run the dry patch (or several) down the bore and you are almost done. DON'T OVERDO IT! More ISN'T better

c) You don't want to put ammonia on the blued parts of the rifle (as it will likely start to remove bluing after 30 minutes or so) and you also shouldn't leave the ammonia in the bore for an extended period of time (like hours, although there ARE people who do that) as that may cause "crazing" (microscopic pitting) of the metal. I caution against slopping ammonia on the wooden parts of your rifle, as it may strip the finish down to bare-wood.

d) If you are concerned about primer residue on the bolt-face you may want to wipe it with the wet patch before throwing it away and quickly dry it. Do the same with the gas-tube in a semi-automatic rifle. Don't overdo it, just wet it and dry it.

e) Finally (since the ammonia will also kill all lubricants and leave the metal dry) run a patch of gun-oil or ONYX down the bore and leave it like that for protection from the elements (just be sure to run a dry patch down the bore before shooting it next time).

f) On older rifles, I recommend that you heavily oil them before storing them away to prevent rust, and clean with dry patches before shooting.