Cleaning and waxing ammo

[Malsonb]

I have been reading a lot lately about cleaning and waxing ammo. I did an experiment with my 909 and 196 gr nsa. The chronograph read 720, 706, and 690 before any cleaning and waxing. I cleaned the barrel and waxed it with lemon pledge. Cleaned and waxed the slugs. After all the cleaning and waxing, the chronograph read 800,796 and 790. I usually only shoot 3 shots but thought I would send one more down range. Shot #4 flew down range at 775. Accuracy was even better. Maybe there is something to this cleaning and waxing.

 

[Malsonb]

one thing I didn't mention was, it was the first time I cleaned the barrel in a longtime. That may contribute to the big difference in fps. ?

 

[stoti]

I clean and polish my barrels after I buy a new air gun. I shoot them and test things for a while, break them in thoroughly and get them all dialed in, tuned and shooting the way I like. I kind of use this as my baseline. Cleaning, polishing, waxing and lubing are all different processes that can be used alone or in conjunction with each other. There are lots of different cleaning methods, lubricants and waxes that can be applied a plethora of different ways. Everyone has their own favorites as I’m sure you’ll see. Lol

After I have a good general understanding of how the gun shoots and it’s dialed in the way I like, I will wax the barrel with Renaissance wax and then lube my slugs and pellets lightly with Silicone formula WD-40. Some slugs and pellets will shoot quite a bit better and faster, others, there isn’t much difference at all. There is never a decline in accuracy or velocity though and the time between cleanings increases greatly. I hardly ever have to clean my barrels other than a quick pass with the patch worm and a tad of cleaner followed by a couple of dry patches.


There are quite a few different waxes you can use and they can even be applied differently. Some people just slop paste wax in the barrel, let it dry and wipe out the excess. To get the full benefit of waxing a barrel, you have to use a quality “hard wax” and really work the wax into all the microscopic grooves, blemishes, scrapes, scratches, imperfections and pores of the barrel so there is a perfectly smooth surface. That’s the point after all and it definitely works! 

Stoti

 

[Malsonb]

I heat my pellets before I waxed them. Then heat them after application. I use the wife's hair dryer. I have only used lemon pledge. Will have to try other methods. Will have to try a good wax in the barrel. I usually only run a few patches covered in wax through it.. Thanks for the info Stoti.



Brian

 

[Guest]

Stoti,

How do you “really work the wax” in the bore?

Mitch

 

[Bulletbob]

I went on a binge cleaning and waxing pellets. My results was the pellets that would not shoot for me would still not shoot for me after all the extra work. If a pellet shoots out of the tin then MAYBE wash and wax might help it do some better but that has not been so for me.

Don't want to fly in anybody's face just telling how it worked for me.

God Bless

Bobby

 

[stoti]

Stoti,

How do you “really work the wax” in the bore?

Mitch

I used a tight fitting .25 cal. felt cleaning pellets (3) stacked and screwed on a jag. I put wax on them and work them back and forth with good quality, ball bearing cleaning rod that will follow the lands and grooves. After working it in good, I let it dry(Renaissance Wax dries really fast) and then use a few dry patches to finish working it in(don’t know if it does or not) and removing the excess. Then I shoot a felt pellet through the barrel and I’m done. I repeat the process about once a year if I shoot the gun a lot.

Stoti

 

[Vana2]

@Stoti

What kind of cleaner do you use in you barrel Stoti? Do you think that the cleaner disolves or removes the wax?

I've started using wax in the barrel and wondered how often I need to reapply it.