cleaning

[retiredarmy]

Hello,
New to this page, have a question about cleaning my CVA optima 50 cal.
Needing some input for getting the fouling out of it after shooting. I use 90 gr. T-7 FFG with a TC 240gr. XTP sabot.
Thank you in advance....Bill

[cayugad]

Clean the rifle according to manufacturer's recommendations. Normally in your manual there is a dedicated area that describes the proper cleaning procedure. If you have no manual contact CVA/BPI and request one. Or perhaps you can download one from there web site.

Triple Se7en is an easy powder to clean. Simple water will remove the fowling. I add a little dish soap. Remove the breech plug and barrel from the stock if possible. Some people do not like to remove the barrel from the stock, so use your judgement. I like to clean the inlines from breech to muzzle when I clean them. An old habit of not pushing fowling back across the breech threads and trigger area of the rifle. If you run a couple wet waterpatches, then you should finally get a clean patch instead of the light gray. Then is when I would put a brass brush on the rod, dip that in solvent and give the barrel maybe ten strokes just to make sure that the lands and grooves are clean. After that a couple patches with gun solvent on them. And finally dry patch the barrel until you're sure the barrel is dry. After that I like to swab the barrel with a quality gun oil. Clean the breech plug, and re apply the anti seize and replace it. Or some people store that in a plastic bag along side the rifle, and re apply the anti seize just before they shoot the next time. Your choice. Then clean all the other parts of the rifle. I have no experience on how to break down the CVA for trigger, and hammer cleaning. Your manual should tell you that.

If all you're talking about is swabbing the bore on the range, you do not have to pull the breech plug. Just swab the unloaded fowled barrel with a patch dampened lightly with a number of different solutions out there. Work the patch in 2-4 inch strokes from the muzzle to the bore. Pay attention to the crud ring area. Flip that patch and swab the barrel again, after you have worked it the length of the bore the first time. After that you dry patch the barrel until you are sure the barrel is dry. Then load it as normal..

[retiredarmy]

cayugad, thanks for the detailed info. What would be the best solvent to use to remove the plastic fouling left from the sabots.....Bill

[cayugad]

I like the Birchwood Casey Bore Scrubber as a solvent. And I like the Birchwood Casey Sheath as the gun oil.

[Tahquamenon]

Should not see much in the way of plastic fouling until after 80-100 shots give or take.

I like Butch's Bore Shine solvet. Really cleans quickly and removes everything.

Tahquamenon

[Gotbuck]

Here are some good techniques I use to clean my guns.

http://www.castbullet.com/misc/clean.htm

http://mamaflinter.tripod.com/id9.html

http://www.cva.com/muzz/muzz5.htm