Encore 209x50 breech plug

[Varmint Hunter]

OK - now that I've started shooting my 209x50 and using BlackHorn 209 I have also been doing a little cleaning when I return from the range. For those of you who haven't tried the BlackHorn yet, it may be non-corrosive but it is DIRTY. You can run a saturated patch and jag through the barrel repeatedly and continue to get black sludge looking fouling out with each patch. It took at least 8 patches to get things reasonable clean.

However, what I'd like to know is how do you guys clean out the inside of the breech plug on your 209x50? If it makes any difference, I have one of the newer breech plugs that takes a 1/4 turn to remove.

[bphunter]

Use Hoppes #9 instead of traditional cleaners with BH209 and you should be a lot happier. It should only take 2 wet patches and one dry patch to clean the bore pretty well. I use a folded pipe stem cleaner on the breech plug. A traditional nipple pick cleans the firing hole pretty well also.

[Varmint Hunter]

2 wet patches!  I get a VERY black patch out, over and over again while using Montana Extreme, which is what I use on my centerfire rifles. I wonder why your bore stays so clean.

My breech plug face is filthy too. Hmmmm

[bphunter]

I'm using FPB bullets that have no plastic or grease that might add to the mix. I also use a fairly tight fitting jag and flip each patch over for double duty, but I figure everyone does that. My KRB7 had a bunch of dirty patches that turned out to lead fouling! I turned the Outers Foul Out loose on it and I could see the fouling was all toward the tip of the barrel by examining the rod. You couldn't see the fouling in the barrel and it was shooting fine, but after the Outers, no more black patches!

[Varmint Hunter]

I was shooting mostly ShockWave bullets but tried a few PowerBelts while I was testing different loads. Should be no lead or wax residue from anywhere. I never bothered reversing patches so that would make a difference.

I just noticed that T/C makes a pick which is designed for their in-line breech plugs. It's already on order.

[mirage1988]

I run two of the t/c cleaning patches (the presaturated ones) using both sides, then two dry patches every three or four shots. Make sure to shoot a primer after cleaning to clear the breech plug. Had several mis-fires at the range before I started doing that. Seems that the breech plug was getting stuffed with crud when I was swabbing. Havn't had a mis-fire since. I shoot 777 pellets.

[alsaqr]

Best way to clean the crud out of the rear of the breech plug is to use pipe cleaners.  About every third cleaning use a drill bit turned by hand to get the hard crud out.  Use a nipple pick or torch cleaner to clear the flash hole. 

[jammer308]

 I'm using JSG loose powder right now but intend to try some others too. I like what I've been hearing about Blackhorn but the price is keeping me clear for now. Anyway I run 1 semi-wet patch, both sides real good. Followed by 2 dry, both sides. Fire a primer and run one last dry patch. I do this every shot. I also fire a primer and swab before the first shot on a clean barrel. Is this method overkill?

Not to hi-jack but a related question, How often do you guys strip down the frame on an encore and clean? I've never done it to mine yet, but have noticed the blow back gets down in there and I wonder how much I can get away with before i have problems? I've been cleaning down inside the frame as good as I can without stripping it down. It's a new gun with about 60 shots through it I'm guessing?

[Chris Potts]

It is really easy to pull the barrel off to get down in the frame.  I would be more worried about the blowback getting back in the action via the firing pin hole.  I had alot of problems with blowback when I tried the remington cleenbore and the winchester 777 primers.  I haven't had any problems with the cci 209's and recently with the fusion primers.  With the remingtons and 777's the blowback would get around the sides of the primers and foul up the breech plug and action.  With the cci and fusions only the very front of the primers have any fouling on them.  Might be worth trying.

[jammer308]

Just so happens I've been using Kleenbore primers. I just ran out the other day so I think I'll take your advice and try some cci's. See what happens. By the way, I've taken the extractor out and have been shooting the gun that way all along. I wonder if that might pose a problem with blowback? Maybe I should put it back in? Thanks for the help.