Cleaning lever rifle action

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  • Warpspasm

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2010
    1,771
    Harford, Co.
    I have a Rossi 92 that I shoot, but I never know how to go about cleaning the action of the rifle. I really don't want to take it apart if I don't have to, and I imagine most people don't every time they clean their rifle. I thought about spraying some Gun Scrubber or One Shot gun cleaner in there, but I'm not sure how I could adequately oil it after that. How do you lever gun shooters do yours?
     

    clandestine

    AR-15 Savant
    Oct 13, 2008
    37,031
    Elkton, MD
    If you dont know how to take one apart and are uncomfortable dont do it. I cant even begin to count how many lever guns have been brought to me in parts for reassembly.

    Best bet is to remove the wood, spray it down heavily with BF CLP and place it in a bag for a day or so. The bag will keep the cleaning agents from evaporation and it will attack the fouling deposits. Remove the gun from the bag and spray it down with some poly safe gunscrubber. Be careful with certain guns they have polymer coatings and gunscrubber may eat the finish. If you are unsure use a water/ballistol (90% water/10% ballistol) mix as your flushing agent from a spray bottle.

    Use Wipe Out Bore foam on the bore, then relube with BF CLP or Syn Motor Oil, then reassemble the furniture.
     

    Rickhead

    XXXXXXXXXX
    Sep 12, 2010
    499
    Get a Marlin they're easy to take apart, one screw. Seriously, the Winchesters are a pain to take apart and put back together.
     

    ComeGet

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 1, 2015
    5,911
    I decided to necro this thread instead of starting a new one on the same subject because there is some good advice in it.

    However, I have an additional question. In searching on how to clean a my Cimarron 1873, everything I've seen is similar to the video below. It involves a good amount of disassembly before getting the bolt out for cleaning.

    Is there a shortcut to removing the bolt for routine cleaning? I don't have any problem doing the full takedown but would rather not do it on a regular basis if I don't have to. Of course, I can also do what the posts above say.

     

    Jimbob2.0

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 20, 2008
    16,600
    Took a Rossi 92 apart took me 8 hours to get it back together. Not hard once you figure it out but very specific assembly steps.
     

    Bolts Rock

    Living in Free America!
    Apr 8, 2012
    6,123
    Northern Alabama
    I decided to necro this thread instead of starting a new one on the same subject because there is some good advice in it.

    However, I have an additional question. In searching on how to clean a my Cimarron 1873, everything I've seen is similar to the video below. It involves a good amount of disassembly before getting the bolt out for cleaning.

    Is there a shortcut to removing the bolt for routine cleaning? I don't have any problem doing the full takedown but would rather not do it on a regular basis if I don't have to. Of course, I can also do what the posts above say.

    Most cowboy shooters, smokeless or black, just spray Ballistol into the carrier area and work the action a few times. A couple times a year they'll take off the side plates and give the innards a blast of Ballistol. Rarely do they take them completely apart. If it works for a cowboy action levergun long term it'll work for you.
     

    ComeGet

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 1, 2015
    5,911
    I follow Post # four and Blow it out w/ Compressed Air before Reassembling/Relubing!

    Most cowboy shooters, smokeless or black, just spray Ballistol into the carrier area and work the action a few times. A couple times a year they'll take off the side plates and give the innards a blast of Ballistol. Rarely do they take them completely apart. If it works for a cowboy action levergun long term it'll work for you.

    Thanks. I think that's what I was looking for. No real need to get the bolt out.

    I've been spoiled by how easy it is to break down an AR and access all its innards. I expected to be able to do the same thing with the 1873. Nope. Good learning experience.
     

    OLSKOL59

    Member
    Jun 24, 2018
    27
    Had to refinish my win 88s stock & figured i'd take down and clean the 25+ yrs of hunt'n & shoot'n i put on it. Still have the jig i made, to remind me of what i have to look forward too in 20 odd yrs if i'm around.
     

    jimbobborg

    Oddball caliber fan
    Aug 2, 2010
    17,112
    Northern Virginia
    However, I have an additional question. In searching on how to clean a my Cimarron 1873, everything I've seen is similar to the video below. It involves a good amount of disassembly before getting the bolt out for cleaning.

    Is there a shortcut to removing the bolt for routine cleaning? I don't have any problem doing the full takedown but would rather not do it on a regular basis if I don't have to. Of course, I can also do what the posts above say.



    The 92 and 73 have different internals. My 1860 has the same internals, I just spray Moose Milk in, blow it out, then use a bore snake for the barrel. Moose Milk is 10% Ballistol and 90% water. No need to take it apart, the bolt is exposed from the top.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    I don't see how you will get much fouling in a lever gun. The breech is fully closed through and well after the firing. Not like a semi auto.
     

    ComeGet

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 1, 2015
    5,911
    I don't see how you will get much fouling in a lever gun. The breech is fully closed through and well after the firing. Not like a semi auto.

    I'm new to levers and I did not know that.

    The advice here has been very helpful.
     

    Art3

    Eqinsu Ocha
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 30, 2015
    13,267
    Harford County
    +1 on Ballistol. I first discovered that stuff when volunteering at a local farm museum. All the tools in their woodworking get wiped down with it at the end of the day. It can go on wood, metal, leather, just about anything. They use the tools, but they are still considered "artifacts." I figured if it was good enough for their artifacts, it should be good enough for my guns :shrug: Now, I use it on everything with a wood stock.

    I clean the bores of my lever actions with the Otis pull through cable, so I'm not pushing crud back into the guts. I use the previously mentioned water Ballistol solution as solvent for when I shoot black powder, then straight Ballistol as preservative. I only disassemble every once in a great while, even when shooting black. The copious amounts of Ballistol flowed into the internals keep any remnants of powder residue drowned and seemingly inert (no rust yet, anyway :shrug:)
     

    jimbobborg

    Oddball caliber fan
    Aug 2, 2010
    17,112
    Northern Virginia
    I don't see how you will get much fouling in a lever gun. The breech is fully closed through and well after the firing. Not like a semi auto.

    Try cowboy rounds of .45 Colt. Lots of blow by with low pressure. I'm of the mind to just run BP rounds through my cowboy guns, they seem to like them.
     

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