“CLEANING TO DEATH” – A MYTH

Nearly every gun owner knows stories from his environment about guns that were “cleaned to death” by their owners or previous owners. But are these reports really true or are they fairytales?

The fact is that regularly cleaning and maintaining a well-functioning gun is essential and cannot damage the gun, provided it is performed properly. This is exactly where the root of the problem often lies: if unsuitable cleaning agents are used to clean the gun, the gun can, of course, be damaged. And because the person who causes the damage does not realize his mistake, the myth of “cleaning to death” might not actually be a myth after all.

The most frequent mistakes include, for instance, the use of a wire or steel brush, which can damage the lands and grooves due to the hardness levels of the bristles. For this reason, steel brushes should not be used. Rather, only soft brushes made of brass or bronze (e.g. from Raetz, Eyselein or Niebling) that exactly match the corresponding calibre should be used. These may be used in one direction only, ideally from the chamber to the muzzle. In the case of revolvers or closed systems, cleaning must be performed from the muzzle to the chamber. Therefore, particular care is necessary here when using the cleaning rod, so as not to damage the muzzle.

Tow, cotton or microfibre patches or felt cleaner and intensive cleaner felt with delicate brass fibre are ideal for the cleaning. It should also be noted here that these materials should always be pulled through completely and then removed and the cleaning should then be repeated from the same side. If this is not done in this way, the dirt will only be distributed instead of removed. Often, it is recommended to twist several pieces of cleaning felt together. In this way, the contact surface of the pieces of felt is enlarged.

Another source of mistakes that can cause permanent damage to the barrel is cheap cleaning rods made of bright steel or with a defective plastic coating. Here, the hard, bare metal can, of course, damage the barrel – especially the muzzle area (which is particularly important for accura-

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cy) and the chamber. It should also be ensured that the handle of the cleaning rod has a ball bearing or friction bearing mounted and can turn with the lands and grooves during the cleaning. Otherwise it will scratch across the lands, damaging their edges.

CORROSION/RUST

Corrosion (from Lat. corrodere, “to gnaw away”) refers to the reaction of a material with its environment, which leads to a measurable change to the material.

The best known form of metal corrosion is rust, i.e. the oxidation of iron. Rust arises when iron or steel oxidizes with oxygen in the presence of water. Unlike the protective oxide layer of many metallic materials such as chrome, aluminium or zinc, rust forms a fixed, rough layer on iron that provides no protection from further corrosion. Rust has no business on or with in a gun.

Rust perforation, also known as pitting, refers to corrosion sites that seem small and mostly point-shaped on the surface but that expand in a trough-shape in terms of depth. In other words, the actual corrosion damage is significantly greater than can be recognised on the surface. Therefore, rust perforation frequently can go unnoticed for long periods of time.

Obturation

The term obturation describes the behaviour of a cartridge case in the chamber when the gun is fired. The pressure of the burning propellant ensures that the material of the cartridge case nestles up against the wall of the chamber and thus acts as a gas-tight cap at the rear end of the gun barrel. However, for optimal obturation the chamber must be completely free of oil and grease.

OIL SHOT/CLEANING SHOT

Deadly accurate with GunCer

A test on the topic of oil shot carried out by the magazine Caliber in 2014 showed that the deviations of the point of impact when using Ballistol GunCer were in some cases markedly smaller than with the rival products (of Fluna Tec, SchleTek).

An oil shot or cleaning shot is the first shot from a gun barrel that has not been de-oiled. Due to the oil film that the projectile pushes on its way through the barrel, the normal point of impact is influenced to a greater or lesser extent. How sensible or harmful such a cleaning shot is remains disputed. In general, the gun barrel should be drawn through dry before use. However, this also causes the rust protection to be removed, leading to slight flash rust, depending on use and the weather situation – for example, when a hunter sits on watch for an extended period. If the post-treatment after using the gun is forgotten, this can lead to rust perforation. Nevertheless, it cannot, of course, be recommended to a hunter that he perform a cleaning shot; this, after all, would mean that he frightens the game with his oil shot.

Since each gun behaves differently and the need for an oil shot is also linked to the individual use of the gun, there is no universally valid answer to the question as to whether an oil shot should be performed or not.

However, every marksman should know the deviation of the point of impact due to the oil shot for his guns. Hence, they should purposefully test them at the firing range. This is because the deviation of the point of impact can be reproduced under the same conditions – i.e. with the

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same type of cleaning and minimal oil use. A renowned Lower Bavarian gunsmith has carried out detailed tests on this.

However, before the first shot, the barrel should definitely be drawn through dry again to prevent too many oil residues in the barrel when the cleaning shot is performed leading to problems – even to long-term barrel damage. In the case of a gun that is looked after in normal fashion, a wafer-thin film of oil remains in the barrel despite it being drawn through dry and the barrel is thus protected sufficiently from flash rust. However, it must be ensured that the chamber is dry. Not only can oil and grease in the chamber influence the point of impact but also lead to a much increased load on the breech due to a lack of obturation.

Polygonal Rifling

The cross-section of a polygonal rifling (derived from the Ancient Greek words “polys” = much and “gonia” = angle) corresponds to a rounded polygon that moves in a spirally through the entire barrel in order to give the projectiles the necessary rotation that ensures a stable flight path. Polygonal riflings offer numerous advantages over rifled barrels with lands and grooves. They are significantly more gas-tight, provide for a higher muzzle speed, have a longer life expectancy and are considerably easier to clean. Due to the smaller notch effect, in most cases they are also more break-proof than rifled barrels, which, due to their design, virtually have a “predetermined breaking point” in the groove profile (English Webley Revolvers are an example of this).

However, polygonal riflings transfer only smaller rifling groove forces (spin) and are therefore found predominantly in hand guns but also in large-calibre barrel guns. Projectiles shot with a polygonal rifling do not display any notching but – depending on the barrel version – a type of rounded polygon, such as a six-edged profile may.

To begin with, polygonal riflings were used for military purposes only. Now, however, they can also be found in high-quality handguns (e.g.

Heckler & Koch, Glock, SIG Sauer) as well as hunting guns (e.g. Repetierer Heym SR 20).

Lubricant Ceramic

Not all ceramic is the same. There are over a thousand different variants in the family of ceramic materials. Even though many of them are known for their abrasive properties, there is a small sub-group of approximately 20 variants that, in contrast, have lubricating properties. In the case of one of these variants, the ceramic particles are particularly suitable in shape and size to smooth the metal surface, to reduce the frictional resistance and thus to support the lubricating oil outstandingly in its function. Additionally, this ceramic variant offers further positive properties such as major high-temperature and pressure resistance. An additional advantage is that ceramic does not leave behind any dirt residues such as copper or graphite. Thus, lubricant ceramic is a lubricant that has a very wide temperature use range and that also offers very good emergency running properties.

TEFLON ™

Teflon™ is mostly associated with the well-known, positive property that, as a coating, it ensures a non-adhesive surface. Yet as good as the thought of an anti-adhesion coating in the interior of the barrel on which no more metal or combustion deposits can settle sounds, the use of Teflon™-containing means for cleaning or gun maintenance has risks.

In the chamber area and in the barrel, impact temperatures of up to 3,000 °C develop upon ignition. At these high temperatures, the fluorine-containing polymer contained in Teflon dissolves and small traces of hydrogen fluoride (also called hydrofluoric acid) form – one of the most aggressive chemical compounds there are. Hydrofluoric acid is extremely reactive in combination with moisture and can thus trigger the feared rust perforation in the barrel area, which can ruin the barrel.

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Therefore, you should be extremely careful with Teflon™-containing lubricants and cleaning agents. If at all, these should be used for the mechanics only, although here, too, they offer no recognizable advantage compared to reliable gun oils such as Ballistol Universal Oil and GunCer.

Teflon™ is a trademark of The Chemours Company FC, LLC used under license by F.W. Klever GmbH and denotes the agent polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

Tombac

Brass alloys with a copper proportion of over 67% are known as tombac or gold brass. The word tombac is derived from the Malaysian word tembaga, meaning copper, or the Indian word tumbaga, meaning gold copper. In some cases, this alloy was used to plate iron-jacketed projectiles such as surplus ammunition for rifles and pistols, as, thanks to their softer jacket, these projectiles adapt better to the lands and grooves of a rifled barrel, have a higher gliding effect and are significantly more gentle on the barrel.

Resinification

The problem of resinification is repeatedly heard about, where greases or oils dry out in time, becoming highly viscous and sticky. This handicap results in the reversal of the desired effect. Oiled mechanics do not, for instance function better, but rather they function worse, in some cases, they even limit the functionality. With firearms, this effect can even lead to malfunctions, which can be dangerous for the user.

However, the chemical process that triggers this resinification arises only in the case of herbal greases and oils that are polyunsaturated. With these, low-quality raw materials are often used that trigger the chemical process of resinification through exposure to air and light.

In the process, the double bonds present in the molecular structure break up and reassemble. Macromolecules thus form, which become steadily larger and thus also increasingly viscosity. The result: a resinous mass develops that blocks the mechanics, is difficult to remove and, in the worst case scenario, can even render the gun unusable.

Only in the case of stock oil is this resinification process desired, as the pores of the wood are thus closed. Thanks to their composition, high-quality oils – especially synthetic and mineral oils – cannot resinify, as their molecular structure is not destroyed by atmospheric oxygen.

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Ballistol Universal Oil consists largely of medicinal white oil, meaning that this resinification phenomenon cannot arise in the first place. With Ballistol Universal Oil, only the alcohols that come from natural fermentation evaporate due to exposure to air and light. A vaseline-type protective film remains, which, however, is neither highly viscous nor sticky and cannot therefore restrict the functionality in any way. The lubricating effect remains.

Therefore, WD40, Caramba and other simple oils that can be purchased at DIY stores should definitely not be used for gun maintenance. Due to the high proportion of petroleum or other solvents they contain, acceptable cleaning properties can be achieved, but they are thus also very fleeting and offer no long-term protection – accordingly, users must re-oil frequently. Another disadvantage is the easily irritating substances they often contain. Gun parts made of wood or leather can be damaged – as well as the user’s own skin can be.

Hence, there are many good reasons to opt for high-quality gun oils such as Ballistol Universal Oil, Gunex or GunCer, which do not, because they cannot resinify. So instead of using low-quality products that can cause damage, entail high costs for repairs and replacing individual components and that often have to be used again and again, it is worth it for you to place your trust in BALLISTOL for effective protecting agents and lubricants for all areas.

Nevertheless, if you use high-quality oils from BALLISTOL, you should of course ensure that you do not use too much oil, as an excessively oiled barrel or system can – especially in low temperatures – lead to problems, such as dirt coming into contact with the excess oil.

Breech Mechanisms

A breech designates the components of a breech-loader that close the barrel off to the rear to prevent the emission of propellant gases. Therefore, primarily, the breech must be stable and tight enough to withstand the pressure of these gases and enable the acceleration and emission of the projectile in the first place.

All firearms have a breech. If breeches consist of several components they are referred to as a breech mechanism, which, depending on the design of the gun, has various other functions in addition to the sealing to the rear – for example loading, firing, securing and unloading the gun. The components of such breech mechanisms and a bolt head include the firing pin or the separate hammer, the firing pin spring, the extractor, the extractor hook, various firing pin or hammer safety components and numerous other components.

In the case of guns for round or cartridge ammunition, the breech has the task of securing the rounds or cartridges in the barrel – in this case, sealing against the escape of propellant gases is achieved by obturating the case material. However, muzzle-loading guns and revolvers also have a breech – this is the breech plug in muzzle-loading guns and the frame in revolvers. With revolvers, the sealing is also performed by obturating the cartridge case. In the process, the cylinder operates as a magazine and a chamber. The necessary stability of the chamber and the round contained therein, is ensured by the special design and by the frame of the revolver.

The most important and most widespread breech mechanisms include bolt action, rotating-bolt action, roller-delayed blowback action, blowback action, gas-delayed blowback action, break-down action and cylinder action. In addition to these, there are also numerous other breech mechanisms and variants.