Wisconsin Rapids mid-range match with my .44-77.

[Distant Thunder]

As I said earlier my homemade bore wipers did not remove all of the fouling during the Rapids match. They tended to leave a sizeable amount of fouling in the first 3 inches of the bore. This fouling was wetted and soft but just didn't get pushed out the barrel. I really don't understand why that was. I could get rid of the residual fouling by using a slightly damp patch on the jag as I push the wiper through the bore instead of a dry patch I normally use.

I'd go with the damp patch except the amount of dampness could be hard to control. Wet is wet, a patch can only hold so much liquid, but damp is a grey area that may be hard to keep consistent. Too damp would leave excess moister in the bore, not damp enough may not push the fouling out. What I need is a wiper that pushes all the fouling out of the bore every time without having to go with wetter or dryer depending on conditions.

So I have revised my wipers to have two felts on the front. I plan to test these this week and see if they work better.

   

I had to remove more of the brush to make room for the second felt, but I have that down to a science now. The above picture show two .44 caliber wipers as they are now.