Musketry (.303 and .22 cartridges) / Elementary training, visual training, judging distance, fire discipline, range practices, field practices

by Unknown

2. Use of the Pull-Through.—(i) Remove the bolt from the rifle, and in order to insure the gradual compression of the gauze, if used, and of the flannelette, drop the weight through the bore from breech to muzzle. The pull-through should be drawn through in one motion, otherwise the spot where the flannelette is allowed to rest while a fresh grip of the cord is being taken will not be properly cleaned. Very great care must be taken not to allow the cord to rub against the muzzle, otherwise a groove, technically known as cord wear, will be cut, which in course of time will destroy the accuracy of the rifle.

Wire Gauze folded

Section

Wire Gauze on Pull-through

Fig. 1.

(ii) Flannelette.—Only regulation flannelette is to be used. When cleaning or drying the bore after washing out with water, a piece of dry flannelette large enough to fit the bore tightly (about 4 inches by 2 inches) should be placed in the second loop of the pull-through. For oiling the bore, a slightly smaller piece of oily flannelette, which will fit the bore loosely, should be used. Care must be taken not to use too much oil, as it will be squeezed out of the flannelette at the entrance to the bore, and will run down into the bolt when the rifle is placed in the rack, and may then cause miss-fires.

(iii) Caution.—The use of two single pull-throughs attached to one another, so as to make a double one, is strictly forbidden, because this practice has been found to produce “cord-worn” barrels.

3. (i) Wire Gauze ([Fig. 1]).—Wire gauze in pieces 2½ inches by 1½ inches is supplied, and should be used for the removal of hard fouling or of rust. In attaching it to the pull-through, the following method should be adopted: Turn the shorter sides of the gauze towards the upper, so that the longer sides take the form of the letter S. Open the first loop of the pull-through, and put one side of it in each loop of the S. Then coil each half of the gauze tightly round that portion of the cord over which it is placed till the two rolls thus formed meet. The gauze must be oiled thoroughly before use to prevent its scratching the bore.