A question for lever gun users....

[Hagler.450Ex]

A model 94 Winchester .30-30 was my first rifle waaaaay back in the day, so I should know the answer to this, and I don't remember ever being worried about it back then, so it's strange that I think of it so often now. I know I must be a bit paranoid or with a bit of OCD at this age after all the things I've seen since that time, but I like being able to look directly down the bore of any of my rifles from chamber end to muzzle and check for obstructions in the field, be it bugs, or plant material, especially after sleep. I like to know that nothing has found its way in there. I sometimes will plug the muzzle by setting a cartridge in it if I'm away from it for a while or asleep. Then there is the action of a lever itself, which does not lend itself to readily breaking down, such as simply pulling the bolt out of a Mauser. Things can fall in there, and then what? Take the 1886 or 71 Winchester for example. A legend in its own right. Or even the 95'. What if sand, other foreign elements get in there? Sure, you're in the middle of nowhere, so let's just have a casual stroll and run it over to the gunsmith and have him strip it down and clean all the foreign elements out and put the 'extremely complicated' action of the 86/71...or 95, back together again. Not happening. And I'm not just speaking of the 86' or Winchesters in general, but Marlins and all levers.
Whereas I can strip a Mauser down in the field and it be like new again in very short order. Same with a single or double, although they too can be compromised by foreign elements on the flats........at least I can SEE it.
Furthermore, cleaning, in and of itself, and being able to see all the way down, a nice shiny chamber and bore. Also, powder, copper, lead, and solvent residue spraying from a brush into the action while cleaning the bore.
I guess my question is, how do most of the lever gun users on here rationalize these things?
I like to know that everything is clean and running smoothly and that if a bird overhead takes direct aim at my action with the bolt open (humor here), more likely extreme weather and plant material, I don't have to haul a gunsmith shop around with me to make it right again.
What are everyone's thoughts on this matter?

 

[SETH RINGER]

NEVER THOUGHT OR WORRIED ABOUT IT WITH MINE.
SQUEEZE TRIGGER-BANG-JACK LEVER-REPEAT

 

[DaddyFlip]

Also never thought about it. When I was a kid, dad only ever cleaned our guns with a piece of cotton rag tied to a string tied to a nail. Put on a dab of oil and pull through several times for all actions. You could pack this with you and perform a pull-thru anytime you feel the urge. Then place a small piece of tape over the muzzle and carry on.

 

[Bandera]

I shoot a 1873 Action monthly, Cowboy Action Shooting. About 1600 rounds a year, give or take. I clean that rifle once a year. I don’t worry about crud in the action.

The 1895 Marlin and the 336 Marlin have been wiped down and a bore snake run through them. Again I don’t worry about crud in The action.

If you are worried about checking the bore and a good cleaning, the Marlin is the easiest to disassemble.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

What's wrong with opening the lever action and placing a white cleaning patch in the open action and then eye balling it from the muzzle end? That's what I do with my nearly 100 year old Model 94 and my 120 year old Model 86. When carrying in the field, I put a piece of black electrical tape over the muzzle, so no debris can get in the barrel. When you shoot, it simply blows off.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

My newer levers, I do not baby. My MXLR I borderline abuse. I do a thorough cleaning maybe once a year? There are exceptions for when they get really wet. Do the best you can in the field and something much more intentional once home.

 

[steve white]

Yes, a white cleaning patch or just a white piece of paper, angled so the light can hit it will reflect enough that looking through the muzzle you'll be able to confirm there are no obstructions.

 

[B0MBOY]

Cleaning my henry consists of 2 passes with a bore snake and if it rained or snowed heavily a wipe of all the accessible metal surfaces with an oily rag, that’s it. Runs like clockwork.

 

[Hagler.450Ex]

Appreciate the answers. Good ones too. Glad everyone is so understanding, had a rough couple days after I posted this and just now getting back. But good answers. Makes me less worried. I've not used a lever in over 30 years, so....
And there was/is, maybe, a thing on the table for something in the far north, so I had a wild idea to get an 86' in .45-90....so we'll see....but I doubt I go, because it's the complete 'polar', no pun intended, opposite of my ideal climate, and I might actually give up the ghost if I set foot there....
But I can have some fun with this 86' anyway....
I guess you know you're too old for something when you start having thoughts of becoming an actual statistic....so yup....I'm gonna play around with this 86' anyway....haven't even opened the box yet....

 

[Ravensview]

1873, 1866 and 1860 are all pretty easy to disassemble, just remove a screw or two and the innards are exposed, the marlins even more so just remove the front lever screw and the bolt slides out the back.

 

[Andrew NOLA]

1886 is easy to disassemble but a pain in the butt to reassemble

Put a piece of tape on the muzzle end

Bore snakes are your friend

 

[RedTag]

The Marlin design makes it easy to remove the lever and bolt for inspection and cleaning from the breech, just be careful not to lose or break the ejector as it likes to go it’s own way when you pull out the bolt.

 

[1972RedNeck]

I have a Japchester 1886 in 45-90. Love it. 405 grain bullet knocking on 2400 fps will get your attention. Best elk rifle I have ever seen.

Also have a Japchester 1895 in 30-06. Fun rifle.

I bought some cheap 45-70 ammo (for the brass) to use for plinking ammo in my 45-90. Had a couple of mis fires where the primer went off but the power didn't light. Pushed the bullet and powder out. Powder filled the action when I opened it.

I blew it out with my hot air the best I could and finished the magazine. Was a little gritty but it ran.

In a pinch, blow it out and it will run.

 

[Trogon]

I don't cover the muzzle except during drizzly weather or anticipated rain (if I think about it), cut a finger off a nitrile glove and use that over the barrel, sometimes a front sight makes that a little challenge (I remove the Marlin front sight hoods after having lost one; my leverguns are scoped regardless, no iron sight use for me with AGED eyes). I like to keep a ziplock baggie with at least few pairs of gloves in my truck, hunting coat, fishing gear bag, etc.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

A model 94 Winchester .30-30 was my first rifle waaaaay back in the day, so I should know the answer to this, and I don't remember ever being worried about it back then, so it's strange that I think of it so often now. I know I must be a bit paranoid or with a bit of OCD at this age after all the things I've seen since that time, but I like being able to look directly down the bore of any of my rifles from chamber end to muzzle and check for obstructions in the field, be it bugs, or plant material, especially after sleep. I like to know that nothing has found its way in there. I sometimes will plug the muzzle by setting a cartridge in it if I'm away from it for a while or asleep. Then there is the action of a lever itself, which does not lend itself to readily breaking down, such as simply pulling the bolt out of a Mauser. Things can fall in there, and then what? Take the 1886 or 71 Winchester for example. A legend in its own right. Or even the 95'. What if sand, other foreign elements get in there? Sure, you're in the middle of nowhere, so let's just have a casual stroll and run it over to the gunsmith and have him strip it down and clean all the foreign elements out and put the 'extremely complicated' action of the 86/71...or 95, back together again. Not happening. And I'm not just speaking of the 86' or Winchesters in general, but Marlins and all levers.
Whereas I can strip a Mauser down in the field and it be like new again in very short order. Same with a single or double, although they too can be compromised by foreign elements on the flats........at least I can SEE it.
Furthermore, cleaning, in and of itself, and being able to see all the way down, a nice shiny chamber and bore. Also, powder, copper, lead, and solvent residue spraying from a brush into the action while cleaning the bore.
I guess my question is, how do most of the lever gun users on here rationalize these things?
I like to know that everything is clean and running smoothly and that if a bird overhead takes direct aim at my action with the bolt open (humor here), more likely extreme weather and plant material, I don't have to haul a gunsmith shop around with me to make it right again.
What are everyone's thoughts on this matter?

As my dad taught me, just keep a small piece of white paper with you. Open the lever, insert the paper into.the breach, and look down the.muzzle. if you can't get enough sunlight, shine a flashlight on it. That will.light up your bore just fine.

Uh, be sure you take the paper out before you close the lever.

 

[F. Vaccaro]

Marlins are very easy to clean from the breech. Remove the lever., one screw, pull the bolt & be sure to catch the ejector, clean & replace. I’ve done it twice in the field.

 

[JimP]

As my dad taught me, just keep a small piece of white paper with you. Open the lever, insert the paper into.the breach, and look down the.muzzle. if you can't get enough sunlight, shine a flashlight on it. That will.light up your bore just fine.

Uh, be sure you take the paper out before you close the lever.

My dad always used a dime to reflect any light into the bore

 

[Flbt]

What's wrong with opening the lever action and placing a white cleaning patch in the open action and then eye balling it from the muzzle end? That's what I do with my nearly 100 year old Model 94 and my 120 year old Model 86. When carrying in the field, I put a piece of black electrical tape over the muzzle, so no debris can get in the barrel. When you shoot, it simply blows off.

I use my thumb nail for that
Same idea though

 

[Flbt]

A model 94 Winchester .30-30 was my first rifle waaaaay back in the day, so I should know the answer to this, and I don't remember ever being worried about it back then, so it's strange that I think of it so often now. I know I must be a bit paranoid or with a bit of OCD at this age after all the things I've seen since that time, but I like being able to look directly down the bore of any of my rifles from chamber end to muzzle and check for obstructions in the field, be it bugs, or plant material, especially after sleep. I like to know that nothing has found its way in there. I sometimes will plug the muzzle by setting a cartridge in it if I'm away from it for a while or asleep. Then there is the action of a lever itself, which does not lend itself to readily breaking down, such as simply pulling the bolt out of a Mauser. Things can fall in there, and then what? Take the 1886 or 71 Winchester for example. A legend in its own right. Or even the 95'. What if sand, other foreign elements get in there? Sure, you're in the middle of nowhere, so let's just have a casual stroll and run it over to the gunsmith and have him strip it down and clean all the foreign elements out and put the 'extremely complicated' action of the 86/71...or 95, back together again. Not happening. And I'm not just speaking of the 86' or Winchesters in general, but Marlins and all levers.
Whereas I can strip a Mauser down in the field and it be like new again in very short order. Same with a single or double, although they too can be compromised by foreign elements on the flats........at least I can SEE it.
Furthermore, cleaning, in and of itself, and being able to see all the way down, a nice shiny chamber and bore. Also, powder, copper, lead, and solvent residue spraying from a brush into the action while cleaning the bore.
I guess my question is, how do most of the lever gun users on here rationalize these things?
I like to know that everything is clean and running smoothly and that if a bird overhead takes direct aim at my action with the bolt open (humor here), more likely extreme weather and plant material, I don't have to haul a gunsmith shop around with me to make it right again.
What are everyone's thoughts on this matter?

As far as the action getting grit in it. ( not a recreation)
But I do like my dad hit it with brake cleaner and rem oil I use Lucas oil now

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Hunted with an original American made Winchester Model 1895 chambered in .405 Winchester quite a bit. If the magazine was loaded to full capacity and the lever was worked really fast, you would sometimes get a jam. But if you loaded one round less (3+1), then it functioned very smoothly.

The new Japanese manufactured Model 1895s do not have this problem.