PatchWorm™

How to use the PatchWorm

The general procedure is as follows: Slide on the correct caliber cleaning head and pierce a cotton patch. Wet the patch with solvent and pull through the barrel from chamber to muzzle. Flip the patch and pull again. Remove the wet patch, then pierce a dry patch and pull as before. If cleaning a caliber that is large for the specified range of the head (i.e. .40 cal with the purple head [.355″ – .40″]) then now is the time to stack a second patch and pull it through for a tight finishing stroke; otherwise, pull only one patch at a time.

Cleaning .22 caliber is slightly different – first use the .20 cal green head to pull single wet and dry patches (or felt buttons, if desired), then slide on the white “finishing” head to pull a single dry or lightly oiled patch for a tight finishing stroke.

Most quality rimfires will maintain good accuracy and function if cleaned routinely with patches or plain felt. Generally, use the felt buttons as needed – they conform beautifully to the barrel lands and grooves to remove stubborn fouling. Ballistol and Prolix are great CLPs (cleaner, lubricant and protectant), and work especially well with rimfires. The chamber should be cleaned occasionally by swirling a bronze brush or pulling super-intensive felt to assure proper function.

Centerfire barrels, and some .17 rimfires, require a different approach to remove stubborn copper fouling. This includes using more aggressive solvents and/or pulling super-intensive felt in the middle of the general procedure described above. Wipe-Out is a fantastic solvent for removing copper fouling with patches-only (not for use with super-intensive felt or bronze brushes since Wipe-Out will dissolve these). Pulling a good-fitting cotton patch with a modern solvent like Wipe-Out can be far more effective, with less physical effort and risk to the bore and barrel crown, than old conventional cleaning methods.

Airgun bores have more shallow land and groove profiles than powder burners of the same caliber, so larger patches are typically required to achieve the tight fit required for thorough cleaning. And it may take some trial and error to determine the optimal patch size for a specific barrel.

My barrel has a compensator - how do I get the PatchWorm to come straight out without binding in the comp?

Use a portion of a drinking straw to guide the rod straight out. The straw diameter can be built up with masking tape to match the diameter of the exit hole.

Any other tips?

Periodically wipe down the PatchWorm to keep it clean. Always use clean, high quality patches. A little twist of the pointed end makes piercing the patch easy. Pull the PatchWorm straight out of the muzzle and avoid rough contact with the crown.

Sight Paint Kit

How long will it last?

With reasonable care, the paint will stay adhered and continue to maintain its glow characteristic for many years. Extensive exposure to direct sunlight may shorten its life somewhat.

Is it possible to remove the paint if desired?

Typically, yes – smaller dots and bars are usually easily chipped off with a blade.

Are there any toxicity issues with the glow paint?

No, at least none greater than any other paint product. Not to be confused with radium paint which was radioactive and used on older watch dials, our glow paint has a phosphor oxide pigment content that is non-toxic.