HOW TO CLEAN THE GUN. 51 



you find the tow dirty, try again with clean water and 

 tow ; but if the tow shows no dirt, then rinse out the 

 barrels. 



Bring out your teakettle of hot water, the water 

 should not boil, and fill the barrels slowly, leaving 

 the nipples open. Let them stand a .little while, and 

 then pour the water out. Your barrels are now washed 

 clean inside. Next wash the outsides with the warm 

 water ; and, tak-ing the barrels into the kitchen, leave 

 them in a warm place to drain. If you have a furnace, 

 set them over the register, muzzles down, and they 

 will soon dry. 



While the barrels are drying, prepare some clean tow 

 swabs, with which swab each barrel as soon and as 

 briskly as you can, changing the tow as often as need- 

 ful ; and when you cannot find any signs of dirt, and 

 have carefully reached and cleaned the chambers, make 

 another swab, as tight-fitting as possible, of old cotton 

 cloth instead of tow, for the final cleaning. Work this 

 up and down briskly, and it will warm and clean the 

 barrels ; and when the cotton rag comes out unsoiled, 

 your barrels are clean. Now with your finger put three 

 or four drops of pure clarified oil (neat's foot is good for 

 the purpose) on the cloth swab in different places, and 

 swab the barrels a few times up to the muzzles. Drive 

 into each chamber a tight, dry tow wad, with a little oil 

 upon it, and let it remain there. It will absorb any 

 moisture that may come from the nipples. Take a 

 fine soft brush, with long hair, and brush around the 

 nipples on the outside, finishing with a little oil on the 

 brush. With a good piece of old cotton cloth, oil the 



