What Works the Best for Cleaning Blackpowder Residue?

[Arrroman]

I still like the smell of blackpowder and the flash and the smoke. I enjoy being able to find where my friend shot his deer by using my nose. There is something about it that is part of me that won't let go. So I gotta deal with it.
What works best for cleaning up the mess?

How many shots can you take between cleanings? I used to just run a dry brush through every other shot, but the lower part of the bore still seemed to tighten up quite a bit after a dozen shots.

I read somewhere on this forum about mixing equal parts of Murphy's OIl Soap, peroxide, and alcohol to use as a cleaning solvent between shots. Does this work well? Sounds like something you could mix in a dish detergent bottle or maybe fill a deer pee squeeze bottle with for a trip to the range. Anyone use this formula?

Gotta go shoot now. I'll check back with you guys later.

Good luck hunting!

[RandyWakeman]

Don't know about the "best" but Ballistol seems to be as good as anything with Goex.

[Thomas Krupinski]

I like to use either Simple Green and warm water or liquid dishwasher soap and warm water.  Gets the job done.

[crow_feather]

Another home mix that works well is 15% water soluble oil poured into 85% water with a dash of liquid soap and a dash of windex.

C F

[Jim n Iowa]

Mike Venturino of Shooting Times had a recipe using Windex with vinegar. He stated it could be hard to find. My wife brought some home pronto from the local store. He cut it with distilled water to what ratio I am at a loss. Haven't tried it yet but would be great at the range.
Jim

[big6x6]

So.....What will all these concoctions do that Butchs Black Powder Bore Shine, Birchwood Casey #77, or T/C #13 WON'T?

[Thomas Krupinski]

So.....What will all these concoctions do that Butchs Black Powder Bore Shine, Birchwood Casey #77, or T/C #13 WON'T?

They don't come in fancy packaging at expensive prices.  The simpler the better.

[RandyWakeman]

So.....What will all these concoctions do that Butchs Black Powder Bore Shine, Birchwood Casey #77, or T/C #13 WON'T?

C'mon Chuck-- ever ask Crystal to make Itialian dressing with #13? :shock:

[flintlock54]

Hard to believe that anything would work better than Butchs Black Powder Bore Shine. No smell, not soapy, not greasy, clear like water. I soak a large patch to clean up my flintlock pan area and in a instant it melts the residue. Simple follow up wipe with a shop rag all parts spotless.

[quickdtoo]

I read somewhere on this forum about mixing equal parts of Murphy's OIl Soap, peroxide, and alcohol to use as a cleaning solvent between shots. Does this work well? Sounds like something you could mix in a dish detergent bottle or maybe fill a deer pee squeeze bottle with for a trip to the range. Anyone use this formula?

Good luck hunting!

I used the "Magic" cleaner(murphy's,alcohol, peroxide) for about 8 yrs when shooting at rondezvous in my flintlocks and persuction shotguns. It works the best of anything I have ever tried. It cleans the fouling from handling ramrods off your hands like nothing else. I shot patched round balls using "moose milk" as a lube. Moose milk is nothing more than 10% water soluable machinist oil and water, cleans fairly well but not near as good as the "magic" cleaner.

Keep yer hair on and yer powder dry.....

[Batchief909]

2 parts Alcohol, 2 parts peroxide, 1 part Murphys Oil Soap. All I've ever used for BP.

[Arrroman]

I found a ten year old bottle of hydrogen peroxide in the medicine cabinet. It was half full so I topped it off with rubbing alcohol gave it shake and dumped an inch out in the sink. Gave the bottle ten squirts of liquid hand soap and another shake. You should see how the stuff cleans the chrome around the sink!

Took the Austin&Halleck to the range. Two Pyrodex pellets and a 295grain Power belt shoots as tight as anything else I own. The homemade cleaning stuff worked too.

Many thanks to all who answered the call for their recipe for a cleaner.

Now if I can just take the bolt apart without shooting any springs across the room I will have had a successful day.

Good luck hunting!

[Batchief909]

Just a little hint on the alcohlo/peroxide/soap mix.  Don't store the stuff in a glass container, as it will expand and break. I always use the brown peroxide bottles.

[Arrroman]

Gotcha. I also keep the plastic bottle in a zip-loc bag.

Good luck hunting!

[oneshotonekill]

One other thing to remember with those mixtures is that peroxide is an oxidiser and will promote corrosion so be sure to dry patch then use a rust preventative.

[quickdtoo]

Just a little hint on the alcohlo/peroxide/soap mix.  Don't store the stuff in a glass container, as it will expand and break. I always use the brown peroxide bottles.

I believe the reason for the brown container is the H2O2 will turn to water and oxygen if exposed to light over a period of time. I've stored mine in a glass bottle painted black for a looong time without the bottle breaking. My father in law worked at FMC who made peroxide here in Vancouver, he brought it home in brown gallon glass jugs.

[Longcruise]

Go to NAPA auto parts and get a bottle of "soluble Cutting & Grinding Oil" part #765-1526.  Mix it 10 to 1 with water.  

You can also mix it about 5 to 1 and use it as a patch lube for round balls.  Soak a strip of patching in the liquid then squeeze it out thoroughly and let it dry.  Presto, no more greasy yucky patches in your kit :-)

[Arrroman]

This sounds like something you can control the viscosity off for different applications. Could you also use it on the breechplug threads?

The peroxide and alcohol mixture works great but you do have to deal with the corrosive nature of the stuff. A serious follow up with oil is quite a neccessity with corrosives. An oil based product that cuts the grime while still protecting from rust and oxidation does seem to be a reasonable alternative.

Good luck hunting!

[Longcruise]

The cuitting oil mix would probably not make a good lube for the breech plug.  I'm no machinest or chemist but it's pretty obvious when you work with the stuff that it's not a long term lube/rust preventative.

pose your question regarding a good lube for breech plugs here:  http://www.americanlongrifles.com  The guys there who are serious builders use something on the threads of their permanent breech plugs that supposedly makes it easy to remove a breech plug many years after installation.

[Arrroman]

I generally tear the gun down completely for cleaning every time its been to the range or fired on a day of hunting. The cutting oil alone would probably work for a few shots without leaking corrosion through the threads from the shot. I tend to lose track of the little quarter sized containers of lithium grease or Gorilla Grease. It would be nice to have one go to can that could be used to coat and store the bore, lube the breech plug, dilute to clean the rifle or swab between shots at the range, and only have to keep track one can of stuff.

I did take down the bolt on the Austin&Halleck today. Its pretty slick the way it comes apart. There was some tobacco stained oil inside that I wiped off easily enough by twisting a rag around a screwdiver. I blasted the inside of the bolt and the spring with WD-40 when I reassembled it. So far I have yet to lose track of my can of WD-40. I will read some more over on Amercan Longrifles to see if they have anything else to offer.

Thanks to everyone for your replies.

Good luck hunting!