Author Topic: Care new Huntsman (Read 1220 times)

JRSR126 · « **on:** February 05, 2005, 10:02:52 PM »

I have a blued/wood Huntsman and I want to keep it in top shape. Most concerned about barrel pitting. Based on posts, my desire to complicate things and what was on sale, here is my questions. If you have cheaper and or easier methods please advise.

1. For heavy water cleanings, do you rod from the breech or barrel? Knight says breech and NEF say from barrel. Concerned over several years, may damage rifling.

2. I have a Knight black rod that I use for heavy cleanings. Think it is aluminum. Concerned about scratching barrel over long period of use. Should I get a wood or brass one??

3. Prior to Range - Run dry patch down barrel to get out excess barrel lube and hand tighten breech plug. Shoot 3 209 primers to get out any excess gunk. Is this acceptable?

4. Between shots - Run patch with Windex or spit followed by dry patch thru at every shot and loosen and hand tighten breech plug every 3 shots. Is Windex worth the trouble over just a spit patch??

4. End of Shooting Day at my truck-(could be 8 hours before good cleaning if on hunt) - Remove breach plug and wipe down with CVA black powder solvent. Run windex or spit patches thru to get bulk of fouling out. Use brass brass soaked in CVA blackpowder solvent and run thru several times. Follow with wet patches of CVA black powder solvent and dry patches till clean and dry. Spray inside of barrel with Remington Oil. Is that Ok? I read it was recommended that WD40 could be used in this situation. Lube breech plug with CVA breach plug grease and reinsert.

5. Good Cleaning (same day of use usually) disassemble gun. Boil water and use murphy Oil Soap. Soak plug in water. Use rod and patch and work soapy water up into barrel for several minutes. Run dry patches till clean. Run 97% isoproyl alcohol patch followed by dry patch to get out any leftover water. Run TC natural lube bore butter. Brush down breach plug and relube. Clean all black powder residue from exterior of gun with hot soapy water and rag. Wipe dry and lube all exterior metal with remington oil. Is there something better for cleaning than just murphy's?

6. Note that I plan to do the Teflon tape on the breech plug . My first attempt at it failed but will try again.

Thank you.

Busta · « **Reply #1 on:** February 06, 2005, 02:57:32 AM »

Sounds like you got a pretty good cleaning regimen down, but if it were me I would throw that Bore Butter in the trash.

I know I might get a little flaming for saying that, but I can't argue with my own and others results. I have 7 muzzleloaders (4 blued, 3 stainless), only two have ever seen Bore Butter, the rest have not. I have always cleaned my muzzleloaders the same way. Two of my muzzleloaders have rusted inside the barrel after the barrels were cleaned and protected :roll: with Bore Butter. It will never touch ANY of my guns again.

I know some people here swear by it and I am not knocking any body for using it, just letting you know my and others experiences with it were not good ones. The other 5 muzzlelaoders I have have never had any rust, not even a speck using Break free CLP and other petroleum based oils.

Your mileage may vary!

JRSR126 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 06, 2005, 04:27:12 AM »

Busta'yote

Can't toss the stuff. That bore butter was not on sale and cost me $7. Wonder if the wife would object to using it on toast. If I squeeze it in a empty margerine tub just may pull it off.

Seriously, I read, I think here, was to stay away from petroleum products inside the barrel because it contributes to the crud ring.

I did not see the Break free at the sports center. I have remington oil and I saw an oil with teflon called Tetra. Would they work?

Thanks for the response. I guess the question is has anybody had bad experience with rusting from using petroleum based oils after a good cleaning. I read of one that did but I think the problem is he relied solely on solvent cleaning and did not clean his barrel good enough before lubing.

Primer · « **Reply #3 on:** February 06, 2005, 02:07:00 PM »

JRSR126,

Some of the cleaning regiment will depend on the type of powder you use.
Example: 777,APP,BlackMag,etc need water cleanup only....or with just a touch of dish soap if desire.

Here are some of my base rules:
1. Have fun and shoot the thing.(don't spend more time cleaning than shooting)
2. Don't believe everything you read.
3. Did I mention...have fun shooting your muzzleloader? :grin:

To be more serious,here is my take on your items.

1. IMO it's safer for the barrel crown to clean from the breech towards the bore if you can. Side locks with fixed breech have no choice in matter,except to use a crown guard.

2.I use wood,aluminum and fiberglass range/cleaning rod(s).Just use care to keep rod centered as best you can. Try not to drag rod against crown continually.

3.I run dry patch before shooting,then alcohol or trusted cleaning solvent down bore to clean out any oil residue before ist shot.(paint thinner,turp,laquer thinner...whatever you have will work if it disolves oil)
Just don't want petroleum in there when you light up the powder.Don't mix well (tar).
One 209 primer before 1st shot is fine... if breech plug is not soaked with oil,which it shouldn't be anyway. :roll:

4a. Spit is fine! I get a little dry mouthed after a few hrs so have gone to Windex or windshield washer fluid. Water works just fine also,and like spit,hard to beat the price.
If using heavier load of say 80+ grains of 777,IMO only need to loosen and retighten (finger) breech plug every 6 shots or so. Main thing... it is best when barrel is still warm.

4b. End of days hunt and gun has been fired. Pull breech (stainless)plug and wipe off and throw in sandwich bag. Wipe barrel with your black powder solvent,dry patch till clean and run patch with bore butter to seal. Done till you can do thorough cleaning later.

5. Sounds good to me! I use Rusty Duck Black Off to clean with instead of the hot water. I do so because my Huntsman is scoped and it just makes life a little easier for me.
I do the hot water with my sidelocks and have no problem with this method. Like you picked up on,after dry I also run alcohol down bore before last dry patch. Let flash off and coat bore with Bore Butter or trusted gun oil. One of my new favorites (after rust test last five months) is Birchwood Caseys "Sheath" or Bore Butter. :roll:
Just keep enough anti seize grease on your breech plug...and little extra above the thread area will help.

6.Can't help with the pink teflon tape,but know if you use, take fingernail and work into the threads...then apply a little breech grease over tape.

Heck,look at it this way: If you did everything totally wrong and never cleaned the barrel or wore it out cleaning.......a new barrel is less than a hundred bucks. :lol:
Good luck!.........Oh. did I mention... Have Fun?

JRSR126 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 08, 2005, 06:39:36 PM »

Thank you for the replies to my post. Yes I need to have fun with it but it is fun to shop and buy all the stuff. But that time is over as I've spent my allowance. Trying to get off work so I can shoot. I have learned allot on this forum. Thanks again

Ambushhunter · « **Reply #5 on:** February 09, 2005, 07:07:23 AM »

Hey JRSR, I've heard that bore butter stuff makes a great suntan lotion

MSP Ret · « **Reply #6 on:** February 09, 2005, 08:15:22 AM »

Not bad on toast with jam or jelly either!!!....<><.... :-D

bjgolfnut · « **Reply #7 on:** February 10, 2005, 02:42:56 PM »

Hey,

I would stay away from the Bore Butter and the Brass Brush

. Water and Windex works OK. Rem Oil or Ballistoil after everything is clean. As to breech plug, remember to make it just hand tight. I use the pink teflon tape and mil-tec grease and never have had a real problem. As the NRA says, Shoot More Often. Enjoy.