Author Topic: Cleaning (Read 1415 times)

contendernut · « **on:** September 04, 2003, 05:26:52 PM »

What is your method of cleaning? I've tried comercial cleaners and the soap/water method. I don't really like putting a blued barrel down in water but it seems to work and I pour boiling water through the bore to aid drying. What kind of soap do you normally use?

Bob/FLA · « **Reply #1 on:** September 05, 2003, 09:28:09 AM »

I have been shooting muzzleloaders for over 30 years now and have also tried all kinds of concoctions. I use a little hot water and dish soap...scrub the bore for a few minutes. Rinse with room temp water. Clean the flintliock with a toothbrush. Dry and lube with neetsfoot oil. Done in about 10 minutes/3 patches. I usually bring a little soapy water in a flask to the range and get it done there. I live in a terrarium (FLA) always hot and humid, never had a rust issue.

$.02 for the day!

HWooldridge · « **Reply #2 on:** September 05, 2003, 10:43:36 AM »

I use hot water, a small spot of soap and a touch of vinegar - makes a good salad dressing!

Seriously, the vinegar helps cut the fouling and the hot water gets it nice and clean. Theoretically, bare steel will begin to rust immediately but I can't detect any real problem if the steel is dried and oiled quickly. Paying for commercially available preparations is not necessary.

crow_feather · « **Reply #3 on:** September 05, 2003, 10:57:18 AM »

I agree with all the above except for the rinse. It should be as hot as possible as that aids in the drying process. No petroleum products in the bore after cleaning. Go natural.

Now for the inlines -lighter fluid is the perfect cleaner. :wink:

revolver · « **Reply #4 on:** September 05, 2003, 03:05:28 PM »

I clean with hot water and whatever dish washing detergent is under the sink.. I used "Dawn" detergent tonight. I rinse with clean hot water, and run clean patches through until the bore is dry. (I have been repeatedly told that dry patches are not necessary if the water is hot enough) Then I run a patch with bore butter down the bore and call it good.

Keep your powder dry.

johnt · « **Reply #5 on:** September 05, 2003, 03:12:11 PM »

Lighter-fluid is only good for cleaning in-lines if spilled excessavily over and about the entire gun,and then held with tong's(long tongs!) immediatly over the nearest campfire to dry! If done properly, the weapon will be "dry" when the smoke clear's!

Caution! The novice should not attempt this procidure! Please find a traditional shooter to assist at all tymes while attempting! :-D

crow_feather · « **Reply #6 on:** September 05, 2003, 05:34:05 PM »

JohnT

You do know how to read a persons mind :grin:

C F

propredator · « **Reply #7 on:** September 05, 2003, 05:57:17 PM »

So thats how to clean a inline,here ive been using rough grit sand paper and roofing tar :-D
For black powder soap and water is hard to beat,For 777 and pyrodex you really need something more,i remember the Mad Monks advice on perchalite or sumthin like that in pyro and 777.
If i remember right it wont all come out of the bore with soap and water and a cleaner of some type sould be used.
Since i started shooten 777 i have found rubbing alkey works good for a cleaner followed by breakfree clp.
I like to clean the bore on any of the muzzle loaders before i get home,makes the rest of the cleaning a lot faster and easyer. :grin:

johnt · « **Reply #8 on:** September 06, 2003, 04:46:32 AM »

Now that I'm done teasing,
Really Hot water isn't a good idea,sure it dries fast, but it can lead to flash-rust on the surface of the bore.
A pail with warm water and just a very little dishsoap(a few drops) works fine. then flush with iso or denatured alky to evaporate any remaining water, i just pour iso right out of the jug,then swish back and forth a bit and pour it back in the jug,dry patch,then lube however ya want,just be sure to remove any oils before shooting next tyme.
How I lube after cleaning depends on what I'm gonna do. If I'm shooting again the next day,,,,or long term storage.

Robert · « **Reply #9 on:** September 06, 2003, 05:18:17 AM »

Just spray it down the bore, then work it with a wool rabbits shotgun swab. I have one for cleaning, and one for lubing for by 12 gauge. I then put a 5 gallon bucket outside my bathroom window and hook up the garden hose to my bathtub. My garden sprayer is the king that has threads on both ends, I hook up another short hose that has the end cut off so it is soft and fits right down my 12 gauge. Just lrt it run slow till the water is clear, or fill it and epty it a few times. The 409 cleaner works so well that the wool swab comes out clean after a few swishes in the bucket instead of the normal greasy black effect. Run the cleen swab up the bore a few times to see if you can get anymore black to squirt out. Set the hot barrel muzzle down in the sun or in a warm place and let it alone. After it sets for a while, it is still good to run a dry patch to make sure. Then I use my 'dry' wool swab with 'MPRO7' water based lubricant. For my 58 cal Springfeild, I uses a 20 gauge shotgun swab.
This all sounds like a lengthy procedure, but it really isn't. And my bathroom dosent smell like sulphur farts, I dont have to clean up, and I dont have my barrels clanging in my tub or sink. The stuff REALLY works. Formula 409 works with corrosive ammo too. I use it on my 8mm Mauser.

crow_feather · « **Reply #10 on:** September 06, 2003, 06:50:46 AM »

JOHN T AND ROBERT,

THAT'S GOOD INFORMATION, THANKS. I WAS TEASING ALSO ABOUT THE IN LINES -THEY REALLY DO HAVE A GOOD USE - WHEN YOUR PADDLE IS MISSING FROM THE CANOE

Virginia Yank · « **Reply #11 on:** September 08, 2003, 09:44:00 AM »

I know it has a bad rap with shooters, but over the years I have come to the conclusion that nothing works better than straight WD-40 for cleanup. I scrub out the barrel with it, blow out any excess with compressed air, dry swab and store with the ramrod and dampened patch in the barrel.

savageT · « **Reply #12 on:** September 08, 2003, 10:54:03 AM »

Quote from: propredator

So thats how to clean a inline,here ive been using rough grit sand paper and roofing tar :-D
For black powder soap and water is hard to beat,For 777 and pyrodex you really need something more,i remember the Mad Monks advice on perchalite or sumthin like that in pyro and 777.
If i remember right it wont all come out of the bore with soap and water and a cleaner of some type sould be used.
Since i started shooten 777 i have found rubbing alkey works good for a cleaner followed by breakfree clp.
I like to clean the bore on any of the muzzle loaders before i get home,makes the rest of the cleaning a lot faster and easyer. :grin:

Do NOT know what this fear for triple 7 is....it's water clean up already! I always use my laundry tub flled with hot water and a squeeze of dish detergent. Swab out the bore with a boremop and flush the soapy water up to the muzzle, and down through the nipple vent. Then I rinse with the hottest water I can get out of the tap with the same mop and dump the rubbing alcohol, 92% is good, down the bore and dump. Run a dry patch and then spray with Ballistol or CRP water absorbing lube. A toothbrush helps to get rid of the primer flash-over around the hammer and the nipple hole. Using a window washer fluid for quick cleanup is good while at the range also, but still got to tear it down and give it a bath in the tub before I put 'er away.

Jim

longwinters · « **Reply #13 on:** September 08, 2003, 11:00:34 AM »

I use CleanShot propellant. Hot water and 3 swabs . . . and you are done. Threw all my other stuff that I used to have to use/smell ,after using Pyrodex, away. A guy can shoot all day with CleanShot and not have to clean until you put the rifle away.

long

propredator · « **Reply #14 on:** September 08, 2003, 12:45:14 PM »

savageT,i only know what i have been told.Potassium Perchlorate is in 777 and pyrodex,not as much in 777 as pyrodex but it is there.
What i have been told is that it is not all water soulable.
I have a link to 777 and you will see in section 2 that it is in 777,they wont say how much,trade secret ya know.
The Mad Monk is a bp expert who used to give us advice on the old dead shooters fourm,he gave info on how the perchlorate wont all come out with soap and water and how over time it can cause deep pitting in the bore that once started it cant be stoped.
Now he said there is a lot less of this stuff in 777 than pyrodex but it is in there.

http://www.hodgdon.com/tripleseven/msds-tripleseven.php

savageT · « **Reply #15 on:** September 08, 2003, 01:12:57 PM »

pro p,

I dare say that if the chemists at Hodgden claim plain ole H2O without soap will neutralize triple 7, I'll take their word for it. I'm taken it just one step further. I know that the strongest acids and bases are neutralized with nothing but lots of plain water. Alcohol per say is just a rather weak, poor solvent but does a great job getting rid of the remaining water which is a good thing. Without getting into corrosion and what types of corrosion are taking place in a b/p barrel, I'll stick to the soap and hot water routine. I will admit that using a Windex swab after sure does make that barrel squeaky clean! Haven't tried the apple cider vinegar yet??? Trying not to get anal about this thing as some have been know to do......... :oops:

Jim

contendernut · « **Reply #16 on:** September 08, 2003, 03:53:14 PM »

Thanks for all the responses. I'm going to get some alcohol for after cleaning. I'll also try the windex/vinegar this weekend. I looked at Ballistol at www.ballistol.com but wasn't sure about ordering from them. I've been using T/C's bore butter but notice it says it isn't recommended for using sabots.

savageT · « **Reply #17 on:** September 08, 2003, 04:13:36 PM »

contendernut,

Please, oh please....give the bore butter away. Some people get all worked up about petroleum based lubes. Me too, for some time! But, when I started in checking out what prevents rust the best, I came to the conclusion that it is petroleum based lubes that get the job done once and for all! Now the best is good ole Vaseline...for storage, followed up by RIG, a bunch of the old gun oils/greases. Me, I've found Ballistol to be great on gun metal, leathers and stocks. And, it's safe to use around food. Just don't use spray WD-40. Noted for causing more problems than it fixes.
Your concern about petroleum based oils in your bore........? Just clean with a cheap brake or carberator cleaner from Wal-Mart before firing your gun and you are in business! No problems later. Good luck!

Jim

propredator · « **Reply #18 on:** September 08, 2003, 04:53:27 PM »

Savaget i use the alkey for cleanen 777 followed by a patch of the clp,let it set for a min then dry patch followed by a sloppy wet patch of clp.I leave the ramrod in with the patch and run it up and down the bore every couple of days.If breackfree clp wont take care of it i dont know what will.
i aint no chemist,but the mad monk,aka Bill Knight is and if he says the perchlote stuff isnt totally water soulable i belive him.Wish i could remember half of the stuff the man educated some of us on over at the old dead site.Wonder were he is hanging out these days?
Im just a country boy with a high school education,i aint no chemist.Just want people to be aware that the same stuff in pyrodex is in 777.
Use the link in my other post to check the msds on pyrodex and you will see they are made of the same chemistry.
Test have been done on corrosion of pyro which is the worst,blackpowder which falls in behind,and 777 which seemed to be the least corrosive of the 3,but it is corrosive. :wink:

Triple Se7en · « **Reply #19 on:** September 09, 2003, 01:39:51 AM »

Props

This is slightly off-topic because this Bill Knight-discussion webpage talks more about powders than cleaners. I think you will find alot of this page interesting.

http://www.schuetzen.net/bill_knight.htm

propredator · « **Reply #20 on:** September 09, 2003, 10:43:46 AM »

T7 thanks for the link,the man does know his stuff about bp.Slip that one into my favorites for more readen sometimes.
Thankyou