Hi Guys! I've talked about this on another site, and it's something worth bringing up again. Black powder and Pyrodex are two of the most popular propellants in use today in all calibers of muzzleloaders, and aside from being the only safe powders to use, (I know there are others), if you don't clean them, and use some sort of preservative to stop, or at least inhibit the rust, it will come, and the barrel will largely be useless.
How to clean them is the subject for other threads, and we all probably have our own proven tecnique anyway, but exactly what works to keep rust at bay eludes most of the newcomers. There are several great products on the market that inhibit rust from transmission fluid and other oils, to commercial bore treatments. The thing that really escaped me was something that not only prevented rust occuring, but could be also trusted to maintain first shot accuracy for those hunting situations.Well, I settled on one a short time back, that does exactly what I wanted with a fool proof application.The name of the stuff is "Barricade" made by Birchwood Casey. The odor isn't all that objectionable like some of the others, doesn't make a mess like some of the greases and oils can, and with just a minor amount of care while using it will not require the preservative to be swabbed out prior to loading and firing.....reguardless if it's target or game.....and keep the cold and clean shot within the group.
Once you completed the cleaning process, (my preference is really hot soapy water, then really hot clean rinse water), I dry patch the barrel as best I possibly can. Then I use a heat gun to be certain all of the inside areas and flash channels are dead dry. I put a little, (you don't need much), Barricade on the new cleaning patch, and run it up and down the barrel a few times. Check the hooked breech area to to learn if it's flat bottomed or concave, and apply alittle there too. A pipe cleaner can be used to apply some in the flash channel as well. Once this stuff dries, it can't harm the powder, or interfere with the first shot accuracy like excess oil might do.
When you go hunting, just use your usual load procedure, and have at it. No need to swab the barrel first, and you rust inhibitor will keep on working till your deer is on the ground.
