BP solvent?

[One Shot]

I have been using Powder Blast from Break Free to clean my muzzle loader. It seems to do a pretty good job and has a citrus odor to it, which helps to combat the rotten egg smell. Has anyone else tried this? Or have any opinions reguarding this product. I have also been thinking about using Tetra gun oil which is a synthetic, any thoughts? Thanks

[River runner]

One Shot, I think I've tried all the different commercial BP Solvents, and have come to the conclusion, I can make better using home remedies, with household items found in my wifes kitchen. Actually, just plain dish washing detergent and and warm water does as good a job as any commercial cleaner I've used: but nothing beats "mule snot" for good thorough cleaning. For that concoction, I use equal parts of Murphy's Soap Oil, rubbing alcohol, and hydrogen peroxide. After cleaning thoroughly with that mix be sure and wipe completely dry. Some say the peroxide will do damage to the barrel if left in the bore. I haven't found this to be so with any of my smokepoles, but I do dry them very well, and live in a low humdity area, and then grease 'em down (bore) with a non-petroleum oil. You can bet that some of folks here will give you more recipes, that are much cheaper than commercial brands and work much better, such as "moose milk" which uses water soluble oil; mule snot does smell better in my opinion, kind of reminds me of grandpa's corn squeezings. RR

[clodbuster]

This, along with patchlube recipies, seems to approximate women exchanging recipes for cookies'n such.  I just started using cider vinegar
and man does it clean.  Some say it has the side benefit of neutralizing the caustic effect of bp fouling reducing the etching/pitting of a partially cleaned barrel.  I follow up with a few wipes with moosemilk and then alcohol to dry the barrell.  Quick as a flash, get a really good rust preventer in that bore.  Breakfree CLP, Ballistol, etc.      not WD 40 or Bore Butter.

[38-55]

I don't have such strong opinions about bore cleaners anymore.  They all seem to work and different types all get us to the same place, a rust free clean gun.  That being said I do have opinions about money and most commercial cleaners aren't worth the cost.  A cheap cleaner that is not better or worst than others is.

2   oz. ballistol
4   oz. lestoil
26 oz. water

[simonkenton]

I have it on very good advice that apple cider vinegar is great. I havn't tried it yet but I will.BP residue is alkaline, contrary to belief that it is acidic. The vinegar is acidic and will really clean it up. I have heard of one case where the vinegar damaged the blue, but I think that was on a cheapo, maybe one made in China.

[fredj]

I have been using Powder Blast from Break Free to clean my muzzle loader. It seems to do a pretty good job and has a citrus odor to it, which helps to combat the rotten egg smell. Has anyone else tried this? Or have any opinions reguarding this product. I have also been thinking about using Tetra gun oil which is a synthetic, any thoughts? Thanks

   I'm not familiar with Powder Blast, but remember Black Powder and smokeless are entirely different things and smokeless solvents are not
going to remove and neutralize the BP residue salts, plain water is an infinitely better BP solvent than any smokeless solvent and most commercial BP solvents.
Regards fredj

[WLB]

I have several friends that load blackpowder shotgun shells for their antique double shotguns  and I have never seen any of them use anything but hot water followed by an oily mop for cleaning.  Considering the value of these shotguns if there was anything better to use I'm sure they would be using it.  
Bill

[fredj]

Some say the peroxide will do damage to the barrel if left in the bore. I haven't found this to be so with any of my smokepoles, but I do dry them very well, and live in a low humdity area, and then grease 'em down (bore) with a non-petroleum oil.  RR

RR-Mule snot or Friendship speed juice is best for BPCR's where you don't have a breech plug, as the stuff will seep into the breech plug threads and
cause serious corrosion in no time, that's why the stuff fell out of favor
almost overnight, if you've been using that stuff in your ML or buy a ML where you suspect it's been used you need to de-breech and clean up the threads with a wire wheel if the corrosion isn't too advanced then coat the threads with a serious rust preventative oil then slather on anti sieze grease, the corrosion can be bad enough to make the breech structurally unsound. Just about everyone I know used the stuff at one time.
As to the non petroleum oils, I think the best bore protection is from Petroleum based oils, the best I know of is LPS 2 or LPS 3 for longer term storage, the petroleum thing is a bit confusing some petro based
oils will turn into an ashaultic varnish when exposed to the heat and BP residues, the bad news is many vegetable based oils will do the same things even worse, try linseed sometime it's worse than any petro based oil, even bore butter will create varnish over time, any protective oil (seed based, vegitable or mineral)should be removed prior to loading, I use a patch saturated with cheap aerosol brake cleaner Bra-Kleen, it zaps all the oil immediately.
So much of BP common wisdom is derived from misnomers and then becomes gospel, the Wonder Lube 1000 and T/C started all that bore seasoning crap in the mid 80's, the non petroleum based deal is part of the pitch. Most commercial BP bore cleaners are a scam T/C# 13 is 90%
water 10% silicone so it can be used as a pretty lame patch lube as well as a cleaner, Moose milk is water and water soluable machine oil. Cider vinegar, highly diluted anti freeze, automotive windshield wiper solution and non ammoniated glass cleaners are all superior to just about any commercial BP solvent.
Regards fredj

[mamaflinter]

One Shot I've never tried the citrus cleaner you speak of.

River Runner although you've never experienced any side effects from using peroxide, it will etch the barrel. Several Civil War reenactors here swear by it although they also say that they only use their rifles for reenacting and when they wear out they buy new ones. That tells me they don't have a long life with their rifles. I've seen them take bottles of peroxide and dump it down the bore (using no other cleaning liquid other than the peroxide).

Clodbuster as you've experienced vinegar will etch your barrel and create massive flash rust.

Simonkenton vinegar will clean but it will also give you some nasty adverse effects you weren't counting on such as flash rust and etching of the metal you don't want.

fredj very good point indeed. Alot of people did think it was a good cleaner until they were using it and found the damage it would do to their muzzleloading rifles.

[River runner]

Mama, Been re-thinking my cleaning techniques after getting involved with this thread. I've been getting excellent results just using Murphy's Soap Oil water and Alcohol. Haven't used Mule Snot on my .32 Flinter, or my new .50 Scout. Tried the cider vinegar, once, won't use that again, definitely had the flash rusting big time. RR

[mamaflinter]

Mama, Been re-thinking my cleaning techniques after getting involved with this thread. I've been getting excellent results just using Murphy's Soap Oil water and Alcohol.  RR

RR Using the murphy's oil soap, water and alcohol is fine. You just don't want that vinegar or peroxide around your barrel. Glad to help.

[Muddyboots]

Been using Simple Green for last 3 years with great results. I use that terrible bore butter for last 20 years with no ill effects. Hot dry bore with soaked patches in bore butter have always worked well for me. Hottest water you can stand so barrel can't be touched easily. Dry patch and bore butter patch. Simple Green breaks down the residue fast even on the range and finish off with hot water and bore butter. No rust ever in 3 rifles. Shoot 500 rounds a year so it must be working.

[mamaflinter]

Muddyboots I've had several others say the same thing. But I think the formula has changed or something. All of a sudden quite a few people (all of whom are seasoned shooters who never had a problem with rust in the bores before) all came down with problems at the same time. It affected 4 of our muzzleloaders. Three of them were rusty. The fourth one had such a build up in the bore it took 3 days of soaking/scrubbing to get it all out. Over time bore butter does build up. It leaves behind a black, tar like consistency goo that requires much effort to remove.

I applaud you for not having problems with the use of bore butter. However, if you should happen to notice any changes in accuracy in your rifle, I would first look to your use of bore butter as the culprit and see if this could be the cause. To find out if it is bore butter, take some carburetor cleaner and soak the bore with this. Allow to soak for a few hours then scrub. If you get a black goo out, you've got build up. Keep repeating this process until you get no more black goo out.