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Cleaning Kibler Woodsrunner?

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CatchingChrome

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So I just purchased a prestine kibler woodsrunner, almost too pretty to shoot. wanted to know what's everyone's approach to cleaning woods runner. the barrel is pinned in and I assume I'd have to remove the barrel etc. I've cleaned many other BP rifles...
 
You don't need to remove the barrel to clean the rifle, just the lock. Instructions in post above. Except I use Ballistol instead of WD-40. If you happen to get some water in the barrel channel, blow it out with compressed air.

However, maybe you might want to occasionally, say once a year or so, to remove the barrel to clean and oil the underside, to continue protecting it from corrosion.
 
CatchingChrome said:
So I just purchased a prestine kibler woodsrunner, almost too pretty to shoot. wanted to know what's everyone's approach to cleaning woods runner. the barrel is pinned in and I assume I'd have to remove the barrel etc. I've cleaned many other BP rifles...
Click to expand...
Since I normally use Simple Green detergent for patch lube. Then it’s a no brainer to use it to clean the bore also. Push a toothpick into the touch hole, and pour some tepid water into the bore, slosh back and forth. Then dump it out. Remove tooth pic, then dry patch the bore till clean and dry. Wet patch with detergent and Repeat if necessary. Oil the bore with your preferred product. This methodology works with most greasy or oil based lubes too. BJH
 
CatchingChrome said:
So I just purchased a prestine kibler woodsrunner, almost too pretty to shoot. wanted to know what's everyone's approach to cleaning woods runner. the barrel is pinned in and I assume I'd have to remove the barrel etc. I've cleaned many other BP rifles...
Click to expand...

There are a few approaches to cleaning these.

Some people remove the barrel and some do not, I’m one of those who do. I just find it much easier to remove the barrel and clean it. The downside to removing the barrel is that the under lugs can wear out and the pins can loosen,

In the general sense though the barrel does not need to be removed when cleaning, just take the lock off and clean out the bore with soapy water or one of the shelved products such as gun scrubber.

Once the patches are free of fouling, i drop in some barricade and let it dry overnight, i run another patch down in the morning to check the patch, once its clear i grease up the bore.
 
If you do remove the barrel to clean it............

Put some wood sealer in the barrel channel, put some RIG or other rust inhibitor on the underside of the barrel, make sure the barrel pin holes are slotted just a bit (to account for wood swelling and shrinking due to humidity etc. and the barrel heating and cooling).

Never remove the barrel again...............Just saying.
 
For my Kibler as well as all my pinned barrel flintlocks for the last few decades I use MAP. Cleaning is fast and thorough with no mess or negative effects. I keep a pint of MAP( Murphy’s Oil Soap 4oz, Peroxide(3%) 6oz, and Alcholhol(70-90%),6oz….In a dark bottle. Plug the flash hole(toothpick), pour a few ounces down the barrel, cover bore with thumb, inverting the rifle a couple of times, let it sit 5 minutes, pour out, wipe dry, final flush with an ounce or two of alcohol, wipe dry, run a patch of WD 40 or Ballistol down the bore, Wipe down the lock/barrel with any black powder solvent, lube surfaces, done.
 
I just accentuate what is done for between shot strings swabbing at the range: wet patches (room temp water and dish soap), wipe until clean, dry patch, then oiled patch. Clean lock surface with toothbrush, dry, oil, done. Pinned barrel not coming off.
 
I remove the barrels every time. There are many ways and products to use for cleaning and with the barrel removed the chances off damage to the stock are much less and cleaning is easier and better. Once you've developed your procedure for removing the barrel it's easy.
 
There are a million ways to clean a muzzle loader. As you see, they all have their own way and many are adamant on how to do it.

Since you’ve done this before, you’re ahead of the game. I’d not remove the barrel if it’s pinned, more than once a year. You can buy one of those clamp things from Track of the Wolf to cover your touch hole — it has a tube to go into a bucket to flush like you normally do. Some don’t like them. As has been said, you can plug the touch hole with a toothpick (or something like it) and fill the barrel with regular water. Let it sit for a few minutes and repeat. A brush is helpful.

After that, wd40 will help displace the water (hence the name “water displacement formula 40”). I like balistol. Some guys make mystical concoctions. Use what works for you.
 
Flintandsteel said:
Peroxide is corrosive, no place for it in a barrel. Just my opinion.
Click to expand...
I can understand your viewpoint. There has been much controversy about using peroxide to clean ML’s for many years.
I have barrels routinely cleaned with MAP for more then 20 years that display zero corrosion when examined with a bore scope and appear “as new”. Several of my shooting buddies have had the same experience. While the industrial grade 100% peroxide is corrosive, the Drug Store 3% Peroxide when diluted with the alcohol and Murphy’s is less then 1%. Metal corrosion in this concentration corrosion is non- existent for the 5 minutes the solution is exposed to the barrel. The very low % of peroxide in the mix is believed to complex with the carbon and other residues to convert it to CO2. That’s why the wiping patch comes out immediately white(no black carbon) and you can feel the CO2 gas escape on you thumb when you invert the barrel after pouring the solution into the barrel, and, all fouling is removed. Why not take advantage of some chemistry to make cleaning easier?
 
Last edited:
flatcreek said:
I remove the barrels every time. There are many ways and products to use for cleaning and with the barrel removed the chances off damage to the stock are much less and cleaning is easier and better. Once you've developed your procedure for removing the barrel it's easy.
Click to expand...
Most of my guns have wedges and tip out. If I were putting a Kibler together I'd use tiny keys and tiny escutcheons to make removal easy. All easy for me to say since I've never built one. 🤣
 
longcruise said:
Most of my guns have wedges and tip out. If I were putting a Kibler together I'd use tiny keys and tiny escutcheons to make removal easy. All easy for me to say since I've never built one. 🤣
Click to expand...
Pins are easy, I use 4D finish nails for pins and 1/16" punch I made out of music wire to remove the them. Always remove from the same side ( I use the lock side ) and I only move them far enough to release the barrel, that way I don't have to restart them each time. I tap them in with soft face small hammer tat won't mar the stock only till there flush.
 
My .50 cal Woodsrunner is also my newest flintlock. I never unpin the barrel. I clean at the range using Balistol and water mixture. 5-6 passes are sufficient. Bill
 
Mike in FL said:
I did not know that. Never heard it said. But I was surprised once to learn i don't know everything. Very interesting. Thanks. I shall Google that.
Click to expand...
I looked it up. Peroxide is a bleaching agent that can indeed be corrosive to metal and wood and wood finishes. Best to use diluted. I've always said there is something to be learned here every day. Actually I've never used it on a gun.
 

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