Another Potentially OCD Question

[Coueswhitetail]

Before I start, I wanted to thank the many members on here who respond so quickly and with so much good advice. I really appreciate it and it helps me enjoy this new facet of my love of shooting even more. Thanks for your patience with me. Anywho, I could not get the pump method to work with flushing the barrel on my hook breech gun so ended up just dumping around a gallon and a half of hot soapy water down the muzzle, draining it out the flash hole. I sent down probably a half dozen cleaning patches every half gallon and finally they started coming out with only minor discoloration. I then blew it dry with a hair dryer and sent an oily patch down for storage. Several hours later I noticed some grey spots in the grooves around the muzzle and so I sent another patch down that came up with a decent amount of fouling. Even after a brass bristle brush and a dozen patches it’s still coming back somewhat grey. I called it a night and this morning looked down the barrel with a flashlight at the muzzle; it looked shiny. With how much I’ve flushed and scrubbed it, do I need to be concerned about corrosion at this point? Is this just lead fouling that I’m getting back? I love this rifle and cannot wait to take it whitetail hunting this year. I would hate to have it degrade under my care.

 

[user 48679]

IDK what your failed pumping method is; but I've never had an issue with putting the ignition channel into a pail of hot water with a tight cloth patch on my RR as a pump piston.

It's also a good idea to scrub the bore with a bronze bristle brush with the proper solvent to get the lead out.

( I use hot water because it heats the barrel enough to open the metal's pores & will quickly evaporate - the warm metal will find the oil/grease ( I run a loose patch of BoreButter 1000+ downbore just prior to storing the gun) a great companion.

 

[Woody Morgan]

IDK what your failed pumping method is; but I've never had an issue with putting the ignition channel into a pail of hot water with a tight cloth patch on my RR as a pump piston.

wm

 

[LawrenceA]

If you shoot PRB then you should not get leading unless the patch blows out. You are unlikely to get leading with conicals if there is enough good lube and the bullet upsets to properly fill the barrel. i.e no blow by causing jet cutting of the bullet.

What you are probably seeing is the graphite from the powder.
You should be good to go based on light grey. That is as clean as I can get mine.
I make it a habit to check back in a day or so on any guns cleaned with water. Just in case.

As far as degrading under your care.
I suggest you wear the blighter out then it won't be an issue.

 

[deerstalkert]

As far as degrading under your care.
I suggest you wear the blighter out then it won't be an issue.

best advice i have ever heard. add that to the TIGHT cloth patch and you will be having that barrel blowing water out its nipple port like a whale spouting. I think more new BP shooters are scared off by the thought they may not get their beloved clean enough. it really is not that difficult. actually in my old age it has become another pleasant part of the shooting experience.

too bad my wife hates the smell. i just toss a piece of onion into a frying pan on low to mask it!

 

[Britsmoothy]

The salts produced from combustion are the potential corrosive elements.
Salts are easily dissolved in water. Hot water even better. So your on the right track there.
Don't get to hung up on the carbon element though. A little carbon goes a long long way! In other words there is a lot of it.
In essence it can be likened to a pencil. How long would it take to consume a pencil? Answer, ages.
So the potential for carbon to keep showing up on cleaning patches is loads of times. It is however quite inert.
You don't really need gallons of water. I use on average one or less of an electric kettle.
Once the salt is gone your worries are over, just coat in an animal or vegetable grease inside and out. No oils!

 

[Coueswhitetail]

Thank you all for the carefully written responses; I feel much more at ease and excited for future shooting. It's an absolute joy.

 

[mooman76]

After you clean it, check it every few days until you are confident it is good to go. That will give you peace of mind.