barrel cleaning

[roundball]

Hoppes #9 Plus, the original, is not intended for black powder. It's mostly ammonia and is great for copper fouling and smokeless powder fouling and not bad for lead fouling.

Given the more than lengthy diatribes regarding cleaning a muzzeloader this has been a most amusing thread. Thank you for posting your question.

Vic

Hoppes has made many variants of Hoppe's No9 solvents for cleaning/protecting various centerfire cartridge type firearms.

Hoppes also makes a product called "Hoppes No9 PLUS BP Solvent & Patch Lube".

It is made specificlly for use with the blackpowder firearms environment, and is one of the most outstanding BP solvents & patch lubes I've used so far.

 

The initial question referred to "the original"....so did I....and it is ammonia based.

Vic

 

[roundball]

No sweat...but adding the word "plus" changed everything from the original question
:v

 

[Jarikeen]

Whilst I'm still very new to muzzle loading, and my experience with them doesn't count for much, like Birddog6 - I found that the use of hot water did produce flash rusting in my bore.

 

[roundball]

"...I found that the use of hot water did produce flash rusting in my bore..."

It absolutely will cause flash rust if taken out of the hot water and not acted upon...BUT...that doesn't mean it's a bad practice.

I use steaming hot water every weekend...just have to dry patch the bore right after pouring out the hot water before it has time to develop any flash rust.

Then I let it lay on the carpeted bench for 4-5 minutes for the residual heat in the steel to get it bone dried.

Then I plaster the lube to it...works perfectly.

 

[renovato]

I used to have problems with flash rusting occasionally too. When I was first learning to use Ballistol, I would clean with hot water, then follow up with Ballistol mixed in water. That stopped the flash rusting. It's also what got me into cleaning with Ballistol exclusively. You might try Ballistol and water for cleaning. It's sure easier than the old hot water method.

 

[paulvallandigham]

For what it is worth, a friend of mine told me that tepid water( about body temperature) works just as well as hot water in cleaning barrels, but it does not cause tha flash rust we have all observed. I switched, and found his advise was good. Even cold water cleans just as well, even using soap. You just don't get as much suds if the water is cold.

Not that this is going to change anyone's mind about how they clean their guns.

Paul

 

[lilcracker]

You might try Ballistol and water for cleaning. It's sure easier than the old hot water method.

Using a flush kit, Ballistol mixed with room temp water works so well for me with the flintlock that I'm going to get the percussion nipple attachement and use it with the GPR (in case I ever shoot a percussion again :winking: ).
Dixie Flinter

 

[Mad Professor]

stay away from BORE BUTTER to store your gun.its ok to use to shoot with.i also dont use HOT STEAMY water as it causes flash rust. i use luke warm water and dont get that rust.i think bore butter and flash rust is what is causing a lot of bores to rust.use WARM water and avoid this problem.

I use hot soapy water followed hot water then rinse with a bit of drygas. The drygas flushes the barrel/breach of water and evaporates real quickly from the hot barrel, no flash rust.