IN addition to what you are doing, you might try using some carborator cleaner to remove the carbon deposits from the powder chamber. that can save you a lot of cleaning patches. You also want a 30-.35 caliber scraper to scrape the back of the chamber to get residue off it. Do that before using the brush, and the carborator cleaner, and you will shorten your cleaning time a bunch.
I would use it after cleaning the rifle portion of the barrel. You might as well use soap and water to remove as much as possible, before going to work on that chamber.
Do get some pipe cleaners. to clean the flash channel as part of your usual cleaning routine. Drop the nipple into a glass with some water and soap in it, while you do everything else. Then clean the bore with soap and tepid( skin temperature) water,then scrape the back of the powder chamber, then use that brush and patches to clean the powder chamber, then use the pipe cleaner to clean and dry the flash channel from the nipple to the powder chamber. I leave the flashchannel dry, but put a small drop of oil on the threads of the nipple after it is thorought cleaned( pipe cleaner works here) and all the burned on crud is removed from the outside of the nipple.The nipple is then screwed back on the bolster, the lockplate is wiped, the hammer cleaned of any residue, and the area of the barrel next to the nipple is also cleaned. Then I lube the barrel, ignoring the powder chamber. If is dry it is not likely to gather rust. Once the inside is cleaned and lubed, I wipe down the outside with a good solvent, like Hoppes No. 9, or Shooter's Choice. to remove dust, and fingerprints. I like to rub the barrel of my guns with a cleaning patch that is dipped in Wonderlube. It leaves a waxy coat to the metal which resists rusting, and stores well. I found that oil tends to evaporate and seems to gather dust faster than does the wonderlube, which was a big surprise.
I do remove the lockplate and clean the inside of the lock frequently, if not every time I shoot the gun, then everyother time. Moving parts get a drop of oil where two parts rub together. I then check all the screws to make sure none is backing out. Don't want to lose a screw inside the lock mortise, or in removing the lockplate for cleaning.
My objective in cleaning is to make sure the next time I pick the gun up to shoot it, all i have to do is remove the oil or lube from the barrel, dry it, and then proceed to load and fire the gun. All the mechanics can be trusted to work properly, are oiled appropriately, and will fire the gun. I don't want to have to stop to take the lock apart to check the screws, then, or oil the parts, then, or fiddle with any other part of the gun except the barrel. With a light coat of wonderlube during hunting season, I can skip removing the lube from the barrel and just go ahead and load the gun, as the stuff doesn't contaminate the powder, nor does it seem to run, or pool, or do anything else that would block the flame from the nipple getting to the powder charge. If I am hunting in below freezing temperatures, I remove the lube, and only use rubbing alcohol for cleaning the barrel, at home, at camp, and in the field, if necessary.
