Bore cleaners

[FishDFly]

Some of the top line shooters use Black Solve from Dixie, it works well.

 

[JamesA]

Warm water and soap. After thoroughly drying the bore and the outside of the barrel, I run a patch wet with Hornady's One Shot. Even after two weeks I can run a patch down the barrel and no rust. Period. I have yet to have problems with it.

 

[hunter thompson]

A lil bore butter in the bore and on the bbl after the soap n water for humid conditions..A solvent and small wire brush for the cup of the hammer and around the nipple..thats about it.

 

[Coinneach]

"The burnt on oil of the seasoning always develops cracks or flakes off allowing water to migrate under the seasoning. Pitted bores are the result."

You obviously have no idea of what I've been describing, the oil isnt "burnt" in the bore when seasoning takes place, and despite your claim of pitted bores that simply doesnt happen when Hot water alone is used for cleaning.
I and more than a few other BP Muzzle loaders have endured others complaining about their bore rust problems over the years, and what are they using ? All manner of synthetic commercial cleaning agents promoted by profit making businesses.

"BP Riflemen in the 18th-19th Century could use only what was available at the time."
Thats correct and it was Hot water whenever possible and/or Cold water, and it still works; the chemical nature of BP hasnt changed and neither has the rust vulnerability of Barrels.

"I wouldn’t treat a modern AR or Winchester M70 to 18th century technology and techniques, just because the firearm is a muzzle loader an old design"
Chalk and Cheese, both in Firearm configuration and propellants there's simply no comparison.

"Let the obsolete knowledge stay were it belongs in the past."
"Obsolete" knowledge isnt if its still practical, more affordable and applicable to whatever purpose its used. Why are you bothering with BP ML's as "obsolete knowledge" if thats your personal dictum ?
In conclusion, if people prefer wasting their money on all manner of cleaning products thats their choice, but lets not damn any cheaper effective alternatives using "obsolete knowledge" as a justification.
No further comment from me.

 

[Coinneach]

This same question also appears quite often on the sister website, and I just got done posting there, and I like to repost it here. This cleaning thing will never end, which is far better than politics anyway. It probably surprises some, that there's more than one way to clean anything, including muzzleloaders.

Like most people of my generation, I've always been a firm believer that cleanliness was almost next to godliness, especially with a rifle. Even when I hunted with a 22 single shot over 70 years ago, I cleaned it every time I went out, so I have also have done that, with any muzzleloader stuff. Then last September I bought a used Lyman 45 percussion that was last shot probably in the 1980s and never cleaned until I got it. I don't have one of those bore cameras, but after getting the crud out, and then shooting the rifle, and then cleaning it up again, from just looking down the barrel with a good strong light, it looks surprisingly good, and it shoots just fine. There must be some pits in the barrel. Doesn't seem to create any kind of problem, I cleaned the way I always have, warm water and enough number 13 or 17 cleaning patches until everything seemed clean. Sprayed it out with some alcohol, which I've just started this last year, and then coated the inside lightly with kerosene. A day or two later run a couple of damp patches down the barrel and then recoat it. It appears every gun I have is going to outlast me by many years, including this 45 caliber. Many of us are fuss buckets over the right and wrong way to clean, appears some of it is overrated.
Squint

So what the PH balance of the Water you use ? LOL

 

[stikshooter]

Original barrels attached to original guns (seasoned ) modern steel impossible /never happen ! I don't use chapstik either (more folk lore) /Ed

 

[Howard Pippin]

So what the PH balance of the Water you use ? LOL

I've never heard, but it's about 437/1000000 parts hard according to my tester. I have thought of using distilled water, but don't, but I do use water that is either out of the hot water pipes or that has been heated so that the oxygen level is low. Might not make any difference, but that easy to do. I know cold water rusts things a lot quicker then boiled water.
Squint

 

[Coinneach]

I've never heard, but it's about 437/1000000 parts hard according to my tester. I have thought of using distilled water, but don't, but I do use water that is either out of the hot water pipes or that has been heated so that the oxygen level is low. Might not make any difference, but that easy to do. I know cold water rusts things a lot quicker then boiled water.
Squint

It was a joke mate, how do you manage all the invitations to wild parties you get ? LOL

 

[Widows Son]

I’m gonna stir the pot ….
I bought a well used muzzleloader made in 1978 and I have no idea how many homes it has had. The bore looked well maintained and I continued on with my cutting oil/water cleaning solvent. I never stop cleaning until patches come out clean and white. A trusted friend here on the forum recommended putting some automotive paint cutting compound on a patch for a few strokes . The patch was filthy with carbon! It took 12 patches and over 100 strokes to clean.

If you have had your rifle from new and clean it well you likely have nothing to find. But not everyone cleans their guns to the same standard. If you have a used one of unknown provenance it is worth the mess

 

[BlazingIron]

That rumor probably comes from the story that British Riflemen at Waterloo , and other battles , are said to have peed in their rifle barrels when they became too fouled to load

Or too hot!

 

[Coinneach]

Or too hot!

Many years ago in an Asian war that only became acceptable after Hollywood invented some "Heroes" about it, I watched some of our Aussie Mortarmen pissing down the Tubes after a particularly hectic Fire Mission; water was in short supply and no-one was going to run for more under fire. Not many people have smelt the reek of boiling Urine IMO.

 

[david w]

Many years ago in an Asian war that only became acceptable after Hollywood invented some "Heroes" about it, I watched some of our Aussie Mortarmen pissing down the Tubes after a particularly hectic Fire Mission; water was in short supply and no-one was going to run for more under fire. Not many people have smelt the reek of boiling Urine IMO.

When I was in the boy scouts a couple of wise crackers peed on the camp fire. Talk about nauseating!

 

[Coinneach]

When I was in the boy scouts a couple of wise crackers peed on the camp fire. Talk about nauseating!

yeah .....well we ol boys who tend to reek of crispy Bacon and Rum "after shave", enjoy sharing the experience with civilised folk.........

 

[Eutycus]

We have extremely hard water where I live so I once mentioned using condensed water from the dripping air-conditioner and just any old dish soap and got a few rather severe replys. My "sacrilegious" post about not using only or just Dawn got the attention of a handful of diehards who wanted to know why I wasn't using the revered Dawn. Is there really any difference?I personally feel alot of readers would be surprised to find out it's the water and not the "magic" Dawn that's doing the work.

 

[Erwan]

personally feel alot of readers would be surprised to find out it's the water and not the "magic" Dawn that's doing the work.

I have always cleaned my barrels with hot water. I also live in an area with very hard water but I don't think that is a real problem.
What is the "Magic Dawn", a water softening product for steam flat irons?

 

[Grenadier1758]

@Erwan, Dawn is the brand name of a dish washing soap that has a great reputation for cutting grease. It is regularly used for removing grease and oil from waterfowl after an oil leak. We don't need the gentle nature of a dish washing soap to clean our muzzle loading guns so any grease cutting soap will do.

 

[Erwan]

Yes, it's a bit more what I thought, it's also more usual than the descaler...

Tks.

 

[doubleset]

Dawn is also highly prized for cleaning the interiors of brass musical instruments -- for both its "gentleness" and effectiveness. In my experience it does not approach the effectiveness of Simple Green, and is not particularly useful in any application other than washing dishes or other surfaces you might eat off.

 

[waksupi]

It's hard to beat plain ol' room temperature water. To me, it seems that real hot water sets the fouling harder, making it more time consuming to clean a barrel.

 

[Erwan]

Cruel dilemma: to have a bore really clean or be quickly rid of the "chore of cleaning"...