Cheap BP cleaning solution

[Owenbrau]

Just water, even cold, works fine. Some guys I know like to use boiling water for the last rinse, on the idea that it heats evgerything up and evaporates faster, but I oil right after anyway, and if I am worried about the water I'll just spray some WD-40 first.

 

[2172]

I've used every kind of commercial product, and every "wonder cleaner" of the month from Murphy's Oil soap, peroxide and alcohol.and such..and am now convinced that hot soapy water, followed by WD40, followed by bore butter/wonder lube, is the best for me...cleanest, quickest, cheapest...I'm not saying that all of these "magical mouse pees" don't work, they just don't work any better than hot water...Hank

 

[WV_Hillbilly]

Very low humidity here, or I would oil it right away.

If I read all the replies here correctly, you are the ONLY one who mentioned humidity being an important factor in how one goes about cleaning a muzzleloader and prepping it for short term storage periods.

Humidity is a VERY BIG issue, especially to those that live in high humidity areas, or where the air contains various elements and compounds... How about near the ocean? Could that salty wind cause major grief? What about in an area near factories that vent smoke containing "who knows what"? (That is NOT hardly the issue that it once was--due to EPA and other Gov't. Regulatory Agencies.) Still if you live near places where there are major emissions from automobile exhaust, could that be a problem?

I'm just "chumming" to see if anyone knows some good information about the humidity factor in muzzleloading maintenance. I have very rapidly changing weather conditions at times and have to be ready to scrub the gun immediately when I get it home from the range. Other times it's not so critical, but I also do a preliminary cleaning while still at the range. It's a lot easier to make a mess there than at home. I do care about my wife, kids, pets, & even the native wild creatures--that might sample a spill of something that has an interesting odour to them.

I don't think anyone has water beat as far as lowest cost item. What about your storage protection--I'm going to make this one another topic.

See you on the next question...
WV_Hillbilly

 

I've got kids and pets, so anti-freeze is not something I want where they can get into it.

I've been using HOT water, Murphy's Oil Soap with a splash of ammonia. Rinse well with HOT water, dry and follow up with either Moose Snot or Bore Butter.

Just :m2c:

 

[jimeckersley]

I too have used the automobile window washer solution for cleaning. It's especially a good solution to use when out in the field. It's cheap and effective.

If you have the luxury of cleaning up at home, just use HOT water and a little dish soap. Run several dry patches down the barrel then some WD-40. For longer term storage, either re-apply WD-40 fairly often (it tends to dry up) or use Ballistol or other heavier anti-rust oil.

As for 409, read the label. It's pretty nasty. I wouldn't have it in my home. Antifreeze gets pretty sticky and messy besides being expensive.

JP

 

[Curly James]

I know the title of this thread is cheap bore cleaner but I have to put my two cents worth in for Ballistol. I use a 1:8 Ballistol to water mix to clean with and then oil with pure Ballistol. As far as cheap goes, I bought a big can of the stuff for $8.00 last year and am still using it. I shoot black powder in the monthly cowboy matches and shoot a muzzleloader match once a month. I,ve been using Ballistol now for fours years and my cap-n-ball pistols, rifle and shotgun used in the CAS matches clean up easier than you would believe. My rifles also clean up easily. I have had no rust and I live in NE Ga where it is quite humid. :imo: :m2c: CJ.

 

[harrys]

I took a Black Powder hunter safety course from the state of Massachusetts,the instructors swore the best they'd seen was DAWN (blue) . I've used it ever since ,after hunting,out in the woods I carry cloths with a little water on them between shots (if theres time)otherwise a dry cloth and reload,never had any problems.

 

[Rebel]

Running a dry patch down a fouled bore is a real good way to wind up with a stuck jag.

 

[swoter]

Running a dry patch down a fouled bore is a real good way to wind up with a stuck jag.

Oh yeah, been there and done that. Anymore I just use hot water followed by wd-40. Keep mine hanging on a wall in my basement and this seems to do well.

 

[Bearbait2]

Mr. Swoter,
Have you ever had a problem with powder contamination from the WD40? Do you run a dry patch down the bore before loading the first shot?
Best Wishes

 

[Rebel]

Windwalker, i have used WD-40 for over 25 years in my MLers after cleaning. I never had any problems as long as i snap a cap or two before loading. With a flinter, i run an alcohol soaked patch down the barrel followed by a dry patch before loading. Hope this helps.

 

[hawkchucker]

Harrys
Where did ya take the course. I just might have taught it. I teach Hunters edd in Ma, and we do only use Dawn and water.

 

[walruskid1]

whats ballistol? i must have led a sheltered life, i never heard of it. how is it used and where can i buy it?

 

[freetrapper20]

I know a couple old timer, long time blackpowder shooters that use general purpose Gunk (engine cleaner). They been using it for years and swear by it. Since they can only get it in a spray can anymore, they spray the whole can into an empty 2 liter soda bottle and then fill it the rest of the way with water. (Close to the 10 to 1 mix like they used before spray cans.) I used it one time when I forgot my stuff at camp so I don't know long term effects if any, but their muzzleloaders looked in great shape. (They been using it for many years.)

 

[swoter]

I use a dry patch on the bore, pour 30 grains powder down the barrel, then snap a cap or two to ignite the blank charge. Never had a problem after that. Do the same with my flintlock. Couple of caps and 30 grains of powder is a cheap solution to excess oil in the barrel especially if I forget to run a dry patch first. I've used wd40 for a long time, use it on my modern guns also. I read a lot of different posts on other forums stating how bad wd40 is as a lubricant, etc, but I personally am very happy with the way it works and have never had a problem with it. I take that back, once I bought a set of wooden grips for a ruger off ebay that came from poland I think, and the wd40 made the finish on them sticky. Other than that, never had a problem with it.

 

[Curly James]

Walruskid,

Ballistol is the trade name for an oil invented by the Germans for use on guns and machine parts. It is all natural and water solvent. Go to www.ballistol.com and you can read all about it and even order it from their website. I usually don't take a manufacturers word on how a product performs but I have used Ballistol for a lot of shooting (blackpowder and modern) in the past few years and I am very impressed. I use it as a cleaning solution mixed with water and then lube with pure Ballistol. I will tell this story and others may have had similiar experiences with other lubes but I was very impressed. A couple of months ago we had a pistol competition at the end of our monthly muzzleloader match. I and others shot my '51 .36 navy repro (over 30 rounds and maybe 50 out of it). At the end of the day I had something come up and did not get to give it a thorough cleaning. All I was able to do was hose it down with Ballistol and hope for the best. I left it in a utility cabinet in the laundry room and I did not get back to the gun for about three days. There was no rust and the fouling had turned into a foamy looking residue that wiped away easily and cleanly. No, I will not do that all the time (too picky about my guns) but I was impressed. I have also used pure Ballistol as a patch lube and it worked quite well. It isn't overly expensive and if you mix it 1:10 with water it will go a long way. Take care, CJ.

 

[Thamaz]

Pure water works nice, but how fun is that?
I use a quarter HOT water 2 table spoons machine dish washer detergent (the white powder stuff) The fine thing about this is that it cleans AND rust protects. Just watch that old greasy stock, as it cleans that one too. Now the important thing- DONT rinse with pure water afterwards! You

 

[tzvia]

I collect and shoot milsurps, and got into bp only this year. I brought my milsurp corosive ammo method over and it works fine. I am cheap but cant bring myself to use only water, so I go to the .99cent store for my cleaning supplies. Cheap glass cleaner or oil soap for a starter. I spray down the barrel, and flush out the nipple through a tube. Then a few dry patches and a bronze brush. Then some oilsoap and brushing if needed. Then another glass cleaner flush and a good wipe down. Now here is where it gets 'expensive': I use Ballistol (cant get that at the .99cent store! ). And I use it straight as a final patch cleaner/lube. When those patches come out clean, the barrel is clean. As for the rest of the metal, scrub/flush with window cleaner or oilsoap, dry and wipe/scrub with Ballistol. Great stuff. Even use it as a wipe for the stock to remove grime.

Of course, I also use a copper remover on my cartridge guns.

Lois

 

[Curly James]

Tzvia,

I've never been one to believe that you can "season" a barrel in a muzzleloader but I do think that using Ballistol repeatedly makes the gun easier to clean. I have no scientific data to back this up just how it seems to me after using the stuff on a lot of guns over the last few years.

Give me your impressions on this with the BP guns and the milsurps(I shoot a lot of milsurps too). Or at least tell me I'm full of manure and am imagining things . Take care, CJ.

 

The cheapest as has been pointed out is plain tap water, no additives, not even soap. It works. To speed things up I sometimes follow up with a wet patch or two of Lehigh Valley Lube. Then dry and grease with Mink grease (Bear Oil if you have it is best). WD-40 is a petroleum product and in general it is best to stay away from them for BP arms, however, no less an authority than Peter Alexander uses it! Ballistol is, from what I have read, mainly simple mineral oil (you can find it in the grocery, food safe--people drink the stuff as a laxative)with petrochemical 'carriers'in the spray version. Nothing cheaper than water.