Cleaning a "Patent Breech"

[N.Y. Yankee]

Im wondering what your technique is for cleaning a patent breech. What rod ends and patches, rust protection etc? What do you do specifically?

 

[rafterob]

Some will chime in about using an undersize jag or brush. I have not yet found the need for that. I have 2 CVA rifles and 2 CVA pistols. The barrels come off easily on all of them. They go in a bucket with warm soapy water and get flushed out with pumping action of the patch and jag. Repeat with clean warm rinse water and dry well. I oil the barrels and drip a couple drops of oil into the nipple bolster and let that run down into the breech.

 

[SDSmlf]

Im wondering what your technique is for cleaning a patent breech. What rod ends and patches, rust protection etc? What do you do specifically?

I treat a gun with a patent breech the same as with any gun without a patent breech. Make sure no excessive oil or lubricant sits in the breech area after cleaning, store the gun muzzle down at least for a few days after cleaning and make sure the bore/breech is clear and dry before loading. Nothing will gum up a breech and fire channel like loading and shooting a gun with residual oil left in it prior to loading and shooting.

 

[maillemaker]

My Pedersoli Pennsylvania has a chambered breech. It is a pinned barrel so it cannot be easily/regularly removed for cleaning, and I never do. I stick a toothpick in the touch hole and pour some soapy water into the barrel. I then use an under-sized bore mop to reach down inside the chambered breech. I can tell from my borescope that it comes clean.

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

I own and regularly shoot two Pedersolis with chambered breeches. I, myself, do not use a tiny brush or worry about getting down in there with patches anymore because of how well this works for me. As always though, YMMV. I do not remove the barrel either, as it gets lava hot, and the stock is the most practical way to handle it. A pot holder is nice to have too.

Specifically:

1. I remove the lock and plug the vent or nipple with a toothpick. Then pour plain ol boiling water right down the tube. I use a .9L backpacking kettle with a tiny pour spout (ebay) that works perfect for this, even down to .32 cal. I use it on a hotplate plugged in right at my workbench.

2. I pour in enough to put the water level a few inches above where the ball was seating, giving the buttplate a few taps on the floor before pouring it out. The tapping helps release the carbon from the walls of the patent/chambered breech after the scalding water shocks it. I continue this, pouring more water into the barrel each time until it's just below the muzzle.

3. I repeat number 2 until the entirety of the water being poured out becomes clear.

4. I then remove the nipple or vent liner (if possible) and place it muzzle down so it will drain/drip dry. This happens fairly quick since the barrel is now hot. At this point you can peek inside the drum/chambered breech and see just how well plain ol boiling water scalds it clean. THAT'S IT.

5. After the barrel cools enough to handle, I then carry on with my bore cleaning/preserving ritual.

Plain, Simple, Effective.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I use a "flush" method for cleaning and a "mop" for drying the chambered area. Just make sure to store the guns muzzle down so oil doesn't pool in the chamber.

 

[kyron4]

I clean like the other guys, but before I shoot I use a .22 caliber mop soaked in carb cleaner to remove all traces of oil left in breach chamber and fire channel . My learning curve has taught me what happens when any oil is left behind,

 

[Bushfire]

Some will chime in about using an undersize jag or brush. I have not yet found the need for that. I have 2 CVA rifles and 2 CVA pistols. The barrels come off easily on all of them. They go in a bucket with warm soapy water and get flushed out with pumping action of the patch and jag. Repeat with clean warm rinse water and dry well. I oil the barrels and drip a couple drops of oil into the nipple bolster and let that run down into the breech.

You're talking about hook breach rifles? Get a pinned barrel and you'll appreciate an undersized jag.

 

[DuncNZ]

I used a jag made from a long wood screw soldered into a brass body, which fits my range rod , and wrap cleaning cloth around it , the screw has a rounded tip .

 

[UndeadPoet]

I own and regularly shoot two Pedersolis with chambered breeches. I, myself, do not use a tiny brush or worry about getting down in there with patches anymore because of how well this works for me. As always though, YMMV. I do not remove the barrel either, as it gets lava hot, and the stock is the most practical way to handle it. A pot holder is nice to have too.

Specifically:

1. I remove the lock and plug the vent or nipple with a toothpick. Then pour plain ol boiling water right down the tube. I use a .9L backpacking kettle with a tiny pour spout (ebay) that works perfect for this, even down to .32 cal. I use it on a hotplate plugged in right at my workbench.

2. I pour in enough to put the water level a few inches above where the ball was seating, giving the buttplate a few taps on the floor before pouring it out. The tapping helps release the carbon from the walls of the patent/chambered breech after the scalding water shocks it. I continue this, pouring more water into the barrel each time until it's just below the muzzle.

3. I repeat number 2 until the entirety of the water being poured out becomes clear.

4. I then remove the nipple or vent liner (if possible) and place it muzzle down so it will drain/drip dry. This happens fairly quick since the barrel is now hot. At this point you can peek inside the drum/chambered breech and see just how well plain ol boiling water scalds it clean. THAT'S IT.

5. After the barrel cools enough to handle, I then carry on with my bore cleaning/preserving ritual.

Plain, Simple, Effective.

My only problem with the boiling (or really hot) water, is how quickly the barrel can/will flash rust. The first time I did it, it scared the bejeepers out of me, but I got it cleaned up. I’m a little “gun-shy” (no pun intended) now. How do you avoid the flash rusting?

 

[Grenadier1758]

Im wondering what your technique is for cleaning a patent breech. What rod ends and patches, rust protection etc? What do you do specifically?

The technique is dependent on whether I am cleaning the chambered breech on a hooked breech gun that I can easily remove the barrel from the stock or if I have gun with a pinned stock that has a chambered breech. Fortunately, there are very few chambered breech rifles that have a solid breech plug and are pinned to the stock.

For the hooked breech guns, the best method to clean them is to remove the barrel, remove the nipple and do the cleaning solution flush with the proper sized jag and cleaning patch. The flint version with a hooked breech is the same. The touch hole is large enough to allow a good flush. The pressure and rapidly moving water will remove the fouling. Part of the bore drying process may include a sub caliber brush with a cleaning patch is needed to dry the chamber. Then a pipe cleaner to dry the flash channel from the nipple seat to the powder chamber. I will follow with WD40 or rubbing alcohol to take up the last of the water. I will then wipe the bore with Ballistol as a last pass at water displacement and fouling removal before using a rust inhibiting lubricant such as Barricade before reassembling the gun to place (muzzle down) in storage.

@davec2, of The Lucky Bag, offers a magnetic flush attachment for flint lock rifles with barrels pinned to the stock. If you have a slotted touch hole liner, the magnetic seal may not be totally effective. In all cases wrap a rag around the lock mortise (the lock has to be removed to use the magnetic flush kit). In lieu of the flush kit, a tooth pick can be used to plug the touch hole. Cleaning solution (water with some dish washing soap) can be used to fill the bore, let soak up the fouling and dumped out. Do this several times before wiping the bore with a patched jag with the cleaning solution. The solution alone won't clean all the fouling from the grooves. Once again, the sub caliber brush with a patch is used to clean the chambered breech. A small brush can be used to wipe out the touch hole. Dry the bore, to remove water and lubricate for storage.

 

[deerstalkert]

I treat a gun with a patent breech the same as with any gun without a patent breech. Make sure no excessive oil or lubricant sits in the breech area after cleaning, store the gun muzzle down at least for a few days after cleaning and make sure the bore/breech is clear and dry before loading. Nothing will gum up a breech and fire channel like loading and shooting a gun with residual oil left in it prior to loading and shooting.

i used to not pay any attention to this part.". Nothing will gum up a breech and fire channel like loading and shooting a gun with residual oil left in it prior to loading and shooting."
lately i have noticed it is true in my TMR .45.
2-3 shots and i am pounding past a crud ring that is hard. if i dry patch or alcohol patch prior to first shot i can go for 15-20 shots without the hard crust ring with the same powder. other guns vary.

 

[mmb617]

I have 5 Traditions flintlocks, 4 rifles and a pistol. All have patent breeches and none have pinned barrels.

I clean them all the same way. As soon as I get home from the range I remove the barrel, plug the touch hole with a toothpick and fill the barrel with hot water from the tap. I stand the barrel up to soak while I clean and oil the lock. After 10 minutes or so of soaking I empty the barrel and remove the touch hole liner, then run hot water through the barrel and out the touch hole till it runs clear, which is pretty quickly.

Then I run a patch with ballistol/water on it through the barrel and follow that with dry patches till they come out reasonably clean and dry. Finally I run a lightly oiled patch through the barrel, then use that same patch to wipe a thin oil film on the outside of the barrel.

Before re-assembly I push a corner of a dry patch into the touch hole with the end of a cotton swab and spin it around to clean that area, then put one drop of oil on the liner threads and re-install it. The guns are stored horizonally till next use.

I've used this method for thousands of shots and don't see any reason to change.

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

How do you avoid the flash rusting?

I perform my bore cleaning/preservation immediately following the barrel cooling off.

If there is any flash rust, it will come out on the cleaning patches. In short, I'm not too worried about flash rusting if it happens.

I've never distinctly noticed any rust on a patch. Just the normal black cruddus.

As far as my cleaning ritual, I swab a few patches (I use each side too) soaked in Mr. Flintlocks patch lube/bore cleaner --Am I the only one that thinks that stuff smells like a citronella candle?--Then I swab a few patches soaked with 99% isopropyl alcohol. Then a clean dry patch. If it comes back dirty, I start the patch routine over again until I can get the dry patch to come out clean. Then I lightly cover a clean patch with Marvel mystery oil and swab that.

I try to never saturate a patch with solvent or oil to the point that it will be dripping and/or running down the bore.

If its been sitting up a while, out of good habit I always swab a clean dry patch to check the condition of the bore/breech area before loading up.

 

[Rifleman1776]

They go in a bucket with warm soapy water and get flushed out with pumping action of the patch and jag.

Beat me to it. Me too.

 

[hanshi]

I clean guns with a patent breech the same way I clean those with a flat breech.

 

[Thomas.bill92]

A q tip will screw into 10-32 threads quite well and will get down in the breech.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Your supposed to clean them....oops....

 

[GREENSWLDE]

Dang,Brit .You was first .O.D. Stay well.The P(h)easnts are nearly here..

 

[Uncle Miltie]

My only problem with the boiling (or really hot) water, is how quickly the barrel can/will flash rust. The first time I did it, it scared the bejeepers out of me, but I got it cleaned up. I’m a little “gun-shy” (no pun intended) now. How do you avoid the flash rusting?

Use cold water instead of hot water. Hot soapy water doesn't clean any better than plain old unheated water. Clean with water, dry with patches and oil.