Cleaning help - please!

[BillRob]

I hunted all day today in the rain - and knew that my Hawken would need a deep cleaning. As I was running dry patch after dry patch, I saw these specks. I doubt they are related to the rain - and am afraid they are related to some failure to adequately clean the barrel over the years. I have always cleaned it with soap and water - and would have said I always did a good job, until this. The gun shoots great. Does anyone know what I am seeing here? Any advice? Thanks!!

 

[Historian]

Is it lead or pieces of the barrel? Did you pull the load and unscrew the ball from the powder charge? Looks like machining pieces from when they made the barrel or again pieces of lead from removing the load. Don't be too worried if it is either or. How old is your rifle and how many times have you shot it.

 

[BillRob]

Is it lead or pieces of the barrel? Did you pull the load and unscrew the ball from the powder charge? Looks like machining pieces from when they made the barrel or again pieces of lead from removing the load. Don't be too worried if it is either or. How old is your rifle and how many times have you shot it.

The gun is about 40 years old. I have owned it since new. I shot the bullet at the end of the day since I knew I couldn't let it sit without cleaning until I go back out this weekend. I am hoping it is lead deposits. I've never seen them before - but as I said in the post I was really giving it a good clean since we both got soaked for an entire day!

 

[Britsmoothy]

Patched ball or conical?
What is the cleaning rod made of?

 

[BillRob]

Conical bullets for many years. Cleaning rod is brass (I think?). I always use a collar on the rod.

 

[hawkenhunter50]

Conical bullets for many years. Cleaning rod is brass (I think?). I always use a collar on the rod.

If it's conicals, it almost has to be lead deposits. Did you happen to change your alloy or do something different?

 

[Britsmoothy]

Get a piece of the substance and beat it with a hammer on an anvil or similar.

What was the worry again.....

 

[Uncle Miltie]

It is lead. Probably there from using a roundball with poor quality or no patch or a bullet without lubricant, or bullets cast from range scrap. You can remove it with Scotchbrite (green) and Hoppe's #9.

 

[david w]

It looks like chunks of lead to me. I gave up conicals long ago. My .62 caliber does just fine with a round ball. So did my .50 caliber, when I owned one.

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

Just a little lead deposit that came loose. Completely normal, comes from shooting conicals. I'd probably give the bore a good cleaning with some type of lead softening/removing solvent.

 

[BillRob]

Thanks guys! I'll get some lead softener/ solvent and hit it again!

 

[waksupi]

Get some Chore Boy scrub pads. Unwind some strands, wrap it around a cleaning brush. It will remove lead quickly.

 

[Red Owl]

This brings up a good point. On a modern revolver if you get leading there are brass screen patches that will pull out the lead fouling, etc. but you CAN'T use them in a muzzle loader because you'll never get them out of the barrel. Same thing with a brass brush, you'll never be able to pull it out. So the answer is to not shoot anything that leaves lead fouling. These firearms were intended to have a lubed patch, the lead never left any fouling unless you have cut patches, etc.
The pure lead ball will flatten on impact. A pal of mine shot an elk in Colorado, 50 caliber, the ball flattened out like a quarter coin. Patched round balls killed Bison, Elk, Moose, Grizzly bears. The hunters did crawl up to "shooting range" about 70-100 yards.
In any event, the whole thing becomes a lot easier if you use a PRB.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Thanks guys! I'll get some lead softener/ solvent and hit it again!

The only thing that softens lead is heat!

Look pal....just boil your kettle and keep tipping it in the barrel and out again until the barrel is scalding.
The lead will wash out. The temperature will lift it for you.

 

[dave951]

Put a Kroil patch through every day for a week. Then scrub with a bronze brush. Works every thing. For stubborn lead deposits, a mix of hydrogen peroxide and white vinegar will chemically alter the lead to a black sludge. Be careful with that one cuz it can also etch steel

 

[French Colonial]

Dave951 has the right idea, I had very little issues with leading using 20-1 in BPCR rifles but some others using different, usually softer alloys did.

Soak the bore using Kroil overnight and then shove a tight and I mean hammering tight patch down the bore and it would peal the lead right out.
Of course, that won't work on a breeched ML but getting some Chore Boy scrubbing pads and running that in and out will pull it out after the Kroil treatment.

 

[Pioneer flinter]

Thanks guys! I'll get some lead softener/ solvent and hit it again!

Birchwood Casey makes lead away patches and a lead away cloth that works real well. Just be careful it will remove bluing.

 

[ernbar]

Bronze wool pot scrubbing pads work great. Unravel a few strands andwrap them around a brass brush and run it thru several times to remove the leading. Works really well, cheap and fast.

 

[Red Owl]

Don't the brass brushes get stuck? I use them on modern rifles but not muzzle loaders.

 

[French Colonial]

Don't the brass brushes get stuck? I use them on modern rifles but not muzzle loaders.

When the brush is new spin it while inserting it in the bore and push it in a little, pull it out a little, keep doing that and the bristles will lay down and you can pull it right out.

I am a big fan of Pro-Shot brand brushes as well.