Cleaning Lock

[rancher]

Do you take the lock off after each shooting session or just once in a while to clean? What do you put on them to keep them working good? Thanks

 

[Rebel]

I Always take the lock off from flintlocks but only occasionally on caplocks. Clean them good, spray some WD-40 on them and wipe off good and then a drop of oil on the bearing surfaces.

 

[roundball]

Do you take the lock off after each shooting session or just once in a while to clean? What do you put on them to keep them working good? Thanks

Clean mine 100% completely after every use...hot soapy water & toothbrush...then blow them out with compressed air and/or power flush them with aerosol WD40...then blow or shake / drain that excess off.

 

[ol vern]

I take my lock off and clean it every time I come back from shooting.

Just spray it down with windex wipe it off and lub with some WD-40

 

Same as Roundball, but I use my spousal units toothbrush. :rotf:

Bill

Life is like a box of chocalates---what the heck does that mean?

 

[jtmattison]

Clean mine 100% completely after every use...hot soapy water & toothbrush...then blow them out with compressed air and/or power flush them with aerosol WD40...then blow or shake / drain that excess off.

Me too except I use Rem Oil and blow off the excess.

HD

 

[bob1961]

Life is like a box of chocalates---what the heck does that mean?

ya never know what you'll get from one piece to the next :rotf: :v ...............bob

 

[Wes/Tex]

Same as Roundball, but I use my spousal units toothbrush.

Where would you like us to send the flowers? :shocked2: :haha:

 

[cowpoke1955]

Seems most of us clean our lock each time. Bill of the 45th won't be for long, after his wife get a hold of him :rotf: . Wes/Tex is taking donations for his final resting place :haha: . Hey Bill, will you leave your guns to the forum :rotf: :rotf: ?

 

[Blizzard of '93]

If I fire just few shots I wipe it down good with cleaner (Go-Jo white). if fired many shots I pull it off for good scrubbing.

 

[MikeChapin]

I always pop the lock off when I clean my flinters. It's easier to get to all the crannies and lube all the working parts when the lock is off the rifle.

I very rarely do it for percussion rifles.

 

[2172]

I pull the lock and throw it in the bucket of hot soapy water while I'm cleaning the bbl...then use an old toothbrush, A shot of Gun Scrubber, and finally spray on Sheath...do the same for both flint and cap guns..Hank

 

[George Holton]

An ultra sound denture cleaner unit works well .

 

I take the lock off every other shooting session, and mostly to clean out any powder residue captured in the woodwook. While I have it off the stock I submerge it in boiling water, scrub it real good and then apply Remoil and lithium grease.

 

[mloader40]

I clean percussion & flintlocks the same way. First wash the lock in hot soapy water use a denture brush or tooth brush. Next hold the lock with an old towel and heat the lock until water sizzles with an electric paint strip gun.
While the lock is still hot, spray with balistol and let cool. When the lock is cool wipe the excess balistol off and lubricate moving parts with Remoil. You will love the way a case hardened lock's colors will come out. Water will run off of the lock like a waxed car.
BPWRL

 

[Bill Bryan]

I'm almost a 100% range target shooter. I generally remove the lock and clean it with balistol and a brush before I leave the range. The barrel gets balistol at the range and a bath back at the house.

 

[Dickert54cal]

Every time for sure...why ruin a lock...$$$$ I use the wifes hair dryer to blow dry the lock. It get very warm and all water evaporates..then I oil it good with Accuguard and Acculube from Jim Chambers.

 

[snagg]

I didn't start off cleaning my lock as part of my cleaning procedure. But after being a part of this forum and reading what all the pro's had to say, cleaning my lock has become a regular part of cleaning my whole gun. I also use light compressed air to dry off and then lube it.

snagg

 

[Birddog6]

I clean my locks with a toothbrush while holding the lock under the faucet. Scrube it, dry it with a paper towel, then totally saturate it with aerosol Ballistol, then wipe it dry with a paper towel & a Q-tip & set it asside til ready to install it on the rifle.

:thumbsup:

 

What hasen't benn mentioned is why you should take off the lock to clean it other than just cleaning the lock.
The lock mortise should also be cleaned out and a visual check of it to make sure NO powder has accumulated in it. Powder build up in the mortise of the lock could ignite and blow the lock off the stock causeing serious harm or even death.