Cleaning Muzzle loader?

[hanshi]

Barricade, or sometimes BreakFree CLP is the last step in my gun cleaning routine.

 

[Lorne Johnson]

I use Ballistol on my gun bores (damp patch for a couple of strokes) because I don't need to get it out before shooting. You could clean your gun and use Ballistol on the bore before you go hunting and not worry (it's not a petroleum product).

This is on guns that get regular use, if I'm putting a gun away for the season, I use barricade.

 

[tenngun]

Thanks for all the tips guys. If I clean barrel the day before I go hunting with rubbing Alcohol and clean the oil out will I be ok to load gun go hunting and not worry about rust for a week ?

I don't use alcohol my self, as I just run a dry patch or two down the bore. Alcohol will remove almost all oil in the bore. I like to charge my gun and I use animal fat as a patch lube, that will 'oil' the bore as you ram it home. A lightly oiled or greased patch can then be used to swab the bore over your ball and that will make sure it's protected.

 

[Zonie]

Ballistol has a high percentage of mineral oil in it.

The Ballistol MSDS says:

"Ballistol contains medicinal grade mineral oil, alkaline salts of oleic acid, several alcohols, Benzyl Acetate and an oil
from vegetal seeds. The mineral oil is unchlorinated and conforms to the specifications of US Pharmacopeia XX. "
http://www.ballistol.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/MSDS_TECH_BIO.pdf

Mineral oil is a petroleum.

The definition of Mineral Oil on Google says,

"a distillation product of petroleum, especially one used as a lubricant, moisturizer, or laxative."

The experiments I've done to find out how much hard fouling a petroleum oil will make when burning black powder is subjected to it shows that very thin layers of oil do not cause problems.

It's only when the surface is really wet with oil that the hard fouling forms.

 

[1100 Remington Man]

Well I checked it and No signs of rust. I did reclean the nipple channel again with pipe cleaner. This is a area that there seems to be a area of concern by design.

 

[Kirkschopped67]

For the California guys, order these items (Barricade) through Amazon. These vendors with an Amazon store never pay attention to the rules of other states. They just ship the stuff everytime. That is their way of giving California the middle finger :blah:

 

[1100 Remington Man]

Well today I ran a patch up and down Four times with Baracade and the patch looks the same as last month and the month before No signs of rust.
I guess I was worried about nothing.

 

[hanshi]

:thumbsup:

 

[Billnpatti]

Cleaned my Muzzle loader for first time used TC #13 Black Powder cleaner in bore and nipple 10 patches then Balllistol 6 patches then Rem Oil 2 patches for bore. I took nipple out used above products and pipe cleaners and Q-tips in and under nipple and channel. I hope this is good I don't want rust. Thanks Yes I am a newbe to all of this.

It's awfully hard to beat plain old soapy water for effectiveness and cost. Some like it hot and some like it cold. Me? I like it good and warm like I would use to wash my hands. Follow it with a good rinse with clear water, dry it with a few dry patches, spray it with WD-40 to get the last of the moisture, wipe away all of the WD-40 with a few more dry patches (it will have done its job) and apply a good gun oil. I do not recommend letting WD-40 do the job of rustproofing that a good gun oil will do.

That's the way I do it. It ain't the only way, just my way. You are welcome to try it.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Regardless of what one uses or how they use it....If it's clean when you're done, you won't have an issue.

 

[azmntman]

"if its clean when yer done"

AND DRY :blah:

 

[Billnpatti]

Regardless of what one uses or how they use it....If it's clean when you're done, you won't have an issue.

Yep, like they say...."There's more than one way to skin a cat." So, as long as skinning your cat was your goal and you got your cat skinned, it makes little difference how you got the hide off.
:hatsoff:

 

[Marc Adamchek]

I would stay away from using WD-40 from any gun. The end result from using this product is a buildup of gummy yuck-yuck.

It DISPLACES water, but that doesn't necessarily means it protects against rust. There are far better products out there - EEZOX comes to mind - to do this job and you won't have to worry about any after effects.

 

[Tom Compton]

Hmmmm. Some of y'all must be getting a different WD40. Been using it 40+ years after cleaning w water only. Only problem I've had in that time was the ONE time I tried Ballistol.

 

[Snakebite]

Hmmmm. Some of y'all must be getting a different WD40. Been using it 40+ years after cleaning w water only. Only problem I've had in that time was the ONE time I tried Ballistol.

I agree with you Flint. The guy who built my first rifle recommended it and it's been working for me for over 35 years. When I was in the Army and in 1984 I went to Germany for 3 years I left all my guns with my father who lived in Victoria Texas. To say it's humid there is an understatement. I had cleaned all my guns and used WD-40 before I left and 3 years later with I got back there was absolutely no problem. Of course what works for one may not work for another when it comes to muzzleloading guns.

 

[Coot]

I would stay away from using WD-40 from any gun. The end result from using this product is a buildup of gummy yuck-yuck.

It DISPLACES water, but that doesn't necessarily means it protects against rust. There are far better products out there - EEZOX comes to mind - to do this job and you won't have to worry about any after effects.

I agree. I use WD-40 on farm equipment but never as a lubricant on any kind of delicate mechanism - it gummed up a couple of fishing reels and some HO train gear. Use it as it was intended - to remove water. If a spray lubricant is needed, CRC 56 is far better (also more expensive & harder to find - thus perhaps less popular/well known).

 

[coloradoclyde]

Cleaning is an action...it is something you do, not a product that you use.

The way in which one uses a product, greatly influences the outcome.

 

[Dr5x]

I read in wonder at all the different cleaning methods
I like my 99% waterless cleaning method that served me for years. No rust, No black schmutz showing up after a few days.
And a slight loaded pre fouling shot and a wipe and you're ready yo go. I believe it is all spelled out on my web site. Also a hundred times on the Forum and in my book.


Dutch

 

[Paul_R]

I'm a big fan of Eezox, best rust preventer and cleaning solvent there is in my opinion. I've used dozens of cleaners and scrubbed till I got a clean patch only to get a dirty patch when I swabbed with eezox at the end. I don't waste time with other cleaners any more.

 

[SDSmlf]

Would not even consider using WD40 on a mechanical device (think lock). Many years ago a buddy used it on a center fire rifle bolt. At 4 degrees F, firing pin didn't fall. Had to heat gun over defroster on dashboard of truck. Note to self, NEVER USE WD40 ON A MECHANISM.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, my muzzleloading mentor, his name was Chuck, RIP (this was the late 70s), insisted on a WD40 rinse after complete washing with soap and water, followed by storing the barrel/gun muzzle down for 24 hours. No other lubricants or rust preventatives required. If rust was the concern, Chuck was right. Have never had any rust. Chuck's other advise, if loading less than 24 hours of cleaning, and WD40 rinse was used, was to flush barrel with 90% alcohol. Made it a habit to use alcohol wipe before loading. Years later got Dutch's system. WD40. Same idea. Chuck was right. So was Dutch. The stars were aligned.

For what it is worth, have lived in the Carolinas for nearly 25 years (think high humid). Have more muzzleloaders than I can could on both hands and have no barrel bore rust. I buy WD40 by the gallon.