Cleaning my Flintlock Rifle

[Birddog6]

I use a worm that is much smaller than my bore & make sure the end of it is turned in, not sticking out. In fact, I think it is a .36 cal worm. Or I use a TC worm & it is brass on the end with 2 lil wires coming out of it & curved in, so the ends of the wire never touch the edge of the bore..

:thumbsup:

 

[Richard Allen]

I use a ball puller that has a near bore-size brass collar around it instead of a patch worm. It snaggs the wadded up patches just fine for me. The collar prevents the screw from touching the barrel walls and keeps the screw threads near the middle of the ball when you have to pull one.

That type may not work with barrels with patent breeches, but it works fine for my Getz barreled Lancaster flinter.

By the way, I'm on Birdog's side of the discussion about pulling the barrel for cleaning. When I shot hooked breech guns I pulled the barrel each time, and now that I shoot pinned in barrels I leave them in the stock when cleaning them.

By the way, I use one part Ballistol to three parts water for a cleaning solution and never plan to put hot water in my barrels again. Cold water works just as good and doesn't cause the barrel to flash rust like hot water does. After wiping it dry with several patches, I wad up a patch moistened with Ballistol, shove it down to the face of the breech plug and twirl it around a few times with the ball puller on the end of my wiping stick and pull it back out. Then I put it over the jag on the other end of the wiping stick and swab the bore several times. I wipe down all the steel parts with the same patch, adding a drop or two of oil if necessary, and then slide that patch between my wiping stick and the muzzle cap so that it is handy for occasionally wiping the bore if I think about it.

Hang in there Steve, yer startin out on what can be a fine adventure iffen you keep an open mind. Hell, we were all muzzleloading pilgrims when we started out.

Richard/Ga.

 

[Bob J]

By the way, I use one part Ballistol to three parts water for a cleaning solution and never plan to put hot water in my barrels again. Cold water works just as good and doesn't cause the barrel to flash rust like hot water does.

Richard/Ga.

Richard - do you make up a batch of ballistol cleaning solution and keep it stored in a jug, or just mix ballistol w/water as you need it?

 

[Richard Allen]

I mix up about four ounces in a plastic flip-top bottle. It doesn't take a lot of it to clean my rifles. That amount will usually last me about three or four months. Until the past few months we were shooting practically every weekend.

I get plenty of practice because my bride "lets" me clean her rifle most of the time.

Richard/Ga.

 

[Bob J]

Wow! A bride that's into MLs! You aughtta thank your lucky stars ::

 

[Richard Allen]

I do. We've been fishing, camping, hunting, and shooting together almost 27 years.

She's a good shot with rifle or pistol and ain't intimidated about completing against men. Throws a mean hawk too, and can cook camp vittles near bout as good as me.

I'm a lucky man.

Richard/Ga.

 

[Bob J]

Throws a mean hawk too

Just don't make her mad ::

 

[dryfly]

Marc:

No big deal. Some folks start with a dry bore brush and dry swab it a few times, and then dump out the ash. Then go to the wet patches.
I fold a dry patch and clamp it under the frizen to catch what comes out of the flash hole and have at it. Just keep running the damp (not real wet) patches until I can see and feel that the barrel is getting down to the clean steel.
At this point I go to the Ballistol and oil the bore liberally and wipe the outside, remove the lock and thoroughly clean and lube it.
The next day I go after the bore again. Soon I have a sparkling clean rifle with no rust ever having shown up.
To get ready to shoot again just wipe the bore with alcohol to clean out the oil and fire a fouling shot if needed.
About The only tome I do a complete tear down is at the end of the season or after being out in real bad (wet) weather.