Cleaning or Lack Thereof?

[TDM]

The Pyrodex probably won't need much exposure time.

 

[dylan84]

The Pyrodex probably won't need much exposure time.

Years ago I did mess with some of the ugly muzzle loaders and pyrodex. I remember that being very corrosive. These last few months I have got into the more traditional stuff and to my surprise the black powder fouling is not even comparable. I am totally sold on using black powder. Cheaper, more consistent, easier to clean, smells better, and made out of more natural occurring elements are all things that come to mind.....

 

[TDM]

I live in Las Vegas now where the humidity is extremely low. I can shoot my flintlock and not clean it right away with no rust. When I lived in Florida my guns would rust if the fingerprints were not wiped off.

Yep, the big variable is heat and humidity. Rust loves both. If one or both is missing the rusting process will be a slow one or maybe never.

 

[Stantheman86]

Cleaning blackpowder revolvers isn't rocket science . If you own one that was carried in military service it was most likely cleaned with coffee grounds and/or urine after the Officer capped off the 6 rounds he never fired in an expected battle after loading it. And basically treated like a Govt issued tool that he didn't own so he cleaned it well enough to keep it from being ruined and that was pretty much it

I read that they dropped Colt parts in boiling water but I doubt every guy did this

 

[TDM]

Cleaning blackpowder revolvers isn't rocket science . If you own one that was carried in military service it was most likely cleaned with coffee grounds and/or urine after the Officer capped off the 6 rounds he never fired in an expected battle after loading it. And basically treated like a Govt issued tool that he didn't own so he cleaned it well enough to keep it from being ruined and that was pretty much it

I read that they dropped Colt parts in boiling water but I doubt every guy did this

I've always heard the same.

 

[Jim in Wisconsin]

I like my coffee black, but that might be going too far.

 

[Stantheman86]

I like my coffee black, but that might be going too far.

Real Men use a Colt 1860 barrel as a coffee filter

 

[Jim in Wisconsin]

cream and sugar please

 

[Urban Coyote]

Another person not to buy a blackpowder gun from.

 

[dylan84]

Real Men use a Colt 1860 barrel as a coffee filter

And urine....lol

 

[Horse]

No soap and water. in fact no soap or water. In over five years no rust or any signs of corrosion. In fact I never clean them at all other than an occasional wipe down with a slightly oily cloth and they still look like new. Except for an older Lyman that I used to actually shoot. That one kinda took a beating and looks it. I just bought the others when I was flush and never got around to firing them. Well, nobodys perfect. At least I didn't shoot em and put em away dirty

 

[dylan84]

Another person not to buy a blackpowder gun from.

They are bad enough brand new! Lol

 

[Bunk]

I stumbled upon this guy's website and found it very interesting. It is far from new content, but I have not seen it shared much on here. I have found his grease under the projectile technique to be sound advice if you want to keep on shooting until you are sick of it without gumming up your action (even on the NMA). I have not however done any accuracy testing with this technique. I shot both my revolvers multiple times throughout a period of a little over 2 weeks without even swabbing the bore. When I did finally swab the bore the fouling came right out in 2 patches leaving a mirror shiny bore. Rifles require more grease but works fine on them also.

I personally found it appalling to use soap and water to clean a gun with coming from a smokeless unmentionable world. This method allows you to shoot and not worry about it, which to me makes it more fun than having to worry about a complete tear down after every shooting session!

Just found it interesting and thought I would share.

http://www.geojohn.org/BlackPowder/Revolver.html

The grease wad idea works well in cool climates. I loaded two 1860 Armies with a grease wad under the ball and was called away for business for about an hour.This is in the sun Texas in August.
I will not tell you the language used with ten chambers of greasy goop and the work needed to clean up.
So be wary of grease wads in hot weather.
Yr' Obt' Svt'
Bunk

 

[Bunk]

Black powder fouling (unlike pyrodex) is hygroscopic, not corrosive.

but the products of water and the fouling are corrosive especially "P" stuff because of the chlorate residue.
Only old timers like me remember corrosive perchlorate primers.
Bunk

 

[Stantheman86]

The grease wad idea works well in cool climates. I loaded two 1860 Armies with a grease wad under the ball and was called away for business for about an hour.This is in the sun Texas in August.
I will not tell you the language used with ten chambers of greasy goop and the work needed to clean up.
So be wary of grease wads in hot weather.
Yr' Obt' Svt'
Bunk

At least if the manure over the ball melts the charge isn't ruined

 

[shorthair]

Kind of makes me want to try an experiment. Burn 50 grains on bare steel as @64Springer said and then burn 50 grains on the same prepared steel but coated in my bullet grease.
If no corrosion, then I will be convinced to just keep my irons greased and swab every so often.

I had been using a vege based synthetic cutting fluid mixed with beeswax. So far seems to be working well keeping fouling soft and no signs of corrosion.

Much maybe most of the corrosion issues are dependent on the local humidity %, Midwest to southwest low humidity could make immediate cleaning a much lower priority than say the pacific northwest where the humidity is much higher requiring a good cleaning about the time that the smoke clears.

 

[Okie Hog]

Cleaning blackpowder revolvers isn't rocket science

Take the grips off and chunk the metal into the dish washer. Works for me.

Shooters have done all kinds of stuff with steel plates, various lubricants, etc. Just clean the gun properly and it won't rust. l

 

[Bad Karma]

And urine....lol

Use the urine from your most pre diabetic squad mate as a sweetener…

 

[Matt85]

Very interesting read on that website, but I wonder how well it would work with smooth bore guns firing sub-caliber balls. The fouling builds up fast and is very thick with these guns. So much so, that in order to fit a jag down the barrel I need to fill the barrel with water and let it sit for a few seconds (after a serious shooting session).

 

[Bunk]

Very interesting read on that website, but I wonder how well it would work with smooth bore guns firing sub-caliber balls. The fouling builds up fast and is very thick with these guns. So much so, that in order to fit a jag down the barrel I need to fill the barrel with water and let it sit for a few seconds (after a serious shooting session).

Take that jag and use it for a watch fob. Get a brass brush slightly smaller than the bore and wrap the patch around where no bristles are showing and it is a comfortable fit in the bore.
Either that or use a wet cotton mop to start loosen things up then use the patch. Or shoot a patched ball.
"From the last one you shot for the next one you cleans." said the old Dutchman.
Today's project was to lap the bores with JB compound a .50 and .54 barrel and this is what was used and never lost a patch down a barrel...yet.
Respectfully
Yea I know never say never LOL
Bunk