Cleaning or Lack Thereof?

[dylan84]

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

 

[Stantheman86]

I never use soap and water

I use baby wipes and nylon brushes

I found that using Crisco or Tallow over the ball or bullet makes the bore able to wipe clean in two passes

 

[dylan84]

I am starting to believe that black powder isn't near as corrosive as what some people seem to believe. I am experimenting with a shotgun barrel that was dry. I shot some black powder shells I loaded out of it and am letting it sit for a couple weeks to see if any corrosion forms. So far it has been a week and appears to be nothing but the black fouling from the shells.

I kind of imagine that the old timers probably did something similar with a well greased bore, treating it like a cast iron skillet. Once seasoned you are good to go! When the steel is well seasoned and sealed with oils then it can't get oxygen to corrode the metal.

He is correct when he states that the grease behind the bullet atomizes and keeps the fouling soft even around the nipples. I make little over powder cards out of cork gasket material, grease, and then the ball. Seems to work very well. The NMA (besides cap jams!) even runs like a champ using this method.

I experimented with my grease concoction directly on the powder without an over powder card and left it loaded a few days. I went to shoot and all was fine. No powder contamination to worry about at least in the cooler temps.

 

[64Springer]

Put 50 grains of real black powder on a piece of raw, freshly sanded, steel and light it.

Set it outside for 24 hours in humid conditions.

BP being hygroscopic, it will attract moisture like a sponge.

Rust will form almost immediately.

 

[Stantheman86]

I fired a P-H Enfield yesterday, I just dumped some isopropyl alcohol down the bore and poured it out because I had to go to work , today the bore has some gray in it but no rust

 

[TDM]

I am starting to believe that black powder isn't near as corrosive as what some people seem to believe. I am experimenting with a shotgun barrel that was dry. I shot some black powder shells I loaded out of it and am letting it sit for a couple weeks to see if any corrosion forms. So far it has been a week and appears to be nothing but the black fouling from the shells.

I kind of imagine that the old timers probably did something similar with a well greased bore, treating it like a cast iron skillet. Once seasoned you are good to go! When the steel is well seasoned and sealed with oils then it can't get oxygen to corrode the metal.

He is correct when he states that the grease behind the bullet atomizes and keeps the fouling soft even around the nipples. I make little over powder cards out of cork gasket material, grease, and then the ball. Seems to work very well. The NMA (besides cap jams!) even runs like a champ using this method.

I experimented with my grease concoction directly on the powder without an over powder card and left it loaded a few days. I went to shoot and all was fine. No powder contamination to worry about at least in the cooler temps.

Geojohn has been around for a number of years and I like most of what he says. But make no mistake about. Once black powder has been burnt it is corrosive. How you deal with that is up to the individual but deal with it you must.

 

[dylan84]

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.

 

[TDM]

I fired a P-H Enfield yesterday, I just dumped some isopropyl alcohol down the bore and poured it out because I had to go to work , today the bore has some gray in it but no rust

Stan, you shoot your guns so regularly that rust never has a chance to form.

 

[TrapperDude]

Another Geojohn fan. His blog laid the knowledge foundation that let me have a good start to my own black powder revolver shooting hobby.

 

[Stantheman86]

Stan, you shoot your guns so regularly that rust never has a chance to form.

I just got done swabbing the P53 I just fired and it's still a little dirty, because I'm probably going to take it out again in a few days

Life Hack - your bore won't rust if there's constantly bullets going through it

 

[sturmkatze]

Guess what... Soap and water has been used for centuries and it's successful. Use what works for you.

 

[dylan84]

I started the experiment this morning on some scrap steel. It is cool and wet out today so it will be a good run for rust. I started the test at 8:30 AM CST and will let it go 12 hours and take a picture.

The whole point of the grease is to keep the fouling soft. If it stays soft there is no need for soap and water. Kind of like many things with man on this earth, there are better ways but they keep on doing the same old thing! lol

 

[Uncle Miltie]

I am starting to believe that black powder isn't near as corrosive as what some people seem to believe. I am experimenting with a shotgun barrel that was dry. I shot some black powder shells I loaded out of it and am letting it sit for a couple weeks to see if any corrosion forms. So far it has been a week and appears to be nothing but the black fouling from the shells.

I kind of imagine that the old timers probably did something similar with a well greased bore, treating it like a cast iron skillet. Once seasoned you are good to go! When the steel is well seasoned and sealed with oils then it can't get oxygen to corrode the metal.

He is correct when he states that the grease behind the bullet atomizes and keeps the fouling soft even around the nipples. I make little over powder cards out of cork gasket material, grease, and then the ball. Seems to work very well. The NMA (besides cap jams!) even runs like a champ using this method.

I experimented with my grease concoction directly on the powder without an over powder card and left it loaded a few days. I went to shoot and all was fine. No powder contamination to worry about at least in the cooler temps.

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

 

[ArmorerRoy]

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.

 

[Walkabout]

My understanding is that the metal needs to be heated in order to be "seasoned". Does that occur when the gun is fired? Otherwise you need to use hot water, at least initially.

 

[dylan84]

My understanding is that the metal needs to be heated in order to be "seasoned". Does that occur when the gun is fired? Otherwise you need to use hot water, at least initially.

I didn't heat the steel test plates but that is an interesting aspect. I will maybe add that into a future test.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

After shooting I submerge the parts in Windex. Blow dry it, and wait till I have time and disassemble and deep clean.

 

[dylan84]

Pictures showing 24 hour corrosion test.
1)Mild Steel Ground and Degreased
2)Left Side Left Bare and Right Side Coated in Grease
3)60 Grains of Powder Burned on Both Sides
4)After Sitting outside in Wet Weather 24 Hours
5)Wiped With Acetone Showing Zero Visual Corrosion

Now I will continue this experiment with both sides scrubbed with hot soapy water and left outside for 24 hours. As you can see the bare side nor the greased side showed any corrosion. So far I theorize that even the coating that the burned powder left a layer of protection against the elements. Interesting so far.

The powder I am using is of my own concoction and may be a special ancient Chinese recipe. Might have to do this with Schuetzen or something also and get a longer experiment running. I am also experimenting on my guns. Have not fully cleaned for weeks and running a couple dry patches brings my pistol bores to a mirror shine with zero signs of corrosion. I might have @Stantheman86 same problem though as I shoot daily!

 

[TDM]

It's an interesting time. But probably need to let them sit a week or so and see what the results are. Might be the same, might not.

 

[dylan84]

It's an interesting time. But probably need to let them sit a week or so and see what the results are. Might be the same, might not.

Yep I think I am going to do the test over with different powders including pyrodex when I get a chance. Definitely not hurting anything to leave your fouling a couple days in the bore even without grease. Thought I would add some of the home made cap stuff into the mix as it does seem to be a bit nasty!