For me, cleaning black powder firearms is easy.
Now, back 50-60 years ago, after a shooting match at Camp A.P. Hill, others in the vicinity, we would all gather back at the boss's house. We would dismount the barrels of our .58 cal Springfields while the boss got the bathtub full of the hottest water he could get. Barrels would all go in the tub, usually at least a dozen of them. He would pour a liberal amount of hair shampoo into the water, and the youngest guy (usually me) would start scrubbing the barrels with a brass brush on the end of a cleaning rod. I doubt that the rod came from the Springfields, as I cannot recall seeing a threaded end on their rods. I would scrub the inside of all the barrels while the bath water would turn black. The tub was then emptied, refilled with warm water, and the barrels scrubbed again. Meanwhile, the rest of the guys would be cleaning the actions and stocks, and give all a good waxing. After the barrels had been scrubbed in the warm water, they were rinsed in cold water, then hung upside down. Apparently, later that night, or the next day, the barrels got a good oil coating, then re-assembled, and the guns put into the rack.
Now, I do not use hot water. Cold water, some Dawn dish detergent, and a bunch of cleaning patches, do the trick. I plug the touchhole with a toothpick, fill the barrels with the water and soap, let it sit for ten minutes or so, pour it out. Refill with more cold water/soap, and scrub with patches until they come out fairly clean. Spray a bunch of WD-40, as it displaces water, and stand the rifle or smoothbore upside down in a corner, with old rags beneath the barrel. The lock get removed, cleaned with soapy water, then air-blast dried and re-lubed. The whole stock is wiped down, might be re-waxed. All metal fittings are cleaned and wiped. Takes about 10-15 minutes for each firearm. Except revolvers, who get their cylinders cleaned and dried. Others may do it differently than me.
