Cleaning

[Pete453]

Tell your wife your black powder pistol self identifies as a beer mug and put it in the dishwasher.

Don't have a wife anymore, now I use the kitchen sink instead of the laundry sink in the basement. Just one more solid she did me

 

[Hawk54]

I don't believe I have ever had a new pistol that a patch came out clean even before it was fired. A lot of different factors can contribute to how easy or hard it is to get a barrel clean. The type and depth of the rifling. How polished the rifling and bore is. In my experience deep rifling is harder to get clean than shallow rifling. Barrels with milling marks are harder to get clean. Getting all the fowling out of all those little milling marks is tough. A chrome lined barrel will be easier to clean as the barrel surfaces are nice and smooth. Clean it the best you can and then check it once in a while.

 

[azmntman]

Agree. That’s why I use plain tap water.

For those interested, I can get you a screaming deal on dehydrated water for this very purpose and it sells for like 30% the cost of Hoppes. Buy in bulk and stock up. Its as simple as can be, just add water and PRESTO, the best black powder residue cleaner available.

PM for payment info and I will get it shipped out next day.

 

[azmntman]

For those that voted for Joe, the above is fictiuous so just DONT.

 

[Larry C.]

All I ever use is Windex and paper towels till clean (about 25 min.). I also use Bamboo Ka Bob sticks to clean inside cylinder chambers and around nipples. Trim the sticks flat on two sides, spray the nipples then slide the paper towel around the nipple. Wrap the flat end of the stick around the paper towel and twist into a wet chamber. Fast safe and clean. Then I rub it down inside and out with Bore Butter and wipe it off with a soft cloth. No rust ever have used Windex over 20 years. Hope this helps speed up things for you.

 

[Griff093]

Water out of the hot water tap at the kitchen sink... 2-3 patches on a jag in the cylinder and around the nipple recesses... dry... and oily patch and put the assembled piece in the safe till the next outing. Nipples (SlikShot) go in the sonic cleaner, wrapped in a paper towel and back in the pouch they came in.

 

[Billy Boy]

I am sure this may be the most asked question on here. But here we go again.
I have done …
Dawn soap boiling water.
Followed by Birchwood Casey Muzzle Magic (works)
Followed by Hoppes #9
Followed by Ballistol CLP
And after 2 hours with a Q tip I still get black especially around nipple threads and deep in chambers.
Barrel is spotless.
So lately I stopped the soap and water because next morning I find rust in spots and I dont think water and metal is a good idea.
So i start with Muzzle Magic.
My point is… no matter what i use, i can never get a qtip or patch to ever come pure white after 2 hours of cleaning.
Is that a myth?
Do you really able to remove every trace of bp after a day at range?
Don’t be critical, be nice, just asking.

I understand, some of us were toilet trained at gun point…it’s OK..

 

[BlackRock52]

Hoppes makes one for BP and another for smokeless. I just use plain tap water and Ballistol.

Does the Hoppes BP smell the same as Hoppes #9?

 

[user 31232]

Tell your wife your black powder pistol self identifies as a beer mug and put it in the dishwasher.

You mean a beer mug gets empty?

 

[waksupi]

‘Tis an opinion. But let’s have a huge war about it. Do what works for YOU.

Not an opinion, fact. It promotes flash rusting. Hot water also sets the fouling harder, so if you DO use hot water, it is beneficial to flush the barrel with cool water first.

 

[azmntman]

I have tried boiling water. No flash rust at all but hate Burning myself and found it doesn't do any better than hot, warm of cold. So may not be " fact". May be due to no humidity here? I read about flash rust often but it isn't an issue here.

 

[LME]

Thank you. I thought I was nuts, regardless of what wife says. I read thread about cleaning until patches are white. I’m like What?, i been cleaning for 2 hours and still pulling grey. I literally was cleaning 2 pistols after day at range last week, almost 4 hours at kitchen table trying to get pure white. For every hour at range i am 2 hours cleaning and still not spotless.

I think we all thought like you when we began using M.L. but in the end soap and water is all you need. Regardless of the newest and greatest new product that keep popping up nothing is better than soap and water. Some people will stand on their head and turn backflips before they would concede to the truth but after more years than I care to remember shooting M.L. rifles I now agree with Sam Fadala. If old Sam doesn't have the answer there isn't one? I use soap and water and can clean my rifle in less than 15 minutes.

 

[sturmkatze]

Not an opinion, fact. It promotes flash rusting. Hot water also sets the fouling harder, so if you DO use hot water, it is beneficial to flush the barrel with cool water first.

That is your opinion.

 

[waksupi]

B

That is your opinion.

Based on 49 years of experience.

 

[Sam squanch]

I have 2 guns. One I can clean and it will stay clean. The other I must check often or it will rust a bit. Never could figure it out….

 

[64Springer]

I have 2 guns. One I can clean and it will stay clean. The other I must check often or it will rust a bit. Never could figure it out….

Different alloys used to make each revolver.

Good quality gun steel will remain armory bright without a lot of care.


I stripped and polished an old Mosin M44. Never got around to bluing it. That rifles stayed brightly polished for many years.

 

[bpd303]

I have been using this for years and it never fails to amaze me how simple & good it is to use. Patches and a good fitting jag, old tooth brush is all that;s needed to get the firearm spotless. A coating of Barricade if it's going to be stored for a while, no rust ever.


Stumpy's Moose Juice


A general purpose blackpowder solvent and liquid patch lube. Shake well before using
Castor Oil 3 oz.
Murphy's Oil Soap 1 oz.
Witch Hazel 4 oz.
Isopropyl Alcohol (91%) 8 oz.
Water (non-chlorinated if available) 16 oz.

I dip my patching in this twice and let it dry laid flat on wax paper in between. Makes a semi-dry patch material that's easy to carry & use. If you don't mind carrying a little bottle it's a GREAT liquid lube as is.

This also works well, no water and I've cleaned my firearms while in hunting camp.

Black Powder Solvent/Cleaner​

1 part Murphy’s Oil Soap
2 parts rubbing alcohol
2 parts peroxide

 

[tgfrench]

For those interested, I can get you a screaming deal on dehydrated water for this very purpose and it sells for like 30% the cost of Hoppes. Buy in bulk and stock up. Its as simple as can be, just add water and PRESTO, the best black powder residue cleaner available.

PM for payment info and I will get it shipped out next day.

LMAO dehydrated water

 

[Rob M.]

Some are starting to get it ....cool

 

[Rob M.]

I am sure this may be the most asked question on here. But here we go again.
I have done …
Dawn soap boiling water.
Followed by Birchwood Casey Muzzle Magic (works)
Followed by Hoppes #9
Followed by Ballistol CLP
And after 2 hours with a Q tip I still get black especially around nipple threads and deep in chambers.
Barrel is spotless.
So lately I stopped the soap and water because next morning I find rust in spots and I dont think water and metal is a good idea.
So i start with Muzzle Magic.
My point is… no matter what i use, i can never get a qtip or patch to ever come pure white after 2 hours of cleaning.
Is that a myth?
Do you really able to remove every trace of bp after a day at range?
Don’t be critical, be nice, just asking.

Last couple times I cleaned my trade gun i timed it after seeing the horrific routines folks on here go through to clean their firearms . 8 min. and 12 min. is how long those two cleaning sessions took . Using just patches dipped and squeezed in water till clean , dry patches then an oil patch , and tooth brush , dipped in water , room temp. , scrub the pan and area then wipe it down with oil patch all over . Same as Kenton and Boone would have done . Always check it the next day ...couple dry patches and a light oil patch ....if in a Hurry just push an oil patch down and out real quick ... B.P. guns will do that he next day . Folks really complicate and drag out the cleaning process . No wonder no one likes B.P. firearms !! LOL !