Cleaning

[graybeard]

I just spent about an hour and countless patches trying to get a CVA .45-caliber Kentucky clean. I've done this over and over. After what seems like a lot of work, the patches still are gray. If I quit, give the barrel a swipe with T/C's Butter Bore, and put it away, I'll have rust the next time I check it. I use Pyrodex P, several different types of caps, and clean with T/C's cleaner. Just can't get it to take a reasonable amount of time. I use Pyrodex in my 1860 Army Colt replica and disassemble it; run a patch down the barrel and into each cylinder, then run it through the cycle in the family dishwasher. When it finishes, still hot, I spray it with WD-40. Not a scrap of rust. My T/C flintlock has a hooked breech and I use lots of hot water on it. No rust. That rifle, of course, has a diet of FFg black powder. Maybe I'm just overlooking the use of lots of water, but the Kentucky doesn't lend itself to water as it is a big pain to take the barrel off the stock, unlike the T/C Hawken. Anyone any sure fire ideas? Thanks, Graybeard.

 

[LRB]

My guess is that you have a rough bore in that it has annular reamer cuts that were not properly polished out, which are holding fouling. That said however, the gray is grafite and should cause no harm in itself, but if the rifling is holding the grafite it may also be holding some fouling with it. Try cleaning with Windex, followed with WD40, wipe out and oil.

 

[Stumpkiller]

WD-40 kills the benefits of Wonder Lube/Bore Butter. Petroleum based oils (WD-40 is basically diesel) penetrate the film and break it down. I use #13 Solvent and follow up with a coating of Bore Butter. Once a year I give my guns a good hot bath in very hot water with Ivory Soap (which, not being a detergent/surficant, doesn't attack the Bore Butter's deep treatment). You need one of the C-clamp type fixtures that holds a gasketed nipple with a hose against the touch-hole. (A klunk from a model airplane fuel-tank keeps the other end of the hose in the water without hopping all over).

 

[LRB]

Stumpkiller is right about WD40 and bore butter, if you use it as bore protection. I don't, had poor luck with it in that application. However you really should try the Windex for the cleaning, I think you will be surprised at how well it works on fouling. Had a new GM barrel, decided to use the bore butter as patch and storage lube. Cleaned with TC #13 cleaner, stored with generous amount of BB, in 3or 4 days had a bore with rust and a pitted breech area. Some folks have good luck with the butter and some don't. Have a friend that had the same experience as I did. Won't trust it no more. I use Ballistol now and so far I like it. Something else I noticed with the butter. I stored my prelubed patches in a new tin container and a month or so later I noticed the patches touching the tin were brown from rust, and the tin was rusting. What does that say? I do live in FL and it is near always humid.

 

[Trapper]

Having just built a 45 cal flintlock. I follow the idea that you are trying to season the barrel. The only cleaning agent that touches my rifle is plain old water and water soaked patches, no soap or petroleum products. This is followed up by 4or 5 dry patches. The last patch is covered with a lube of Beeswax and olive oil mixture. Seems to clean up real easy after every shoot . This process has goten me a few first place finishes. Seems like everyone has their own favorite way of doing things, just do what works for your own rifle.

 

[roundball]

Graybeard, a couple of used TC Hawken barrels I've bought were in great shape but had that same type problem.
I finally tried a bottle of Shooter's Choice Blackpowder Cleaning Gel and it was fantastic, powerful stuff.
I heavily coated the bore and let it sit 5-10 minutes then patched it out...recoated and make a few dozen strokes with a good bore brush then patched that out...then cleaned/rinsed the barrel really good and it was spotless to the raw metal.
NOTE: You'll have to rinse off the bore brush when you're done or it'll dissolve overnight !!

 

[musketman]

quote:Originally posted by roundball:
NOTE: You'll have to rinse off the bore brush when you're done or it'll dissolve overnight !! Did you find this out the hard way?

 

[roundball]

Yes...and that's in spite of the instructions clearly suggesting that I do it!

 

[TwoShadows]

I second what Wick said....I even went so far as putting 20 rounds through my Jaeger and decided to just see what the ballistol would do. I wet the bore down as well as the outside of the rifle and set it aside in my basement where I could see it every day and keep an eye on it. 3 weeks later i decided it wasnt going to rust...ran a couple patches through it and then shot her another 20 times...I am really sold on it. It's kinda expensive, but with quite a few shooters in the safe, I dont get around to them as often as they deserve....but I have no worry's about rust getting to them when wiped down with a ballistol coated rag inside and out. I even left a rifle dirty for a week down in the Okeechobee country after a hog hunt and had no rust. Wish I had some stock in the company.

 

[musketman]

quote:Originally posted by TwoShadows:
I even left a rifle dirty for a week down in the Okeechobee country after a hog hunt and had no rust.It's a shame they don't undercoat cars with ballistol, Hmmmmmmmmmm!

 

[TwoShadows]

Musketman, I have a friend who uses it on the working parts of the sliding side door in his van. He says it holds up to the water and washings and general use better then the grease he bought specifically for that from his dealer. I recon it could be said that this stuff is slicker'n warm snot on a wet beer can..I read on my bottle that it is water soluable....but I use it straight.