cleaning?

[mancill]

OK I have read about cleaning the rifle using soap and water and the waterless method. http://www.blackpowderrifleaccuracy.com/wcs.html

The waterless seems easier but easy can cost you. So which is the best way?

 

[Billnpatti]

I greatly admire and respect the opinions and recommendations of Dutch Schoultz. But I differ with him on this one point. I am strongly of the opinion that the best way to properly clean all traces of crud and fouling from a muzzle loading rifle is with the soap and water method. Having said that, I expect that you will get several replies saying that there are better methods. Personally, I don't think there are but listen to what others have to say. You may want try some other methods just to satisfy yourself that the soap and water method is, in fact, the best way to clean your rifle. Just saying'.... :hatsoff:

 

[mooman76]

There are many best ways. Whatever works for you and gets it clean. I for years cleaned with Hopps 9 because I didn't know any better. Like Dutch I followed up with WD40. I'm not going to say I got it perfectly clean like white glove clean but I have never had any rust problems in over 30 years.
I started to change when I learned I was doing it wrong but after thinking it over, it always worked so why change? So I went back to doing it my way.

 

[hanshi]

I agree with Billnpatti on the use of water (with or without soap) to clean black powder guns. The water doesn't even have to be warm; straight from the cold water tap is all you need. While I use WD40 often at some point in the cleaning process, Barricade is what is swabbed in the bore when the gun is stored away. I've found WD40 works in the short term but it doesn't protect as well as Barricade in the long term.

 

[necchi]

I greatly admire and respect the opinions and recommendations of Dutch Schoultz. But I differ with him on this one point. I am strongly of the opinion that the best way to properly clean all traces of crud and fouling from a muzzle loading rifle is with the soap and water method.

I've used Dutch's system for well over a decade, and I'm just like Bill with this one point,
Clean with soapy water,
WD40 has no place in, near or around any of my guns.

 

[Elkeater]

Why, necchi, is WD40 taboo?

 

[Billnpatti]

I'll take a shot at answering this question. Necchi will, I'm sure, add his take on WD-40.

I do not rely on WD-40 to protect my guns in any manner except in removing the last traces of moisture from the bore after cleaniing with soapy water. WD-40 is a Water Displacer, hence the WD in the name. It does have some lubricating and rust preventing qualities but there are so many products taht are waaaay better at rust and corrosion protection and lubrication. After wiping the bore with several dry patches after washing with soapy water and rinsihg with clear water, I use WD-40 to remove the last traces of moisture. But, after spraying the WD-40 down my bore, I wipe with several dry patches to completely remove the WD-40 and once it has been wiped out, I use a patch with Barricaed on it to wipe my bore and all the metal surfaces with an oil that is designed to protect metal from rust and corrosion. I have also found a product called Frog Lube to provide excellent rust and corrosion protection but it is a good bit more expensive than Barricade. Barricaed is an excellent product and, for the money, I find it hard to beat. But, it, like any othe rust inhibiting product, must be thoroughly wiped out of the bore before loading and shooting your gun.

 

[Dean2]

I'll take a shot at answering this question. Necchi will, I'm sure, add his take on WD-40.

I do not rely on WD-40 to protect my guns in any manner except in removing the last traces of moisture from the bore after cleaniing with soapy water. WD-40 is a Water Displacer, hence the WD in the name. It does have some lubricating and rust preventing qualities but there are so many products taht are waaaay better at rust and corrosion protection and lubrication. After wiping the bore with several dry patches after washing with soapy water and rinsihg with clear water, I use WD-40 to remove the last traces of moisture. But, after spraying the WD-40 down my bore, I wipe with several dry patches to completely remove the WD-40 and once it has been wiped out, I use a patch with Barricade on it to wipe my bore with an oil that is designed to protect metal from rust and corrosion.

About the best advice you will get on a fool proof method to clean and preserve a bore. Not the only method that works but this one will work for sure. My only difference is I use Hoppe's Gun oil for a bore preservative as Barricade is hard to come by up here.

 

[mancill]

OK what kind of soap?

 

[necchi]

Liquid dish soap works fine, and just a few drops in a gallon of water, I use Dawn.

 

[Billnpatti]

Just about any kind of soap will do the job but, like necchi, I use dish soap. It's whatever my wife puts in the dispenser but I think it is usually Dawn. I use a bit more than necchi but it doesn't take much. I have a small half gallon bucket that I use for holding my soapy water. I just give a little squeeze of soap and then fill with water about the temperature that you'd use to wash your hands.

 

[Steve Grentus]

I'll take a shot at answering this question. Necchi will, I'm sure, add his take on WD-40.

I do not rely on WD-40 to protect my guns in any manner except in removing the last traces of moisture from the bore after cleaniing with soapy water. WD-40 is a Water Displacer, hence the WD in the name. It does have some lubricating and rust preventing qualities but there are so many products taht are waaaay better at rust and corrosion protection and lubrication. After wiping the bore with several dry patches after washing with soapy water and rinsihg with clear water, I use WD-40 to remove the last traces of moisture. But, after spraying the WD-40 down my bore, I wipe with several dry patches to completely remove the WD-40 and once it has been wiped out, I use a patch with Barricaed on it to wipe my bore and all the metal surfaces with an oil that is designed to protect metal from rust and corrosion. I have also found a product called Frog Lube to provide excellent rust and corrosion protection but it is a good bit more expensive than Barricade. Barricaed is an excellent product and, for the money, I find it hard to beat. But, it, like any othe rust inhibiting product, must be thoroughly wiped out of the bore before loading and shooting your gun.

I clean my musket exactly as stated in this quote....warm soapy water, clean water rinse, a little WD40, dry patches and finally Baricade patches. Worked for me for quite a while.
gh

 

[Mike 56]

I clean with water no soap. What i don't like about soap it strips all the oil from the metal. I used W-D 40 for years it works great. The trick to it is leave very little in your gun left in large amounts it will turn to gum. Then i used Ed's Red homemade bore cleaner it also worked well. I got a little hard fouling using these oils but not bad. Now i use a little Jojoba oil it has been working well with no hard fouling cleaning very easy. Jojoba oil works good were i live in Ca in other climates may not work so well you may need to use gun oil.
I plug the nipple fill the barrel with water let it set a few minutes repeat a few times. Fill the barrel half full of water slash it around a bit dump it out and finish with wet and dry patches. I do clean the breach area with a 22 bore brush with a patch on it and i use pipe cleaners in the nipple hole and clean out. Finish up with with oil it does not take very long to do.

 

[mooman76]

OK what kind of soap?

Do not use a soap the also will dissolve rust like a bathroom cleaner. It will remove bluing.

 

[Col. Batguano]

And don't use boiling water either. Yes it works, but flash rust for some reason seems to develop almost immediately.

 

[Melnic]

One of my issues with the waterless method is cleaning a Patent breech. I just feel it leaves crud in the bottom where I can't get to it with a patch. I have been using the waterless method for past week or so but i'm shooting the ML I'm cleaning 2-3 days a week.

Hot vs. Cold water : I thought the idea to use hot water was that it evaporates quicker?

I was mostly happy with the water pump method but was getting brown patches when I cleaned before shooting. I think it may have been how I was finishing things off. No brown patches with the Waterless method in the past 5 cleanings.

The notion of water getting into "micro pores" and leeching out is what got me to start the waterless method.

 

[coloradoclyde]

There are a lot of different ways to clean your gun and everybody has their own preference.
Soap and water works great for black powder and few will dispute that, even if they prefer other methods. But soap and water doesn’t clean some black powder substitutes”¦BlackMZ in particular. Just thought it was worth mentioning.

 

[necchi]

Why, necchi, is WD40 taboo?

Pretty simple for me.
WD is a water displacement..
It's not needed in ML's because I can remove water myself with dry patches,, during the final phase of cleaning I use denatured alcohol that mixes with any remaining water and helps it to evaporate, WD40 leaves a residue that can and does build up.
With modern arms a nitro solvent is used,
WD is not a lubricant or a preservative. There are simply too many other products available that are designed to lubricate and preserve metals.
I have wd40 in my house, I use it when I needs to displace water and that's it.
I don't need to displace water in my guns.

People buy that stuff by the case and swear by it, I just don't need it.

 

[Mike 56]

I only shoot black powder and Pyrodex i don't know anything about any of the other subs. I have used waterless solvents and they worked but they always were a lot more work to use water is free. There smi waterless cleaners like Ballistol and water use as little as 10% or as much as 50% it clean well and gives you the best of both worlds. Another cleaner is Ballistol or Napa water soluble oil, water and a little pine sol. Just try different things until you find the method you like.

As for your breach area try using a brass 22 cal bore brush for a jag put a patch on it. It will make a easy job cleaning and oiling your breach.

Any temp water works i like hot water by cleaning using just water my barrels always have a little oil in them so i don't get any flash rust. but it is not a big deal if you get some oil will remove it.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I too have followed Dutch Schoultz's method and "waterless" isn't really waterless. Its a water soluble oil mixed with water. By the time you use the WD40 and the rust inhibiting lube, you are pretty close to the soap and water, rid the water and lubricate with a rust inhibitor method.

So clean the gun to remove the fouling and wipe with rust inhibiting lube. If your gun stays clean you are doing the cleaning right. Remember to wipe the bore before shooting to remove lubricant from the bore.