Did "they" clean with hot water 'way back when' ?

[roundball]

::

Is it known if hot water was used, even periodically, to clean muzzleloaders way back when?

Seems like it would be a lot of work & inconvenience when out on a trek or extended hunting trips.

OTOH, I saw some article somewhere last year telling how to twist wrap a cloth around a barrel to hold it from a few inches away while pouring boiling water down the bore...can't remember if it was being told as a historical point, or just a modern ML enthusasist telling how he happens to do it today.

:hmm:

 

[Rebel]

::

Is it known if hot water was used, even periodically, to clean muzzleloaders way back when?

Roundball, yer memory isn't getting that bad is it? Don't you remember how you used to do it "Way back When" :crackup: :crackup: :crackup:

 

[gordy]

I've done a little experimenting,using both very "hot water" and water not heated,with and without dish soap.It appeared that the "hot water" worked no better than the cold,the Dawn soap did tend to leave less residue on the metal parts than without it.The best thing about the "hot water" is that it tends to dry the surface much better than the cold.It woukd seem to me that the M.M of the time seldom used "hot water" to clean with,just more tow to dry the gun. :imo: :results: ::

 

[musketman]

The mountain men did brew coffee, so the same pot could be used to heat water...

And then there's 98.6 degree "water" :haha:

Remember the post on peeing down the barrel?

 

[dustydean]

I might just as well try the 98.6 trick, I usually
end up having to do that when I'm cleaning my rifle
anyway.

 

[Keith]

That was more information than I needed. LOL. :haha:

 

[noah]

I've tried about everything to take the drugery out of cleaning your rifle up.There ain't no easy way!!!For 5 years now I've been using just plain tap water(cold)if I'm home.Out in the field any water you can find,seems to work fine.As an experiment a friend of mine who shoots every day for the last 2 years has not cleaned his rifle.He swabbs and greases and sets her up till the next day.Most times he keeps her loaded.After all this time you can put a bore light down her and she ain't all rusted and pitted.The bore is dark but not rusted.Back in the day when a rifle was used every day maybe the need for a proper cleaning was not necessary.Don and I talked this over a lot and he thought he'd just see.A gutsy experiment considering the rifle is a custom flinter in .40 cal.The rifle is still shooting real well as numerous squirrels,groundhogs and 6 deer in 3 years will vouch for.He has the enviable job of caretaker on a large estate and carries his rifle with him while working.He has a scabard on the mowing machine and otherwise his rifle is always within reach.Sort of like working a field in the Bloody Ohio back in the day.noah :results:

 

[arilar]

Yes Noah, I have come to the same conclusion but not by myself. The first question is what was used "way back". Way back is for me 1863 and 1832 because the two books I can read from is printed this years, and they explain how it is supposed to be done exact then.
Enander wrote in his manual from 1832 that first you could pour down warm urine into the barrel and let it stay there for some hours to loosen hard blackpowder-refuse. Then pump with water (temperature NOT mentioned). This was in the flintlock-era.
Jochnick wrote in his manual 1863 that pumping with water was the way, also here temperature is not mentioned. He also tells that a gutta-percha tube could be placed over the nipple and thereby the barrel didnt had to be moved from the stock.Now the trick with warm urine is not mentioned.This was of course in the percussionera.
Both Enanders and Jochnicks manuals were widespread both military and non-military in its time in Sweden.
It would be nice to hear what its told in the old manuals from other corners of the world about this matter.

ARILAR :: :thumbsup: