Does black powder really cause rust ? I havent seen it

[Semisane]

Southeast Louisiana here. It can get "a bit" humid, summer or winter. I started using Liquid Wrench Penetrating Oil as a patch lube years ago. Four or five days without cleaning is no problem - though I usually get to it a day or two after shooting. (I do clean the nipple area/the pan immediately after a shooting session.) They may be able to go longer than four or five days, but I've not gone longer so I don't know.

 

[Dobermans]

During the summer I have seen rust start by the time I get home from the range (45 minute drive). Michigan is one humid state during the summer.

 

[Nobade]

Something I don't see mentioned is the difference between black powder and Pyrodex. Pyrodex and T7 have potassium perchlorate in them, and are considerably more corrosive than regular black powder when exposed to humidity. I have examined dozens of barrels in the shop with my bore scope that were finely pitted, like you see in early military cartridge rifles that were fired with chlorate primers. Every single one said they used Pyrodex. Not once have I seen a barrel like that that was used with strictly black powder. Of course BP fouling absorbs water from the air and that promotes rust, but in itself it does not seem to be a problem unlike the substitute powders. Best thing to do is keep your guns clean and oiled, and they will live long happy lives.

 

[LME]

So i got a question for you guys. Ive always read. You must clesn your guns right after you shoot them.. or at least the next day no later.

Due to rust in the barrel and the gun itself yada yadas.

Well i havent seen this.. once.. I have 8 black powder revolvers.. a flint lock pistol.. 54 cal hawkins a howdah pistol 20ga.

Never. In fact i bought 14 acres 40 days ago.. when i got the keys on closing first thing i did was shoot about 5 of my guns into a wood pile 30 yards out.. was deff a form of freedom i havent had living in townhouses all my life.

But due to the move and house repairs and everything needing to be done. I havent had time to clean them. I finally clean the revolvers maybe 5 days ago when i got my 1847 walker.. but my 54 hawkins and flint lock pistol.

Havent touched em. The revolvers i did clean had no rust or pitting or corrosion at all.

Decided to take a look.. and there is no rust on the flint lock or hawkins either. They all had a white powder inside the barrels and cylinders came out in chunks. But once cleaned with water and bore brushes.. nothing.. all shiny.. smooth etc.

This is 40+ days after shooting. Starting to not believe this needing to clean your guns right after you shoot thing. Also i use real black powder.. 2f or 3f.. goex and that german stuff

I live in a semi-tropical area and if I let one of my rifles go one day without cleaning rust will form. You must live in an arid part of the country?

 

[Eric Krewson]

My cleaned guns will rust with Barricade in the barrels in my gun safe out in the utility room which is not climate controlled, I switched to RIG and 30 weight motor oil which seems to protect them well. N/W Alabama humidity.

 

[Pukka Sahib]

Gentlemen, it’s all elemental chemistry. Black powder, unto itself is to varying degrees: “hydroscopic”. Meaning it draws moisture from the air - so, what happens depends on the conditions of the air around it.
Residual salts, are somewhat analogous. They don’t actually rust a barrel per se, they just speed up and facilitate the process.

 

[N.Y. Yankee]

My father-in-law won a Remington bolt action in-line in a gun raffle. It sat in his closet until someone said "You need to get it out and shoot it!" So he gets the powder, primers and bullets and they go out and shoot it. Asks me to put a scope on it for him. I mounted the scope, THEN thought to look down the bore (stupidity) and saw one of the worst bores I have ever seen, Big patches of thick red rust. I tried to brush it out but the bore was like a cheese grater. I told him about it and he said it was shot a couple of months prior.

I have always cleaned my guns when I returned from shooting or hunting, or soon thereafter. I see no reason not to if at all possible. I've seen too many rusty guns to think it's OK to leave them. That just goes against reason. Part of the BP experience is cleaning and caring for your guns.
If you are going to teach someone how to shoot a BP gun, teach them how to thoroughly clean it too.

 

[pchwcf50110]

“hydroscopic”

hygroscopic

 

[mmb617]

Mine get cleaned the day they get shot. I've never had a problem with rust and I don't ever want to.

Agreed. Why take the chance. Besides, I like cleaning guns.

I'm with you guys. When I bring my black powder guns in the house from a range trip they go straight to the cleaning table. They are never put away without being cleaned. They are all relatively cheap guns, but they're my cheap guns and I take care of them.

I don't clean my modern guns after every use but that's a whole different animal.

 

[mushka]

From an early age I was taught to respect and maintain tools. My guns are tools of sort so I habitually c;lean them after use. It's just the way I was taught.

 

[Reno]

Clean your guns. Then a week later clean them again

 

[Sidney Smith]

hygroscopic

Wrong. Hydroscopic is the correct spelling. The prefix "Hydro" meaning water......

 

[painter]

Wrong. Hydroscopic is the correct spelling. The prefix "Hydro" meaning water......

Yet the instrument used to measure humidity is a hygroscope. An instrument to view objects in deep water is a hydroscope.

I have to agree that hygroscopic is correct.

 

[Trooper]

14 acres... a 150 year old barn... another building and the 30 year old house.. lets just say im not fishing for not cleaning anything.. just that real life like moving myself with no help and repairing this house and property alone happened... and that cleaning 3x 300$ revolvers and a 400$ hawkins rifle wasnt on my mind. all im saying is after 40 days nothing happened.. normally i clean them right away but yea..

My 450k$ property was more important and a bigger investment than any gun lol

I guess it's all a matter of personal priorities. No one should fault you for your priorities, after all, your firearms are your investment and your money. I respect that. However, I'm just relating what I would do after a day shooting.

 

[hawkeye2]

Hygroscopic Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
https://www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › hygro...



1 : readily taking up and retaining moisture hygroscopic soils. 2 : taken up and retained under some conditions of humidity and temperature hygroscopic ...


What Does Hydroscopy Mean?
Hydroscopy is the practice of viewing objects underwater. Hydroscopy uses an instrument known as a hydroscope,

 

[Cattywompuss]

My cleaned guns will rust with Barricade in the barrels in my gun safe out in the utility room which is not climate controlled, I switched to RIG and 30 weight motor oil which seems to protect them well. N/W Alabama humidity.

Middle-East Alabama here. They definitely will rust within a day if I don't clean after shooting. About once a week I wipe them all down as well because especially around the pans are hard to get clean.

 

[Oldbear63]

We are involved in a sport where we must laboriously measure and load powder, patch and ball, ramrod, prime or cap and then re-cap or pick out the plugged touch hole, all just to punch a small hole in paper or game.

If we want the ease of making loud noises, expending precious cash on brass cased ammo and no cleaning there are AR 15s a-pleanty out there.

Cleaning is part of the sport, as is chewing the fat around campfires and forums.

Go forth and clean!

 

[Kansas Kid]

Mine gets hydrophobia iffin I don’t clean em. You do as you you want as there your guns

 

[DuncNZ]

Cleaning is part of the sport, as is chewing the fat around campfires and forums.
Go forth and clean!

Absolutely. you have to clean to your environment , I lived in a very humid environment where mould on the wood was as much of a problem as rust .
I don't use water to clean my guns , they all have pinned barrels and although the parts hidden by the wood are covered in Bees wax , I always worry that some water will get in there any way.
I follow Dutch Schultz advise and clean them again after 3 days . Each to his own .
I do know from 22 years in the gun trade that more guns are ruined by not being cleaned than by being cleaned with the correct materials . I used to get guys come into the shop to sell rifles with rust choked barrels , They would say "Nah thats not too bad , Just fire a few shots through it " I'd say you do it then come back , they never came back .

 

[Coinneach]

Absolutely. you have to clean to your environment , I lived in a very humid environment where mould on the wood was as much of a problem as rust .
I don't use water to clean my guns , they all have pinned barrels and although the parts hidden by the wood are covered in Bees wax , I always worry that some water will get in there any way.
I follow Dutch Schultz advise and clean them again after 3 days . Each to his own .
I do know from 22 years in the gun trade that more guns are ruined by not being cleaned than by being cleaned with the correct materials . I used to get guys come into the shop to sell rifles with rust choked barrels , They would say "Nah thats not too bad , Just fire a few shots through it " I'd say you do it then come back , they never came back .

In all the years I've cleaned out Barrels with hot water I've never had any water get under the stock, plug the touchhole (use a fitted clear hose for a nipple, and pipe cleaners to dry and lightly Oil) with a round Toothpick, detach the Lock (reinsert the Lock screws in the Lock to prevent loss).

Angle the ML with the stock uppermost (upside down) and hold the soon to be hot Barrel with a hand towel, using a plastic funnel that fits in the Muzzle, almost fill the barrel with hot water; then let it soak for a couple of minutes; pour the now black crud water out, and repeat without soak time, until the hot water comes out clean (usually between 2 to 3 times). Using your cleaning rod dry the bore with cotton patches until they come out clean (reverse each patch once for double use) when you're sure the still warm barrel is dry, run an oiled patch down (or bore mop) and give it a good twist in the breach end (against the thread) Wipe over the outside of the barrel and vent with the oiled patch.
What kind of explanations you give your Missus about the black soaked carpet in the TV room is up to you.....

If anyones interested in cleaning the Lock and oiling it let me know, and yeah it involves a little heat too.
PS. This has been routine for decades and I've never had any rust problems.