In the past, I was a history reenactor and shot 60 to 100 rounds per day. The rifle gets really dirty. I clean my flintlock similar to the rest with some differences. I first use a "turbo" bore brush and clean out the heavy build-up. Then, I heat water in a kettle to near boiling. As the water is heating, I remove the lock and plug the barrel. When the water is ready, I pour hot water down the barrel using a funnel and let the rifle sit for a few minutes. Then I pull the barrel plug and watch as the water flows out of the touch hole noting if the water stays dark in appearance or starts to run clear. If dirty, repeat the process, if clear, I run down the barrel several dry patches to remove any water and finish with a patch coated with bore butter from Tomson Center. The hot to warm barrel allows the boar butter to easily flow and lightly coat the barrel to prevent rusting. I have never had any issues if the rifle sits for six months or more. The lock is cleaned in the hot water, scrubbed with a brush, dried, and sprayed-down, with WD-40 and reattached to the rifle. The men in my Regiment would sit around the fire pit and clean our Brown Beses after the last battel of the day using this method that takes about 15 minutes.
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Flinglock cleaning
- Thread starter Pilgrim
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i swab the barrel with a few windex saturated patches after removing the lock. then i plug the vent and run a catheter from a wallpaper steamer up the tube. the smut pours out into a used coffee can and the heat makes the barrel dry fast. then i swab the bore with 91% alcohol for giggles. then when that is dry i swab the bore with ballistol. according to the cheap chinese bore scope i had that just quit on me, this regimen worked for me.
the only draw back is once i got distracted by a phone call and left the steamer in too long. the heat turned my browning almost black.
the only draw back is once i got distracted by a phone call and left the steamer in too long. the heat turned my browning almost black.
Wow, thanks
I also take a flask with me, I use Burbon I think it cleans better, at least that is what I tell the wife.
Pick out a method that suits you from all the suggestions above. Once you think the barrel is dry enough , always store the gun overnight and before loading in the morning , run a dry patch through it to get any liquid , that was missed around the breech. The lock.....remove it from the gun , and scrub it w/ a tooth brush , (not your wife's). Dry the lock the best you can , and lube it completely. Always lubricate the lock. Pick your touch hole as well. If'n ya see any wet on the pick , yu're not done.
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Getting the barrel completely dry, using hot water (boiling when it was pulled from the stove top) is a key part of a barrel that dries quickly. When I clean mine, I wear a thick glove on the hand that holds the barrel and by the time I'm done the barrel is too hot to handle with any measure of tolerability without the glove on. Hot barrel dries quickly, but don't wait too long to dry patch it and get it buttered or oiled. The bore will flash rust quickly. I've done mine that way for over 20 years and treat with TC Bore Butter as the last step. Until recently my Renegade sat untouched in my safe for about 6 years. Bore is still in perfect condition.
But, all my rifles are TC with the hook breech and removing the barrel from the stock is easy.
But, all my rifles are TC with the hook breech and removing the barrel from the stock is easy.
Windex and 5-10 minutes, you done,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Do what works for you. I wouldn't use boiling water with a pinned barrel. It could damage the stock.
Anyway, water is the key part. Soak and dump a couple of times, then use a bore brush. Re-rinse. A jag and cleaning patches until clean. Oil with the concoction of your choice. I use balistol -- some use bore butter (a bullet lube?!?), but I find that stuff turns my barrel orange.
Anyway, do what works for you.
Anyway, water is the key part. Soak and dump a couple of times, then use a bore brush. Re-rinse. A jag and cleaning patches until clean. Oil with the concoction of your choice. I use balistol -- some use bore butter (a bullet lube?!?), but I find that stuff turns my barrel orange.
Anyway, do what works for you.
Can you share the process? I.e. Swab it out only, toothpick in the flash hole and pour down the barrel, is the index with or without ammonia? Thank you for posting.
yes, the process is very simple, i remove the lock, put a cleaning patch on my cleaning rod, soak patch with Windex, with Ammonia, and swab in and out a few times. the patch will come out black as tar, i spray the same patch heavy with Windex and the black will run off and then do this about 3 times, then change the patch and do it again. it takes about 3 patches. then run a dry one down a couple of times, then one with light rem. oil, then i spray the lock with Windex and the black mess will melt off! i have an air compressor i blow the lock off with, (not necessary) oil it and you will be done. i do not plug the vent hole,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Thank you
one other thing, i cut up old T shirts for cleaning patches. the Windex after it is in the wet patch, it will be halfway clean. i will wash the patches in a bowel, let the dry, and use them again,,,,,,,,,,,,
by not plugging the vent hole doesn't the BP, resedue run down the stock and stain / ruin the stock finish? it did it on my gunstock.
i just wipe mine off with oil, but you could certainly plug the vent, but i leave mine open,,,,,,,,,,,,
I have a rag to place in the lock mortise to capture oils and cleaning solution. I also use solution that pose no harm to the finish, so any excess solution can be wiped up without staining the stock.
what kind of / brand of oil?
strait up. or with ammonia?
with ammonia, i use ballistol on the wood. but you can plug the vent hole with a toothpick,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Sometimes I just place a wadded up absorbent paper towel against the touch hole, close the frizzen on it so it holds it tight against the hole, then shoot some cleaning solution down the bore to soak for a few minutes. Dump it out and the paper towel absordbs much of the solution that leaks out. I usually pull the lock to clean and oil and wipe out any residue in the lock mortice.
In the future you might want to specify What Make and Model is of your firearm.
I see from reading through the first several posts that some steps may or may not apply to What you are cleaning.
Example; Some tell you to pull your barrel. On most Percussions this would be normal, on many Flintlocks that would be maybe a once a year or less thing to do.
As for me, I have my own way, I live on the upper floor of an apartment and clean at the kitchen table - very little water, No Messes on the floor or table (I have a wife) and can clean four or five in an evening...never have had a rust problem, all my barrels are clean and shiny. I do probably use more patches then others, might take a little longer (20-30min each) and I like to use Q-tips and pipe cleaners (the bristles type). I also use tow from time to time.
Works for me, might not work for others.
