Great BP cleaning solution

[wb78963]

The problem is there a misunderstanding about what it means to "clean" firearms. Modern smokeless propellants and non-corrosive primers means anything, including doing "nothing" will work pretty well. However clean it "looks", there is a problem when dealing with corrosive residues.

Blackpowder is a completely different animal, now interestingly enough, the only chemical that dissolves salts as a class, is WATER. Somebody can run 950 oil soaked patches down their gun and it will never dissolve or remove all of the burnt powder salt residues embedded in the bore nooks and crannies and elsewhere. It will happily corrode the bore over time underneath a thick the layer of oil or grease. It won't matter how "clean" it looks. Oil does not neutralize salt!

That's why "hot soapy water" has long been the only way suggested to clean firearms using corrosive ammunition, it isn't because people are being cheap, or sentimental, it must be water or water based. It's basic chemistry 101, not opinion or stubbornness.

Hawken you have hit the nail right on the head. Water to dissolve the fouling (salts) then an oil to protect the bore. I do not know of another liquid that will dissolve a salt. Water is inexpensive and easily obtained everywhere.
I started this racket in the days of corrosive primers and caps. Warm water and lots of it kept my original Colt 1851Navy and the bore of a rifle designed by a Canadian "the best battle implement ever devised" that I cannot mention here clean enought to keep my Sergent happy.
Respectfully
Bunk

 

[fastburn]

Once again! For cleaning patches, not a put away cleaning, get some of that ballistol on your bluing or browning let me know what happens. 38 years and many bp guns and customs i have made for others not one pit in the barrel and no ballistol ever used or money waisted. Bunk or is that stunk?

 

[Ferret Master]

I use 1/3 Rubbing Alcohol, 1/3 Hydrogen Peroxide, 1/3 Murphy's Oil Soap. Enough for about 5 years cost $8.00. Been using it since 1974, no problems.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

All I know is that my great great great grandfather told me to use water from the nearest crick so that's all I've ever used.

 

[dave951]

I use straight up Windex with ammonia. Basic ingredients are water, alcohol, and ammonia. PH of the mix neutralizes the acid of BP fouling. Rest just washes it away. Works great, cheap and effective. Wipe dry and oil when finished.

 

[SDSmlf]

75 percent alcohol (90 per) and 25 per Lestoil. Anybody ever use it

I’ve only been at this muzzleloading game since the late 1960s, so kind of a newbie. Learned and taught that water can be your friend when shooting blackpowder or even modern MILSURP corrosive stuff we don’t talk about here. Anything less than 75% water is asking for trouble in my opinion, whether for wiping between shots, quick cleaning in the field or final cleaning before applying a rust protectant. Didn’t look to see what percentage of Lestoil may be water, but when mixed with the 90% plus isopropyl alcohol the mix or solution isn’t going to make the 75% water minimum unless you allow alcohol to evaporate before you use it. Wonderful that your ‘Great BO cleaning solution’ works for you, but have found too many other solutions that work very well to bother with it, no insult intended.

 

[wb78963]

Once again! For cleaning patches, not a put away cleaning, get some of that ballistol on your bluing or browning let me know what happens. 38 years and many bp guns and customs i have made for others not one pit in the barrel and no ballistol ever used or money waisted. Bunk or is that stunk?

Friend fastburn,
Ballistol is what I use on all my guns modern and reproductions. I use in on my unfired pristine bore original Smith carbine and see no problems. Blueing, browning , and case hardening all stay rust free.
Like I said Ballistol is not the be-all or end-all I think it is just a pretty good product.
A bore carefully cleaned with plain water and dried and oiled afterward was the method used way before Ballistol, Lestoil, Windrx, or Kumquat oil.
It is just what works for me you do what you think best, pardner, it is still a free country.
Respectfully
James Louis (Bunk) Stagner R.I.P> Sept 12, 1896

 

[LME]

I’m very new to black powder shooting, and cleaning. I have only used water with a drop of dawn in a small 2 gallon bucket, I put a patch on the jag, pump that water several times up and down the bore and done. I can’t imagine a more simple solution.

You are a smart person!

 

[Grenadier1758]

@Gtrubicon, after the soap and water cleaning, your are not done until some form of rust inhibiting oil has been applied to protect the metal.

 

[vintovka]

@Gtrubicon, after the soap and water cleaning, your are not done until some form of rust inhibiting oil has been applied to protect the metal.

Anyone else use a drop or two of "purple power" and a very hot rinse and dry? I use it followed by a bit of "eds red" no issues since 1977 (gawd has it been THAT long????)

 

[fastburn]

Friend fastburn,
Ballistol is what I use on all my guns modern and reproductions. I use in on my unfired pristine bore original Smith carbine and see no problems. Blueing, browning , and case hardening all stay rust free.
Like I said Ballistol is not the be-all or end-all I think it is just a pretty good product.
A bore carefully cleaned with plain water and dried and oiled afterward was the method used way before Ballistol, Lestoil, Windrx, or Kumquat oil.
It is just what works for me you do what you think best, pardner, it is still a free country.
Respectfully
James Louis (Bunk) Stagner R.I.P> Sept 12, 1896

I know alot of people that feel the same, i just based my conclusions on basic chemistry. When i sweat which is salt, i take a shower with soap and water. Granted metal has a chemical reaction with water absorbed into the metal which results into rust. I put heat to my metal parts and you can see the moisture coming out, thats why i use alcohol. Doesnt make it right doesn’t make it wrong. Its what ever works for your gun and you feel good about it. Thank you for sharing you thoughts, this is how we all get more wisdom

 

[Gtrubicon]

@Gtrubicon, after the soap and water cleaning, your are not done until some form of rust inhibiting oil has been applied to protect the metal.

I am very generous with Ballistol on my guns after cleanin.

 

[barracudadave67]

I clean my muskets barrels in a 2/3rds full 5 gallon bucket of hot water with dish soap in it. I remove the cone, put the breach end in and pump away with my designated musket cleaning rod. Barrels come out spotlessly clean. I clean the cone with a brass bristol brush. When all is dry I wipe the bore down good, with my designated musket cleaning rod, with a Ballistol patch. I put anti size on the cone threads, and reinstall same. I put the barrel back into my glass bedded stocks, and I'm done. All this while enjoying a bottle Barley Pop.
This system has worked for me for over 40 years.
A 5 gal bucket 2/3rds full will not tip over when the barrel is just soaking.

Dave

 

[Stumpkiller]

I use warm tap water with a dash of Murphy's Oil Soap (Cap full/quart +/-). Pine-Sol sometimes.

 

[Paul Nelson]

Hot tap water, dawn dish soap followed by Blue Thunder dry patches then lubricant patches works for me. No rust, clean bore and shoots great

 

[Art Caputo]

I use 1/3 Rubbing Alcohol, 1/3 Hydrogen Peroxide, 1/3 Murphy's Oil Soap. Enough for about 5 years cost $8.00. Been using it since 1974, no problems.

I have also used MAP for decades. VERY fast/no mess. Removes all water soluble residues and carbon with no ill effects.

 

[tom_in_vt]

When I started shooting blackpowder as a youngster, the owner of a BP shop gave me a magic mixture:
1/3 Murphy’s oil soap
1/3 hydrogen peroxide
1/3 91% rubbing alcohol

I used this faithfully for years.

Now I use warm soap and water.

 

[FishDFly]

Huh, do you really think that the old timers from the 1800's sat around the camp fire arguing about what was the "best" cleaner?

 

[Loyalist Dave]

75 percent alcohol (90 per) and 25 per Lestoil. Anybody ever use it

Naw, I'm quite content with cold Dihydrogen Monoxide

LD

 

[rebs]

I use moose milk for patch lube and cleaning, after cleaning I run a patch with WD 40 up and down the bore and leave the ramrod with the patch in the bore. My Hawken has been stored this way for three years and no rust.