Is there a way to postpone cleaning a ml?

[The Miner '49er]

One would think that a country that put man on the moon would be able to formulate some product that would allow a ml shooter to postpone cleaning his gun until the next day. Perhaps you fired once, or a couple of times, and want to shoot again tomorrow. Surely there should be a way to swab the barrel once, give the lock and hammer a quick wipe, and then the next day either shoot some more or do a normal cleaning. Any thoughts? Anyone ever try this w/o harming the gun? If so, how did you do it? Please don't reply with "it only takes 15 min to clean", "never use petroleum products", "great grandpa used water and that's good enough for me", etc. I'm seriously trying to see if there could be a way to use something to achieve this. I'm thinking a vapor impregnated reusable bag, a magic corrosion nullifying powder or liquid, etc. Surely some smart chemist out there has experimented and has found a way. Come on you scientist/shooters, sound off.

 

[64Springer]

It only takes 14 min to clean.

Shoot a muzzleloader.....Clean a muzzleloader.

Without delay.


PS: Your great grandpa was a smart man.

 

[wiscoaster]

I've postponed cleaning my cap 'n ball revolvers for several days and saw no harm done when I did get around to cleaning them, and had to do nothing more than the normal when I did. Those who claim rusting sets in immediately, well, maybe technically that's true, but practically speaking, I think it takes a while before you reach a point beyond which there's no return.

14 minutes!?!?!

 

[64Springer]

Not cleaning your guns immediately after shooting is very bad habit to fall into.

My 20 year old M/L barrels are as bright and shiny as the day they were made.

Look at all the trashed barrels out there and say cleaning immediately isn't important.

 

[wiscoaster]

Not cleaning your guns immediately after shooting is very bad habit to fall into.

True, but life happens. Sometimes priorities get in the way. It's not realistic to put cleaning guns as always a #1 priority. My RIGHT to bear IS always a #1 priority, but what, where, how and when I bear gets shifted according to other priorities.

 

[64Springer]

True, but life happens. Sometimes priorities get in the way. It's not realistic to put cleaning guns as always a #1 priority. My right to bear IS always a #1 priority, but WHAT I bear gets shifted according to other priorities.

Life happens. Exactly.

You set your gun aside to clean it later and life happens.

After enough life happening and priorities getting in the way, you have a corroded bore.

And the entire world can go screw itself after I'm done shooting. Cleaning my guns are my #1 priority.

 

[pacanis]

The magic corrosion nullifying powder sounds interesting.

 

[Grimord]

I suppose you could plug the nipple or vent and pour in a water soap mix, cork the muzzle for overnight. The next day, remove the cork and dump out the soapy water, remove the nipple or vent plug and swab dry before shooting again. It might work for short term, but I have never tried it and don't intend to. I will clean my gun after use no matter what.

 

[Sam squanch]

I was shooting, then the wife lowered the boom- we are past due at some function- I just ran a very wet patch of ballistol up and down the bore and flooded the nipple with it and gave it a very fast wipe down. It was ok 2 days later when I cleaned it. BUT- I only used real black powder! I would not leave it for 2 days with substitutes!

 

[64Springer]

I was shooting, then the wife lowered the boom- we are past due at some function- I just ran a very wet patch of ballistol up and down the bore and flooded the nipple with it and gave it a very fast wipe down. It was ok 2 days later when I cleaned it. BUT- I only used real black powder! I would not leave it for 2 days with substitutes!

It's amazing what can be done in less than 15 min.

So simple.....A caveman could do it.

 

[Gtrubicon]

I think humidity has a lot to do with it. I live in California. Last month I went to a black powder shoot, came home and cleaned my rifle as normal. Over a week later I was at the house of the friend that invited me to the shoot. I mentioned cleaning his rifle and he got that look of confusion. He hadn’t cleaned it yet. He only shoots muzzleloaders once a year at this shoot. So he pulls out the gun and yup still dirty. I panicked and he laughed. So I’m cleaning his gun as if it were mine with bucket of water, lock and barrel removed. There was zero rust or corrosion anywhere. He shoots t7 for powder. That day he also tried many shots of my goex 3f, he even used a bunch of my homemade caps. No corrosion. I’ve read so many horror stories about not cleaning your gun in a timely manner that I clean the day I shoot, but I wonder if a humid vs dry climate plays a role in this, and a role in the difference in opinions on cleaning.

 

[cynthialee]

Do it asap. No halfassing this.

It will take less than 15 minutes to clean and oil your rifle.

 

[wiscoaster]

.....

And the entire world can go screw itself after I'm done shooting. Cleaning my guns are my #1 priority.

The world vs. my gun? Sorry, but I'll prioritize saving the world before cleaning my gun. I can always get another gun.

 

[The Miner '49er]

Not cleaning your guns immediately after shooting is very bad habit to fall into.

My 20 year old M/L barrels are as bright and shiny as the day they were made.

Look at all the trashed barrels out there and say cleaning immediately isn't important.

Oh, come on now. You come home from hunting and only took one shot at a nice buck and missed. You want to go back tomorrow morning. It's 8pm, you're hungry, and just as your wife is serving your fav supper she has a heart attack. Do you: call 911, skip supper, and forget cleaning that rifle OR do you, clean the rifle, pop your plate in the microwave, eat, and then call either 911 or the funeral home? I'd hate to be Mrs.64Springer.

 

[andy52]

No scientist here but I have been shooting and hunting with muzzleloaders for close to 40 years. You can put off a complete cleaning for a couple of days by running a wet patch through went you're finished for the day. I use wonder-lube for that and after that use another patch to wipe down the barrel and lock area. It will hold until you can get around to a deep cleaning.

 

[Sidney Smith]

I've done quick cleans at the range, enough to get some of the fouling out, then a quick oil, just to thwart off any corrosion, then got to doing a proper clean the next day. I don't do that very often, but there are those days when I'll get home from shooting and am just not in the mood to clean the gun right then. I don't do that often though, usually, I get home and within an hour I get to cleaning the gun.

 

[64Springer]

Oh, come on now. You come home from hunting and only took one shot at a nice buck and missed. You want to go back tomorrow morning. It's 8pm, you're hungry, and just as your wife is serving your fav supper she has a heart attack. Do you: call 911, skip supper, and forget cleaning that rifle OR do you, clean the rifle, pop your plate in the microwave, eat, and then call either 911 or the funeral home? I'd hate to be Mrs.64Springer.

Tell your wife to clean your gun because exercise is important for good heart heath.

Eat your favorite supper.

Then tell your wife you're heading to bed because you have to get up early to go hunting.

Make sure to give her a kiss on the cheek because it may be the last time you see her.

 

[Widows Son]

I have been forced by the weather, time of day or darkness to very occasionally not be able to thoroughly clean my muzzleloaders until the next day. In those instances I’ll do a “field clean”. I clean with a moose milk solution all over the exterior of the gun and squirt some down the bore and run a few patches up and down to remove some fouling and soften what remains. An oily patch also gets run through the bore and along the barrel and lock.

I find this is a satisfactory short-term way to protect the gun until I can give it a thorough cleaning.

 

[IanH]

I like to do at least an 80% clean after firing the last shot at the range. I keep a small bottle of "moose milk" just for the purpose, it prevents flash-rusting yet has enough water in it to neutralize most of the corrosive salts. Run a couple quick sopping wet patches to get the big chunks out, couple clean patches to dry the worst of it, wipe everything else down with an oiled rag and head for the house. The other 20% is cleaning the grooves really well, scraping the breech face, flushing the TH/nipple, scrubbing the lock, and cleaning the outside of the breech area with the lock out.

 

[2 shots]

if you cant clean it , dont shoot it till you can. or take one less shot and use that time to clean it.