One more idea on bore cleaning (sorry).

[Clark Badgett]

Might have to try some Lemi-Shine.

It does wonders on brass in a wet tumbler. Forgot about some .45-70 brass that had BP residue on it. It was a black and green corroded mess when I discovered my screw up. That lemi-shine and stainless media made them look practically brand new when nothing else did.

 

[Clark Badgett]

For the love of Mike, whoever he is, before anyone else replies, PLEASE hop in the wayback machine and read my #1 and #8 posts FIRST. That's the only way my sanity might be preserved. I can't wait for Frontstuffer070 to get back from the range.

You should prolly get used to thread drift. Always happens. Just the nature of the forum beast and has been from the of the beginning of the errorwebz.

 

[Clark Badgett]

Just thinking out loud here, and I'm not trying to start another water v. petroleum battle.

Ok, not gonna.

On a few cleanup jobs I have had excellent results using one Finish brand automatic dishwasher detergent packet dissolved in water to make a concentrated cleaning solution.

What types of cleanup jobs?

I wonder if it would work well to cleanup bp guns.

Why not try this on your guns? After all it’s your idea.

I don't want to risk damaging my guns to find out, but if someone has a junker and feels like experimenting, that would be interesting.

So you want someone else to take on the risk of YOUR experiment?

Anyone?

Knock yourself out with YOUR experiment and report your findings to everyone.

 

[Greenjoytj]

Just thinking out loud here, and I'm not trying to start another water v. petroleum battle. On a few cleanup jobs I have had excellent results using one Finish brand automatic dishwasher detergent packet dissolved in water to make a concentrated cleaning solution. I wonder if it would work well to cleanup bp guns. I don't want to risk damaging my guns to find out, but if someone has a junker and feels like experimenting, that would be interesting. Anyone?

I appreciate everyone who has taken the time to reply thus far, but I'm going to jump in here to get the train back on the tracks. My intent was not to start discussing how to clean a ml, or to ask for fav cleaning homebrew recipes. That has been done many times over. Plain and simple I asked if anyone who might have a barrel they don't mind experimenting with might try cleaning it with a solution made from an automatic dishwasher detergent packet dissolved in water. This could be helpful or a flop, but first someone has to try it and let us all know how it turned out.

I have use Cascade Platinum plus automatic dishwasher pod in a tumbler with stainless steel to clean 45 Colt brass that had been fired with BP. That brass came out of the tumbler in 45 min (that’s a minimal time) and very shiny. These pods along with the old style powder format do contain quite a bit of citric acid, like Lemishine it that acid that shined up my brass and the SS pins scoured off the carbon fouling.

This detergent cleaner is strong unnecessary strong to use in and around a barrel, it’s over kill for cleaning off a bit of patch grease in a barrel.

Just stick with using water a bore brush and a bit of Dawn liquid dish detergent.
Water dissolves the residual salt (yes there is potassium salt residue because the BP is not all converted to gas . Water acts as a carrier to remove the salt and the loose carbon. The bore bush gets the crusty fouling lose and movable to be flush out by the water. The detergent breaks up the grease so the water can carry the it out along with the carbon fouling.

 

[TomV]

I use a steamer to clean TC barrels put the tip into the nipple hole or flint hole barrel in pail and it flushes the unreachable areas. Then clean barrel with cleaner of choice. Scope it and perfectly clean, oil or patch paste to preserve. Quick and clean.

 

[Ed C.]

Worked perfectly, no issues with finish on the gun. Drying time in the dishwasher good enough to get rid of excess water, a quick spray with your favourite lube and ready for next time.

Just curious....as my dishwasher barely gets the dishes clean, did yours clean the inside of the barrel, cylinder chambers, and internals on your gun?

 

[Ed C.]

You should prolly get used to thread drift. Always happens. Just the nature of the forum beast and has been from the of the beginning of the errorwebz.

Yup, 'cause just like Toby Kieths song ......."I wanna talk about me"

 

[Frontstuffer070]

I got her nice and dirty, ran 20 ball through it . I dropped a Walmart brand dishwasher packet into a bucket of HOT water. Pumped out the bore, then washed the outside of the barrel with a rag and toothbrush like normal. Rinsed, then sprayed it down with WD-40. That is the exact same process I use all the time with Dawn. It didn't hurt a thing. I will say though, you don't get the nice suds as with Dawn. But it does work and makes quick work of the job just like Dawn.
FIRST pic is the before cleaning. The last three pics are it all cleaned up and back together.

 

[The Miner '49er]

Thank You, Frontstuffer070. I really appreciate you taking the time to do this for me and for all who were interested in the results. You get my two thumb up! The photos were a nice touch.

 

[Ohio Rusty]

After I made my leather conditioner out of beeswax and bears oil, plain water would not take it off my hands. The water just beaded up and left my hands with the mix still on them. Water will clean BP fouling, but when it is mixed with lube, it may be harder to remove. Dawn dish soap is amazing how well it works and a little took all the goo off my hands. People have so many different concoctions for patch lube that many may be water resistant. I might think it would work the same in a muzzleloader barrel. Nothing fancy, and little dawn and water will remove all lube and fouling residue.
Ohio Rusty ><>

 

[Terrier]

@The Miner '49er

I used TSP to clean my TC Hawken barrel for years. Never any damage to the browned finish, and it only took seconds to have the barrel spic and span. Rinse and oil, and wait till the next shoot.

I would imagine Trisodium Phosphate is a WAY stronger cleaner than a dishwasher packet ever dreamed of being.

 

[Clark Badgett]

After I made my leather conditioner out of beeswax and bears oil, plain water would not take it off my hands. The water just beaded up and left my hands with the mix still on them. Water will clean BP fouling, but when it is mixed with lube, it may be harder to remove. Dawn dish soap is amazing how well it works and a little took all the goo off my hands. People have so many different concoctions for patch lube that many may be water resistant. I might think it would work the same in a muzzleloader barrel. Nothing fancy, and little dawn and water will remove all lube and fouling residue.
Ohio Rusty ><>

The answer to that simple issue is to not use the beeswax in your bore. Bear oil or grease is by itself one of the best patch lubes around. Most tallows will work, as will lard that is clean. Even pure neatsfoot oil is great. Water or spit is great as is ballistol, with or without water.

Reserve the beeswax lubes for the BP stuff that you can run the brush from breech to muzzle.