Percussion cleaning help

[Okie Hog]

None of this muzzleloader stuff is rocket science.

i've lived all over the USA and never had a rifle rust. There's absolutely no need to slather the bore with oil, a patch moist with oil is sufficient.

My only misfires in years were caused after i listened to experts on muzzleloader boards and installed an expensive nipple. The thing had a tiny flash hole. Tossed that nipple, installed a new TC nipple; no more misfires.

 

[ETipp]

None of this muzzleloader stuff is rocket science.

i've lived all over the USA and never had a rifle rust. There's absolutely no need to slather the bore with oil, a patch moist with oil is sufficient.

My only misfires in years were caused after i listened to experts on muzzleloader boards and installed an expensive nipple. The thing had a tiny flash hole. Tossed that nipple, installed a new TC nipple; no more misfires.

I'm glad we still have choices in this country. Until that changes, I'll keep oiling my ML barrels and never have a hang fire or miss fire from doing so, nor a rusty barrel.

Also, I have never stored any ML barrel down.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

No petro based oils period.

 

[Ed C.]

This just backs up a lot of the good advice already given. After cleaning, I squirt some ballistol in the flash chamber, run a ballistol patch and store the gun muzzle down. Before I go to the range I put some alcohol in the flash chamber, blow it out with air compressor and run a dry swab down the barrel. Saves a cap and the guns always go bang on the first shot.

 

[chorizo]

Traditions/cva breeches could stand a little special attention when cleaning. I use a steam cleaner down the nipple threads to blow out any crud that is still resident I lightly oil with a clp, then prior to using I do what Ed C. recommends above, except I pop one cap before loading.

Here is what the steam cleaner got out of a T/C flash channel. This is after swabbing in a bucket of hot soapy water, then flushing with clean hot water. It still got a lot out of the flash channel. It also gets the barrel WAY too hot to touch (got to use a mitten) so it drys quickly.

 

[ETipp]

Traditions/cva breeches could stand a little special attention when cleaning. I use a steam cleaner down the nipple threads to blow out any crud that is still resident I lightly oil with a clp, then prior to using I do what Ed C. recommends above, except I pop one cap before loading.

Here is what the steam cleaner got out of a T/C flash channel. This is after swabbing in a bucket of hot soapy water, then flushing with clean hot water. It still got a lot out of the flash channel. It also gets the barrel WAY too hot to touch (got to use a mitten) so it drys quickly.

Indeed. I've heard about those steamers.

I get about the same results using carburetor cleaner after a good cleaning with hot soapy water. Might think you have the flash channel clean but after following up with the carburetor cleaner and compressed air, then run a clean patch down the bore, the facts become obvious.

I now use Ballistol instead of gun oil as well.

 

[Snooterpup]

Read about patent breech’s on this forum. Bore cleaning with a cleaning jag doesn’t clean a patent breech, unless you have a tube connected to the nipple and push your cleaning solution in and out thru it. Also, when you snap your cap are you placing it near a blade of grass to see the puff of air from your muzzle?

Yes, definitely. Buckskinquin is absolutely correct. If your rifle has a chambered breech, therein lies the problem. With the flame channel doing it normal twists and turns in a percussion gun combined with a chambered breech, you will need to force your cleaning solution through the barrel muzzle to breech under pressure to get all of the crud out of that area. After cleaning, remove the nipple. Blow compressed air into the the nipple threads and then dry the bore throughly.
Treat the bore with your favorite protectant. Works for me, others may have different ideas. Historically built flintlocks do not have this problem due to a flat breech plug and a direct flame channel. Some newer factory built flintlocks have the same issue you are experiencing. Same procedure to correct the issue.
Good luck always.
PS… using real black powder helps too but I suspect as a flintlock shooter, you already know all about that.
Snoot

 

[Tanker]

Yes, definitely. Buckskinquin is absolutely correct. If your rifle has a chambered breech, therein lies the problem. With the flame channel doing it normal twists and turns in a percussion gun combined with a chambered breech, you will need to force your cleaning solution through the barrel muzzle to breech under pressure to get all of the crud out of that area. After cleaning, remove the nipple. Blow compressed air into the the nipple threads and then dry the bore throughly.
Treat the bore with your favorite protectant. Works for me, others may have different ideas. Historically built flintlocks do not have this problem due to a flat breech plug and a direct flame channel. Some newer factory built flintlocks have the same issue you are experiencing. Same procedure to correct the issue.
Good luck always.
PS… using real black powder helps too but I suspect as a flintlock shooter, you already know all about that.
Snoot

Thanks and I only shoot real BP. I went down the road of synthetics and quickly returned. My TC PA hunter carbine absolutely hated the stuff I thought there was something wrong with my gun. I was at the point of almost selling the gun. I was told switch back to the real stuff. Every problem went away when I did. Now I have 2 cans of the old clear shot just sitting around. Which is fine, I don't have to feed it and it doesn't cost anything but shelf space.

 

[necchi]

Now I have 2 cans of the old clear shot just sitting around. Which is fine, I don't have to feed it and it doesn't cost anything but shelf space.

Makes great fertilizer for the flower or veg garden, sprinkle lightly and water in,, once every other week works fine.

 

[Splitear]

Your problem will go away if you store your rifle muzzle down so that the oil doesn't flow into the breech and nipple.

Agreed. I always had issues with my TC Hawken until I started storing it muzzle down.

 

[Tanker]

Makes great fertilizer for the flower or veg garden, sprinkle lightly and water in,, once every other week works fine.

Great to know. Our garden is in full swing now. I'm busting more ground in the spring to expand the garden I will ad it then.