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You also need to run a patch or two wet with rubbing alcohol to remove the RIG grease from the bore before shooting. Grease plus fouling equals rapid build up of hard, crusty fouling rings.
I had the same experience when using a chap stick type patch lube. I think it hardens after shooting and becomes extremely difficult to get out.
When I inherited my Renegade I found it had been stored with a thick coating of bore butter. The first patch came out brown, and my first thought was rust as well, but it isn't the right color for rust if you look a bit closer. The bore butter / wonder lube types turn brown as they age. After a bunch more cleaning the bore looked pretty good with a bore light, but I saw the same thing you are seeing for quite a while. I would clean with water and a bit of soap, get clean patches after drying, and then put a protectant in the bore. When checking it a few days later, or swabbing with denatured alcohol to go shooting again, I'd see dirty patches. They had some color from the protectant, but you could tell there was some other crud too. I think many of the protectants break down some of the hardened chap stick and that's what we are seeing when running a patch a few days later.
I have since gone away from using a chap stick type of patch lube, mainly because I've found a different lube that gives me better groups. It took a while, but several shooting sessions and water cleanings later I don't see the follow up dirty patches anymore, other than the protectant they pull out.
I will say I didn't ever see any actual rust when using wonder lube, but it was obvious that my water cleaning wasn't removing all of it.
When I inherited my Renegade I found it had been stored with a thick coating of bore butter. The first patch came out brown, and my first thought was rust as well, but it isn't the right color for rust if you look a bit closer. The bore butter / wonder lube types turn brown as they age. After a bunch more cleaning the bore looked pretty good with a bore light, but I saw the same thing you are seeing for quite a while. I would clean with water and a bit of soap, get clean patches after drying, and then put a protectant in the bore. When checking it a few days later, or swabbing with denatured alcohol to go shooting again, I'd see dirty patches. They had some color from the protectant, but you could tell there was some other crud too. I think many of the protectants break down some of the hardened chap stick and that's what we are seeing when running a patch a few days later.
I have since gone away from using a chap stick type of patch lube, mainly because I've found a different lube that gives me better groups. It took a while, but several shooting sessions and water cleanings later I don't see the follow up dirty patches anymore, other than the protectant they pull out.
I will say I didn't ever see any actual rust when using wonder lube, but it was obvious that my water cleaning wasn't removing all of it.
GWarden226
36 Cl.
I second Henry Miles about the use of RIG. In a copy of "Precision Shooting" there was a very extensive test of what was the best/better things to use for long term storage and to prevent corrosion in firearms. The product that had the best results is RIG. I use that exclusively in the barrels of all my firearms. Easily applied and easily removed. Brownells is one source for RIG.
Bob
Iowa
Bob
Iowa
Pvt.Hardtack
32 Cal
Boiling water will cause flash rusting in the barrel. Cold water, a little soap works great. Boone or Crockett didn't use boiling water, too much trouble to get a fire going just for that.
As far as lube goes IMO Wonder lube is junk.
I have used Hoppes #9 Blackpowder patch lube and cleaner for years. A slightly wet patch in my .45 rock lock and I have not had to clean between shots, all 18-20 of them on average. About 20 shots I clean her and start over.
As far as lube goes IMO Wonder lube is junk.
I have used Hoppes #9 Blackpowder patch lube and cleaner for years. A slightly wet patch in my .45 rock lock and I have not had to clean between shots, all 18-20 of them on average. About 20 shots I clean her and start over.
It's more likely Boone or Crockett had water, hot or cold than they had Hoppes #9! In fact I would bet a £1000 they regularly made fire to boil water!
I don't get " flash rusting" when I use boiling water.
I also don't get (understand) the OCD syndrome like negative attitude towards any surface oxidisation of the steel.
Some on here must lose hours of sleep over it!
Why, I don't even bother cleaning my guns for days if I choose not to.
My barrels once completely heated via boiling water are dry in no time and free of any caustic salts and fats or oils.
Whilst still warm a patch with my bees wax and olive oil coats the bore.
I put it away and forget about it.
Some of the concoctions on here make me often wonder if somehow the firearms have become some kind of veneration idol for individuals!
Its just steel boys, iron. It just likes to absorb a little oxygen.
You only have to remove salts and fats then keep oxygen off it.
Energised water (hot water) is the perfect detergent for salts. So that's the salts gone. Now a little animal fat to keep the oxygen away, job done.
Even instructions to clean early breech loaders that use black powder include a small funnel and a kettle!
I bet some of you never take a bath you sound so petrified about water!
Tub, bathe. To bathe.
Bath is an English thing, so revered that there was a man named actually named Bath. He was so conceited he named a whole town after himself. 
One Englishmen actually went so far as to writing a story about his wife. Don't believe me? Just look up, "The Wife of Bath", written by Geoffrey Chaucer.
One Englishmen actually went so far as to writing a story about his wife. Don't believe me? Just look up, "The Wife of Bath", written by Geoffrey Chaucer.
Wash my barrel, do do do do do do.
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AZbpBurner
54 Cal.
Been shooting BP for over 50 years, and have always used warm soapy water, a nylon bore brush followed up by a patch or 2. Rinse with water, then mop out with WD-40 & dry. Then run a patch down the bore with Sheath (now Barricade). Never nay problems with rust, or discoloration.
I also use Go Jo mixed with water and a couple of drops of dish detergent for swabbing the barrel.
For the past several years I've used ball patches with a dry caster oil mix. Minimal swabbing needed and very little powder residue build-up.
I also use Go Jo mixed with water and a couple of drops of dish detergent for swabbing the barrel.
For the past several years I've used ball patches with a dry caster oil mix. Minimal swabbing needed and very little powder residue build-up.
I just stick a bucket in the bath tub, fill it with hot water, pump out the bore a few times with a couple of patches, dry off the outside with a towel, run a couple of dry patches down the bore, hose everything down with WD-40 and run an oiled patch down the bore. No rust no fuss. A five minute job.
Pvt. Hardtack,
Be kind to Mr. Britsmoothy. He doesn't like some of the dumb laws they have over there any more then you do, but he does the best he can and has taken a lot of game. Go look at some of his pictures.
Be kind to Mr. Britsmoothy. He doesn't like some of the dumb laws they have over there any more then you do, but he does the best he can and has taken a lot of game. Go look at some of his pictures.
Stony Broke
32 Cal.
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2014
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How about giving it a break Pvt..!! Trying to start an argument does nothing for a nice forum and only makes a guy out to be a troublemaker. Britsmoothy is a valuable contributor to the forum and take his advice or not....he should be respected. We all have our opinions about stuff and there is no need to be disrespectable to anyone !
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bisleyjohn
Pilgrim
You put do-do in your barrel!!!???!Wash my barrel, do do do do do do.
Jumped right onto that, eh? Context may be important.
Pvt.Hardtack
32 Cal
My use of Wonder lube was over the course of about a year or so. It worked fine as a patch lube, no problem there, However I could only do 2 or 3 shots and have to clean the barrel. I began hanging out with a few ole timers that had built and shot long rifles for many years. All of them used a variety of wet patches including saliva. It was explained and proven to me that when using a wet patch, not dripping but wet, the wetness of the patch cleaned the barrel while pushing the ball and patch down the barrel, hence allowing for easier loading on the next shot. This method would allow you to fire many shots with no wiping. I tried it with numerous concoctions over the years with great success, you name it I probably tried it. I finally settled on Hoppes #9 Plus for BP. It was bottled and I didn't have to mix up anything myself.
I don't clean with it though, I use soapy water I carry in a small bottle in my bag for cleaning , dry it good with patches, run a patch of Ballistol thru it, dry patch again and then use RIG inside the barrel and the backside of the the lock after its cleaned with soapy water and toothbrushed or wiped clean depending on how much I used it that day.
Also I realize I'm a new guy here, I have much to offer from many, many years of experience using and building flintlock long rifles.
I did re-read the rules and apologize to anyone that I offended.
HOWEVER, on any forum or organization the rules apply TO EVERYONE, not just the new guy.
Respect is earned, not given regardless of how many posts or personal friendships one has.
With that being said in the future I will police what I type prior to posting making sure it is within the guidelines of this forum and not offensive to anyone.
I'm not here to start arguments with anyone, I'm here to be a part of something that interests me along with others of the same interests and even maybe make some new friends in the process.
I don't clean with it though, I use soapy water I carry in a small bottle in my bag for cleaning , dry it good with patches, run a patch of Ballistol thru it, dry patch again and then use RIG inside the barrel and the backside of the the lock after its cleaned with soapy water and toothbrushed or wiped clean depending on how much I used it that day.
Also I realize I'm a new guy here, I have much to offer from many, many years of experience using and building flintlock long rifles.
I did re-read the rules and apologize to anyone that I offended.
HOWEVER, on any forum or organization the rules apply TO EVERYONE, not just the new guy.
Respect is earned, not given regardless of how many posts or personal friendships one has.
With that being said in the future I will police what I type prior to posting making sure it is within the guidelines of this forum and not offensive to anyone.
I'm not here to start arguments with anyone, I'm here to be a part of something that interests me along with others of the same interests and even maybe make some new friends in the process.
As we are talking wonderlube and I foolishly bought some a while back but can't bin it while I know I should bin it I tried it again on my recent rabbit hunt.
I knew due to the dry air we had last weekend that my method of grease cookies was madatory to keep the fouling soft. No problem for my lubricant but I tried the wonder lube again and it was pants!
It completely failed to keep fowling soft for just five shots, every one with a cookie.
I have resolved to test it as a hand cream, if it fails that then it goes in the bin.
I knew due to the dry air we had last weekend that my method of grease cookies was madatory to keep the fouling soft. No problem for my lubricant but I tried the wonder lube again and it was pants!
It completely failed to keep fowling soft for just five shots, every one with a cookie.
I have resolved to test it as a hand cream, if it fails that then it goes in the bin.
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