Preventing bore rust

[Howard Pippin]

Tape a dime to the Bore Butter and throw it as far as you can, that way when someone finds the Bore Butter they will also find the dime that is worth something. Clean with warm water and soap and then dry and lube bore with a good gun oil.

As someone who used bore butter for several years, I was satisfied with it, but the accuracy wasn't quite what I wanted so I looked for something else for patch Lube. Was out with a friend who shoots A 50 percussion and accuracy wasn't real good at 50 yards, I had some old patches with me that were set up withbore butter, so I said here try these. Don't you know that the group went from 5 inches to about two inches or less. What works for some doesn't work for others.

 

[Rebel bull]

I had a problem with bore butter one time when I was living in Vermont. It was a sunny winter day and the temperature had risen to about 11° if I recall correctly. Went to a quarry a few miles from my house and went to set up some targets, but left my hammer behind. So I leaned a few things against the wall and then proceeded to load my rifle. I pulled the bore butter out to lube the patch and the darn tube was frozen solid. So I took that tube back up to the target area and used it to hammer in the brads I'd brought to mount some paper targets.

then I'd put a patch in my mouth (spit patch) and after I poured the powder down the bore, I put the patch on the muzzle and my lead ball over it to finish loading. As long as I didn't put the patch down before putting it on the muzzle under the ball, it loaded and fired just fine. So the bore butter was pretty worthless in freezing weather for its designed function, but sure made a good hammer for mounting targets in freezing weather.


And then I came back to the Muzzleloading forum to see what folks used in freezing weather, came across Stumpy's Moose Snot formula, and have been using that paste patch lube for the last 20-years. It doesn't freeze in freezing temperatures and doesn't turn into liquid during the summer either. it's about the consistency of paste shoe polish.

when were shooting here in the winter ( NW corner of Minnesota ) we keep our patches in our pants or coat pockets and have no problem with bore butter freezing

 

[kyron4]

CLP is extremely thin oil, the viscosity of CLP almost OW. If you clean with it, it needs to be wiped off not applied or soaked in. It will accumulate the smallest particles and when heated it will crust. It will get into breech plug threads and seize up the plug, vent liner, and will even cause additional corrosion because of the build up. Breech plugs may be rarely removed, however the thread health is very important, you don’t wont needless corrosion in the plug threads, in particular are the shoulder of the plug. The smallest amount will also keep your frizzen from sparking.

https://mil-comm.com/gun-cleaning/the-problem-with-clp-type-gun-lubricants/

Hmmm...... seems that web site wants you to buy their product and not CLP. CLP has been used by the US military since the 80's without issue . Any oil will collect debris and I agree a dedicated cleaner followed by a dedicated preserving/lubricating oil is the best, but I have never heard of anyone having corrosion or build up issues on thread from CLP. If you're getting corrosion because of CLP build up you are not cleaning properly or regularly.

 

[Juice Jaws]

As someone who used bore butter for several years, I was satisfied with it, but the accuracy wasn't quite what I wanted so I looked for something else for patch Lube. Was out with a friend who shoots A 50 percussion and accuracy wasn't real good at 50 yards, I had some old patches with me that were set up withbore butter, so I said here try these. Don't you know that the group went from 5 inches to about two inches or less. What works for some doesn't work for others.

Never had good luck with it, and in winter couldn't even get it out of the tube maybe tape two dimes to it

 

[WarDawg]

I have been using Break Free CLP since 1984. It has never failed in the lubrication side of it or the protectant side. I actually have a true story about an AK , BF Clp , a chicken coop and a rogue gun smith in the state of Kansas . But that for another day. It cleans ok. It’s not like a good solvent. I use it today in most of my semi auto firearms. I use grease only on Garands , M14 / mini 14’s and AK variants.

 

[Twisted_1in66]

when were shooting here in the winter ( NW corner of Minnesota ) we keep our patches in our pants or coat pockets and have no problem with bore butter freezing

I did not pre-treat my patches then nor do I do it now. My Bore Butter was in a plastic tube that I had set on a stump, while I arranged my gear for the shoot and set up the targets. It froze as hard as a rock, so I used it to hammer in the brads.

I think I had just started carrying a strip of patching material by then, but not sure. I grab the strip; rub the end of it in my Moose Snot until I feel it come through the opposite side; short start the ball; and cut the patching material off with my neck knife. Then I ram it home. But that experience was the first winter that I had that Traditions longrifle, so we're talking 20-years or so ago.

 

[Twisted_1in66]

Yep, i know that. i don't do rock locks.

Then no worries mate! Substitutes work great with percussion cap pistols, rifles, and cannons.

 

[Twisted_1in66]

nice rifle

Thanks! I couldn't afford it at the time but bought it anyway. She's a sweet one and is a pleasure to use.

 

[Howard Pippin]

when were shooting here in the winter ( NW corner of Minnesota ) we keep our patches in our pants or coat pockets and have no problem with bore butter freezing

I suppose the biggest reason I had no trouble with bore butter is that I'm not out there in the winter time shooting. I'm one of them fair weather hunters and when fall's over so is my hunting. The bad thing about the Montana muzzleloader season that they just started a few years ago, is that it doesn't open till regular season ends at the end of November. I think it's designed for tough people.

 

[mushka]

Don't shoot, clean daily.,..................................Sorry, I couldn't resist.

 

[BlackRock52]

We had an unusually wet spell that lasted for two months, I had used Barricad in all of my B/P guns, when I checked, the every one of them had some light rust in the barrels. Now I swab them with a patch with either Rig or 30wt non detergent motor oil to put them up and haven't seen a speck of rust since. My guns are stored in a gun safe out in the garage, not in my climate-controlled house, I do have a dehumidifier rod in the safe.

Regards the dehumidifier rod, which I have been pondering, any idea what the humidity value is inside your safe?

 

[Sir Boniface Harrison]

I have the very same rifle, and the very same problem: the brown substance that is present when I run a cleaning patch down the gun immediately prior to use. However, on checking with an endoscope, there is no rust or pitting evident. I can only assume it is a property of the anti - corrosion measures I take after cleaning, which in my case is olive oil. Welcome to the forum, by the way!

 

[LME]

With a proper cleaning promptly after shooting Pyrodex is no more corrosive than BP ;although BP is a little more forgiving. Don't clean your gun properly or promptly after shooting you will get rust with either, though BP is a little more forgiving.

I agree with you 100% ! 90% of most problems are people not knowing what to do to clean a rifle for storage. I have used a lot Of Pyrodex and haven't had any problem with the exception of flash rust which I dare say will happen regardless of the powder you may use. Don't think that people don't have problem with modern rifles/pistols as well. I have no idea how many firearrms I have repaired with only a good cleaning. Bottom line shoot your rifle and then clean it and don't wait till tomorrow.

 

[Banjoman]

Howdy all,

I am recently new to the forum. I’m sure this topic has been covered many times, but I’d appreciate it if anyone could spare info they find useful.

I have a Spanish .45cal Jukar rifle that I have shot once about a year ago after purchasing from a friend. It was swabbed thoroughly after shooting it until patches were coming out clean. I then swabbed with TC bore butter to protect the bore and put it in the safe. I pulled it out today to clean alongside some other guns, and the first cleaning patch came out very reddish-brown. I live in an area with high humidity, but the exterior had no rust and no other guns in the safe have any rust. This is the second time I have had this happen with this specific gun.

Does anyone have info on why this might happen? Does bore butter oxidize or look rust colored over time or is it legitimate rust? Open to any advice in case I am doing something wrong. Thanks in advance.

HP

Howdy friend!

Since you’re new to this forum, you may have missed my tried and true, three step process for rust prevention. Some very good advice has been given already, but let me add this.

1. Shoot the muzzleloader
2. Clean the muzzleloader as best you can
3. Shoot the muzzleloader again before it has time to rust



Banjoman

 

[wiscoaster]

I have the very same rifle, and the very same problem: the brown substance that is present when I run a cleaning patch down the gun immediately prior to use. However, on checking with an endoscope, there is no rust or pitting evident. I can only assume it is a property of the anti - corrosion measures I take after cleaning, which in my case is olive oil. Welcome to the forum, by the way!

That makes perfect sense to me.

 

[nhmoose]

I have been using RIG for the last 50 years to protect metal surfaces.

 

[olskool]

to start with i do not clean with water! i use Windex with ammonia. i wipe the bore and lock good and dry and then use rem-oil in the bore, never any problems at all,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Grenadier1758]

@olskool, hate to make the obvious statement, but Windex has water as one of the ingredients.

 

[olskool]

@olskool, hate to make the obvious statement, but Windex has water as one of the ingredients.

sure it contains water, a lot of liquids has a water base. but you do not use it hot or even luke warm to cause flash rust. wipe it dry then oil and no rust! also when you are pouring water down the bore it will get under the barrel, Windex is controlled with the pump spray and it does not take much to melt the burnt powder. also another thing that works without chance of rust is WD40 it also melts burnt powder.

 

[brushblind]

Thanks to all for the replies. I have been hesitant to use water for cleaning because I don't want to induce rust myself. I usually use TC bore cleaner. I do shoot T7 in all my guns since it was what was available when I began getting interested with muzzleloaders. I definitely want to try Goex soon. I plan on giving it a thorough scrub soon and using barricade as a preventative instead.

Use Ballistol and never look back! It's a cleaner, lube, rust inhibitor, use on leather, won't harm your wood, multi-use, instructions on can for different uses.