Pyrodex Cleaning issues?

[Historian]

Since I have never used it but just in case I have too, what is the difference between cleaning Pyrodex residue and regular BP residue? Triple 7 residue has been easy to clean up in the past for me but I keep hearing that Pyrodex does not clean up with regular water and soap. Does it take special cleaning agents? The only Pyrodex I used was a long time ago and it was the Pyrodex Select which I used for BPC.
Thanks.

 

[Newtire]

Since I have never used it but just in case I have too, what is the difference between cleaning Pyrodex residue and regular BP residue? Triple 7 residue has been easy to clean up in the past for me but I keep hearing that Pyrodex does not clean up with regular water and soap. Does it take special cleaning agents? The only Pyrodex I used was a long time ago and it was the Pyrodex Select which I used for BPC.
Thanks.

I have cleaned it one day and come back a day later having to clean rust out. Not so with black.

 

[rodwha]

Pyrodex isn’t any harder to clean than anything else. But it did a number on my rifle when left overnight as I was told it would be fine. Took forever to get clean patches out, and then I’d find discolored patches when stored for a bit. It finally quit doing that.

 

[SDSmlf]

In my experience Pyrodex residue doesn’t seem to clean up with just water as easily blackpowder does. Pyrodex seems to get aggressive sooner than blackpowder if residue is left in the bore. But I have found if I add soap or solvent to the process and a little extra effort, Pyrodex residue will clean up just fine. If you have rust a day later, something, either powder residue or moisture was left in the bore.

 

[Carbon 6]

Soap and water clean your gun right away after shooting change the bucket at least twice. Follow up with alcohol to make sure all the water has been removed. Then a good preservative. Check it in a couple days to make sure you did a good job.
It's not any harder to clean than black powder, it just doesn't let you get careless or sloppy.

 

[Carbon 6]

I keep hearing that Pyrodex does not clean up with regular water and soap.

Who ever told you that doesn't know how to clean their gun. I've been using soap and water with pyrodex since the 70's and haven't ruined a gun yet.

 

[Walkingeagle]

Who ever told you that doesn't know how to clean their gun. I've been using soap and water with pyrodex since the 70's and haven't ruined a gun yet.

Me too (except since the 90’s) and I have no issues either. Clean right after shooting exactly like black, soap/water in a bucket technique. Dry and lube once done.
If anyone has an issue cleaning after shooting Pyrodex, they are the issue!
Walk

 

[bang]

I wet swab with soapy water before I go home and leave it wet. When home I use a hose on the nipple and draw n push the solution with tight patch. It cleans out the nipple and flash channel really good.
Pull the nipple while dry patching. Q-tip n pipe cleaner channel then loose patch with oil for storage.
Been working for 35 years for me.
Best to treat all powders as corrosive.

 

[Okie Hog]

Since I have never used it but just in case I have too, what is the difference between cleaning Pyrodex residue and regular BP residue?

None.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Because of the nature of Pyrodex to leave very little sooty fouling, some will think the rifle is clean when some fouling still remains. Use the two bucket approach. When you are done with the soapy water bucket, there will still be a little bit of the perchlorate fouling remaining in the soapy water left in the barrel. That's why you should do the rinse with clean water to remove remaining residue. Then dry and lubricate for storage.

 

[mooman76]

I've always used Hopp9. I started before the internet and had to learn on my own. So I never knew about cleaning with water until years later but it has worked all these years so I kept doing it.

 

[fishleclair]

my uncle and cousin gave me mixture of gun clean and lube all in one that I use. Soak my patches in it and when it comes to the water bath I mix it equal parts cleaner/lube to water, All Modern day stuff and it seems to work real well, If some would like it let me know and I can send it in a message.

 

[Historian]

Thank you gentlemen. I really did not figure it was that bad as I had heard some on this forum say it is. In the end it all comes down to due diligence in cleaning.

This is true too "Best to treat all powders as corrosive" as the man says above.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[TFoley]

Whenever I've finished shooting, BP or Pyrodex/Triple 7, I start the cleaning right there on the range as soon as I've finished shooting. I tear the pistol down and use wet-wipes through the barrel until they come out clean, and then dry wipe and gun oil - all visible traces of grunge are removed as best as I can without immersing the components.

That happens as soon as a I get home - no delaying.

 

[Newtire]

Because of the nature of Pyrodex to leave very little sooty fouling, some will think the rifle is clean when some fouling still remains. Use the two bucket approach. When you are done with the soapy water bucket, there will still be a little bit of the perchlorate fouling remaining in the soapy water left in the barrel. That's why you should do the rinse with clean water to remove remaining residue. Then dry and lubricate for storage.

Sounds like exactly what was happening to me. Thanks for the tip. If I ever have to use it again, I'll just take a little more time.
I come from a time when advertising would have you believing you could forget about cleaning your gun for a day or two if you got busy. Ruined a T/C barrel that way.

 

[Carbon 6]

I come from a time when advertising would have you believing

That time still exists.

 

[Zonie]

I haven't tried just plain water to clean Pyrodex fouling out of my barrels but a 2 gallon bucket of water with just a drop or two of dish washing soap has always cleaned my barrels just fine.

Of course, I do clean my guns within an hour or so of shooting them and I use Birchwood Casey Barricade to protect the cleaned guns.

 

[Dphar1950]

Since I have never used it but just in case I have too, what is the difference between cleaning Pyrodex residue and regular BP residue? Triple 7 residue has been easy to clean up in the past for me but I keep hearing that Pyrodex does not clean up with regular water and soap. Does it take special cleaning agents? The only Pyrodex I used was a long time ago and it was the Pyrodex Select which I used for BPC.
Thanks.

Just don't use it. I bet I can see the results in the BPCR you used it in given the opportunity to check. Does it still have bluing in the bore? Few due if used much with it. Pyrodex needs warm/hot water and lots of it, soap if you want but then rinse out the soap. If shooting "naked" bullets you must make sure there is no leading in the bore to protect fouling underneath it. The horror stories are legend. AND once you put ANYTHING on the fouling its got to be removed immediately (according to the maker). Hoppes #9, for example, simply activates it. Years ago I read of a guy shooting the stuff in a bolt action brass suppository gun with cast bullets. Left it over night with Hoppes #9 in the bore and had to rebarrel the rifle. Hoppes has alcohol and this ALWAYS has some level of water in it. This was in "RIfle" Magazine back in the 1980s. T7 lacks some key components of P-Dex and is apparently much less corrosive. But its also harder to light than BP and is unlikely to shoot as well as a properly done BP load especially in traditional percussion rifles.

 

[bang]

Maintenance paramount no matter what is used. Only lost one barrel in 46 years and that was because I finally wore it out. And that was after 30 years heavy use.

 

[Dphar1950]

I haven't tried just plain water to clean Pyrodex fouling out of my barrels but a 2 gallon bucket of water with just a drop or two of dish washing soap has always cleaned my barrels just fine.

Of course, I do clean my guns within an hour or so of shooting them and I use Birchwood Casey Barricade to protect the cleaned guns.

Living in Arizona helps since the hunidity is so low. Also when BP fouling is white it is barely corrosive if at all since it contains little water. Thats why its hard and won't wipe away easily. Fouling from the perchlorate will suck up water at any percentage in the air. BP fouling also sucks up water from the air at percentages over +-30. But the fouling will not attack the metal in the way the perchlorate fouling will even when wet.