Shooting black powder in high humidity ?

[kyron4]

So what's the protocol for shooting BP in high humidity, say 80% and above ? How fast will rust form after the last shoot in fired on a hot muggy July afternoon here in the Midwest ? Seems most family get togethers the kids like shooting the smoke poles before burgers and campfires. Are we talking hours before rust would form ? Will it make it to the next morning ? Leave outside or bring in to A/C ? Just curious. -Thanks

 

[TFoley]

In a dry bore, in the conditions you cite, your bore will flash-rust in literally minutes. Think of the 'before-your-eyes' process of rust blueing over a tank.

 

[French Colonial]

Yes, but, your not going to get pits or anything drastic if you wait until morning. Air conditioning takes moisture out of the air so I would bring them inside if your going to wait.

Cleaning them after the burgers however will be a good learning experience for the kids, not as much fun as shooting but a chance to explain nuances of the art of muzzleloading.

 

[rafterob]

Try to get them cleaned and oiled no later than the next day.

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

The ONE TIME I left a N-SSA National and drove straight home WITHOUT CLEANING MY ENFIELD I arrived home fourteen hours later to find my previously MINT 2-bander was thoroughly rusted and lightly pitted. The Virginia humidity (and my foolishness for putting the rifle in its case for the ride home) cost me a great deal in a short time. Never again. Shoot, clean, oil, THEN eat the burgers.

ADK Bigfoot

 

[nhmoose]

Clean and apply Rig before leaving the range.. Those who wait well let me say LAZY?

 

[Daveboone]

Here in upstate NY, nothing but humidity june to august. My flintlock pan cakes up very quickly requiring constant wiping (that is, after shooting) and the touch hole clogs much more quickly. Most all of us after shooting minimally wipe the bore well with solvent. The hour travel to the house delay makes a significant difference in clean up effort. I like my rifles. I will not leave them for the next day. I have noticed it seems the same guys who are too busy to at least wipe the bores before they leave the range, are usually the same ones who have so much more difficulty with misfires. It is always easier to make for a slack cleaning routine, which you will be sorry for. Be strict, dont delay, and in the long run your firearms will be happier, and you will be happier.

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

I usually wipe (one damp, one dry) between shots. I also wipe the pan, flint, and frizzen after every shot. When the range session is done, I thoroughly wipe down the outside of the rifle, then spend ten minutes running damp patches through the bore until they are nearly spotless. Then I run one last patch down the barrel with WD-40 or equivalent, and wipe the outside with the same patch before heading home. The secondary advantage is that home cleaning is faster, AND STINKS LESS which is important to Mrs. Bigfoot if I am cleaning in the basement. And when Mrs. Bigfoot is happy,......well, you know.

ADK Bigfoot

 

[Cattywompuss]

Not sure about the midwest, but here in Alabama rust forms within two days. Which is to say "visible rust". Corrosion is a process that begins on contact. It may not be catastrophic, but it begins immediately.

 

[French Colonial]

I try to clean my guns after returning from the range, but I would not worry if I had to leave them in a dry air-conditioned house overnight. More than 24 hours is not going to happen.

I guess if your afraid your gun is going to rust overnight you could sell them and buy ones made of stainless....

 

[kyron4]

I try to clean my guns after returning from the range, but I would not worry if I had to leave them in a dry air-conditioned house overnight. More than 24 hours is not going to happen.

I guess if your afraid your gun is going to rust overnight you could sell them and buy ones made of stainless....

Not afraid was just curious. Been shooting surplus rifles for 30+ years with corrosive ammo, and know what my window of time is to flush and clean the bore before rust begins. Still kind of new to BP so just looking for input on what to expect . Sounds like best thing to do is just give the bore a quick clean and oil right after shooting.

Stainless steel is for kitchen appliances and Deloreans.

 

[French Colonial]

If your the, I have to wipe between every shot and take a box full of stuff to the range, kind of guy, then I guess cleaning at the range fits your way of doing things.

If your the, I carry everything for a woods walk and shoot from the pouch HC/PC kind of guy, then cleaning can probably wait for a while.

Been doing it since the 70's and my bores and guns look just fine. YMMV

 

[Rifleman1776]

My routine while shooting is to swab between every shot. I then use the dirty patch to wipe out the flash pan. (I'm primarily a flint shooter) At the end of the shooting session I swab well and may even use some sort of cleaning solution I have mixed up. I then oil the bore with whatever I have on hand. But, once home, I clean thoroughly and protect the bore, usually with Barricade.

 

[mmb617]

I don't do any swabbing between shots but I always clean my guns as soon as I get home and since the range is only about 15 minutes away that's very soon after shooting. Maybe I'm overly cautious about it but if I thought I wouldn't be able to clean them till hours after shooting, I wouldn't be shooting them. I don't have any high end guns but I do like to take care of my stuff.

 

[Wildrangeringreen]

Took a shot while hunting deer, reloaded, due to military obligations and completely forgetting about it afterwords (it being at my parents house, and I elsewhere), I left that gun in a non-airconditioned closet for 3 years... light film of rust in the bore (which shooting another 30 shots cleared out) and some light surface rust at the vent (which buffed out with an oiled rag). That being said, one 100gr charge of BP doesn't leave that much residue, so that's how I got away with it.

It's best to clean it within 24hrs, especially if you have shot very many shots through it, and the fouling is thick. Otherwise, just wipe your flint and steel frequently and pick your vent every once in a while, swab the barrel when it gets tight to load.