Soap and Water vs Modern Cleaners

[sniper68]

While many or most solvents will clean ok, good olde soap(dish washing prefered)and works best, provided you don't use "HARD" water. It is estimated that between 85-90% of water systems nationwide have hard water(mostly magnesium and calcium)! It is impossable to get a truely clean barrel with hard water. These chemicals can be neutralized somewhat by simply adding sodium carbonate(baking soda). Throw a hand full in both your wash and rinse water and you'll see. Also no flash rust! :hmm: Better yet, if you have a neighbor, friend, co-worker that has a whole house water softner system, borrow some water from him.... :grin:

 

[Greenmtnboy]

Warm water & Dawn dish soap pumped through a piece of rubber tube connected to the nipple is better than most of these "super black powder brand name gun cleaners" and a heck of a lot cheaper too! been cleaning my BPML guns like this since the 60's and the bores are still bright and shiny --spud

That's the best method I have found as well.
The pumping of water through the nipple drum cleans the breach plug, and nipple drum better than just swabbing cleaning solution with patch and jag.

 

[gordy]

I buy very few items that i can make. I've seen adds for these scrapers but don't recall the Mfgs.Check out adds in Muzzleblasts and/or Muzzleloader Mags. When I say I've found water to be the best cleaning agent, this includes center-fires. The biggest difference is I used Hoppes to wipe down the metal parts after cleaning on the CF. The main thing to remember is make sure the parts are dry-dry-dry. :thumbsup:

 

[jtmattison]

Does anybody have a drawing of a "non-chambered" or "non-patent" breech?

That's a mighty tight little channel for the fire to travel through to the powder. I had a CVA that was prone to misfires after just a couple shots. Now after seeing their cut away of the breech design I know why.

HD

 

[pcrum]

Don't know about the patent breech stuff, but I've always used plain hot water. My theory is that the barrel can become seasoned, much like a cast iron skillet. The result should be a slicker surface, which would be easier to load/shoot. I've never had problems with rusty barrels. Like the skillet, soap or other solvents will ruin the seasoning, and you'll have to start over.
Cheers,
Pat

 

[arcticap]

I think that in some CVA's, the wall of the flash channel is so close to the bottom of the nipple that the flame isn't give adequate room to travel in a right angle without tilting/slapping some powder closer to the nipple. It's often the depth of the nipple that's the culprit
Despite this, in some CVA & other Spanish sidelocks the ignition can still result in being pretty close to 100%.

 

[Regulis7]

I have always used hot water mixed with Murphys Oil Soap then follow that up with a hot water flush, dry well then lube inside and out with Natural Lube. If I am putting it up for a while I add a few drops of Oilve Oil to the nipple channel.

Prior to the next shoot I clean the nipple channel out with some denatured alcohol and its good to go. Never had a problem with rust in any of my muzzleloaders using the above method.

Everyone I know that has modern ML's use the modern cleaning solvents, one look at their rifles and it confirms that the hot soapy water method is still the best.

 

[Dphar]

Don't know about the patent breech stuff, but I've always used plain hot water. My theory is that the barrel can become seasoned, much like a cast iron skillet. The result should be a slicker surface, which would be easier to load/shoot. I've never had problems with rusty barrels. Like the skillet, soap or other solvents will ruin the seasoning, and you'll have to start over.
Cheers,
Pat

"Seasoning" a barrel like a skillet would mean a build up, like in a skillet. Its not a good idea.
Leaving fouling the barrel means rust.

Dan

 

[Dphar]

I've used some of the so called "made of black powder" solutions that didn't:

1. Make cleaning any easier than..
2. make cleaning smell any better than..

Warm soapy water. However I will say that ajax liquid dish soap and warm water is my preferred cleaning solution followed by liberal rising with clean water as hot as my hands can stand it.

So, another vote for plain warm water and soap.

YMMV

These commercial BP solvents are just something the companies make to sell people. Some is pretty good some less so. Its all expensive and no better than what you can make at home for a fraction of the cost.
Dish detergent, window cleaner cut back with water. Plain water. All will work. I like the window cleaner stuff for taking to the range and for fixed breech guns. Hooked breech gets put in small plastic bucket with water and a little soap of some kind.

Dan

 

[pcrum]

No fouling stays in there. I've been cleaning my rifle this way for 15 years, and it has no rust.
Hot water flush until clean, then dry it with patching, finally run a greased patch down the bore to protect. I usually run a patch down the bore before taking it out shooting or hunting.
Best,
Pat

 

[Jerry Coffee]

Over the last 50+ years I think I've tried most of the cleaning proceedures known to man. To me, the water process is the easist, cheapest and most practical. As for the (chamberd) breechs, you can purchase, or make a scraper. :thumbsup:

Gordy,

Do you know where I can buy a fouling scraper with a rounded bottom on it for use in my Lyman .54 cal GPR? Saw one at a match the othe day, but forgot to ask the owner where he bought it.

Thanks,

joliver

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

He may have just reshaped a standard scraper. That would be the easiest way to come by one.