Very frustrating range experience with my flintlock

[bajabuc]

no breakfree...no Pyrodex...no brassbrush no 3f

4f in the pan...3f in the barrel if under .58 cal. 2f if over .60
I use a little brass push pan charger. I have to push it 3 times to get enough to charge the pan.

I use HOT soapy water...hot enough to heat up the barrel and dry itself. I've had a bunch of flinters including a Dixie Tennessee Poor Boy. Taking the barrel out of that one to clean it was a mistake. I broke the tang. Since I've never shot paper I always used thin mattress ticking and spit for the patch. Shot a complete match, never cleaned it, never swabbed it out, just blow the barrel and watch the touch hole. Hit a falling 3" target 12 out of 13 times...with 90 seconds to load and fire per round. This was above Buffalo Wyoming on a 4 day shoot.

 

[Thomas Dermako]

Hydrogen Peroxide is EXTREMELY corrosive.

Gotta agree with you there I use it to bleach skulls and bones (don't ask).
All the above advice is great - found myself nodding my head at most of it. Only have one tip to add: If your rifle has an easily removable barrel, take it off after the day's shooting and remove the touch hole liner. Place the barrel breech down in a bucket of boiling water (this has not adversely affected my barrel's finish; ymmv). Using a wet patch, run the ramrod up and down until black crud ceases to issue from the touch hole. Dry and lube as you see fit (I use several patches and a little bore butter - think of seasoning a cast iron skillet). I clean it like this after each day's shooting and it has no buildup in the breech area.
If your barrel is not easy to remove, I found a grease fitting with the same threads as my touch hole liner and drilled the center out, then attached a long piece of clear tube. Other end of tube goes in the bucket. Proceed as above. I'm sure someone else has thought of this, but there ya go anyway. Bon chance!

 

[paulvallandigham]

Verdigris: Reports to the contrary, you don't season Steel barrels. Only cast iron is seasoned. The booklet you got with your T/C got it wrong, among other things. YOu don't need boiling water to get a barrel clean. Skin temperature, or " Tepid " warm water is more than enough. Cold water works just as well, but makes your hands and fingers cold!

The Black Powder residue is composed of carbon, sulphur( trace amounts) and Potassium Nitrate. All these items can dissolve in water. Water is a universal solvent. Save yourself the risk of a burn by using tepid rather than boiling water.

Wonderlube or Bore butter, works if you store your gun in a dry, cool location, as in an air conditioned house, away from Salt Water. If you store your gun in different conditions, you are better off using Ballistol to keep rust out of the barrel, and the barrel should be re-oiled ever month at a minimum.

 

[faw3]

I sont know if you have a screw i vent both of mine do. When it wont go off after 3 I'd pull the lock and vent (being very carefull) and putting a little fresh powder in and then puttng the vent back in would be better than pulling a ball. Now I haven't had your thing happen to me-but check your pan to see if the last shot left it wet..happens in East Tex all summer kind of a oil sluge. Other than that some 4f and a vent pick getting some down the vnt should do it. Fred :hatsoff: What Pau said above is very true here.