waterless flintlock cleaning

[Turtle Creek]

Well I'm trying that waterless cleaning 'system' but using Hoppes BP solvent instead of moosemilk.
Then liberal WD40 and let it set a bit...then a dry one and a Barricade patch.
I'll give it a day or two and see if I get anything out rust wise.
I did use a breech scraper and that's really my only concern about not using water.
I used enough Hoppes so it squirt out the touch hole.
Cleaning the lock is samo samo really. I still remove it like doing a 'wet' clean.
Does that sound about right to you 'dry cleaners'?

 

[Flint311]

I've used Hoppes 9 while week-long camping and hunting, without water. Just ran well saturated patches, then several dry, lightly oiled if not loaded right away.

 

[Turtle Creek]

Do you always use that technique or is that for the field only?
I'm trying to go waterless period.

 

[rafterob]

That's a good Arizonian, conserving water.

 

[bpd303]

I tried the waterless using Moose Milk. My only concern was getting all the fouling out of the patent breech. When I used my .22 cleaning tip to reach into the breech I continued to get fouling out until I used a lot of the cleaner.

Back to water for me and flushing with about a gallon the breech was squeaky clean.

 

[Turtle Creek]

Yeah, that's my concern....hard to break the old water habit but I'll give it a shot.

 

[Toomuch51]

Well I'm trying that waterless cleaning 'system' but using Hoppes BP solvent instead of moosemilk.
Then liberal WD40 and let it set a bit...then a dry one and a Barricade patch.
I'll give it a day or two and see if I get anything out rust wise.
I did use a breech scraper and that's really my only concern about not using water.
I used enough Hoppes so it squirt out the touch hole.
Cleaning the lock is samo samo really. I still remove it like doing a 'wet' clean.
Does that sound about right to you 'dry cleaners'?

Waterless cleaning does not mean "dry cleaning".
Water works well in the barrel as there is no problem drying it before reoiling.
The lock however is quite another story. Unless you are prepared to completely disassemble and dry it completely, do not wash the lock with water.
The best way I have found to clean the lock is to "hose wash" good with WD40, allow to drane off while cleaning the barrel then oil and reassemble.

Toomuch
..........
Shoot Flint

 

[steved]

do not wash the lock with water

I've been shooting flintlocks since 1983 and after every shoot, without fail, I've taken out the lock, run it under hot water while scrubbing with an old toothbrush, shaken it, dried it with a towel then sprayed it generously with WD40 and set it aside for the excess WD40 to seep out while cleaning the rest of the rifle. Never had a speck of rust on any of my locks, internal and external.

 

[nhmoose]

Hoppes 9+ has water

 

[Flint311]

Do you always use that technique or is that for the field only?
I'm trying to go waterless period.

No, just did it when way out "in the bush" (Canada). LOTS of water there, but used Hoppes... It may be a "see what works for you" situation in a more arid area.

Heard of hunters "making there own water" into the barrel to clean barrels.. :redface:

I don't believe it's rocket science to clean a rifle. You're cleaning the lands and grooves for accuracy, then rust proofing.

Good luck! :thumbsup:

 

[Billnpatti]

Try automobile spray brake cleaner. It is extremely effective at removing gunk, better than WD-40, and is less expensive than WD-40.

 

[Thing]

I use windex original. It will clean your barrel in 4 or 5 patches at the most. It has some alochol base to it so dries real quick. I can clean my rifle complete in 15 minutes. Use a breach cleaning jag with a small piece of cloth on it. twist it when it is at bottom of barrel into breach, It will clean it completely. Then I use Break Free CLP in barrel , Coat all medal surfaces with it. Never had an issue with rust of any sort I clean the vent with a pipe cleaner, wet with the windex.

As far as no water. If your useing a liquid of any sort ,there is probably water base to it.

 

[Critter Getter]

I use to do the boiling water thing until I just started using TC 13 as a cleaner and lube. Works for both of those and along with a good oiling I have never had any problems. I figure there is water in the TC 13 but don't know for sure what it is. Greg

 

[matt denison]

This is the funniest thread I've ever seen on the forum. :haha:

Water is free, nontoxic,it works, it is traditional (for like, 200-300 years)it is available everyplace in large or small quantities. Now you are trying to replace it with something that costs money, has unknown ingrediants, must be carried around with you, comes in limited quantities so you can run out at the worst time. Sheesh.

 

[the Black Spot]

This is the funniest thread I've ever seen on the forum. :haha:

Water is free, nontoxic,it works, it is traditional (for like, 200-300 years)it is available everyplace in large or small quantities. Now you are trying to replace it with something that costs money, has unknown ingrediants, must be carried around with you, comes in limited quantities so you can run out at the worst time. Sheesh.

I was chuckling to myself while reading this thread. Moosemilk has water in it.

 

[Billnpatti]

There must be as many cleaning methods as there are people willing to tell you about them. There are also plenty of companies trying to sell you stuff that will make ceaning your muzzleloader like cleaning your modern rifle. But, nothing will ever beat good old soapy water. Black powder residue is highly corrosive but is very soluble in water. If it were not for the lubricants that we all use on our patches, soap would not be absolutely necessary. But, a little bit of soap cuts any oil and lets the water do its job of dissolving all of the corrosive gunk in the bore. If you want to keep your bore in pristine condition, you have to get all of the gunk out. You just have to accept the fact that you are shooting a muzzleloader and cleaning it is simpy not like cleaning a modern rifle. It takes a different technique and a bit more work. If you want to shoot a muzzleloader and keep it in pristine condition, you have to use the proper cleaning technique. If you want a quick and simple modern technique, don't shoot a muzzleloader, shoot a modern rifle that you can simply swipe out the bore with a magic solvent and be done with it. Forget the Hoppies, T/C or whoever's magic juice at several dollars a bottle that will do a poor job of getting all of the corrosive gunk out of your bore and use cheap tried and true soapy water and elbow grease. It's worked for the past several hundred years and it still is the best cleaner for muzzleloading rifles to this day.

 

[Rifleman1776]

This is the funniest thread I've ever seen on the forum. :haha:

Water is free, nontoxic,it works, it is traditional (for like, 200-300 years)it is available everyplace in large or small quantities. Now you are trying to replace it with something that costs money, has unknown ingrediants, must be carried around with you, comes in limited quantities so you can run out at the worst time. Sheesh.

I was going to respond to BPD but will include those comments here also. Yes, water is good and the price is right. But, bp residue is not pure bp residue. It contains impurities that water will not dissolve. My technique is to pour an inch or two of hydrogen peroxide into the barrel and let set. That get rid of the stubborn gunk and allows me to finish cleaning with soapy water. As for pure water being good enough over the centuries, many old guns show serious, and sad , results of corrosion. Not all was perfect 'back in the day'. So, IMHO, the extra care and stuff used to clean well is a good investment.

 

[jsmosby]

First post here. I've just got back into BP after about 35 years with a new Lehigh style flintlock. I was thinking and reading about a good way to clean without unpinning the barrel when a friend mentioned Track of the Wolf's "C-clamp, hose, o-ring" accessory. Thought about making one myself but for $20 it was a cheap date. Just removed the lock, hot soapy water, clean water, dry patches, WD-40, finishing with PLC. Takes less time than I spend on my smokeless. No problems to date!

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

This is the funniest thread I've ever seen on the forum. :haha:

Water is free, nontoxic,it works, it is traditional (for like, 200-300 years)it is available everyplace in large or small quantities. Now you are trying to replace it with something that costs money, has unknown ingrediants, must be carried around with you, comes in limited quantities so you can run out at the worst time. Sheesh.

I was going to respond to BPD but will include those comments here also. Yes, water is good and the price is right. But, bp residue is not pure bp residue. It contains impurities that water will not dissolve. My technique is to pour an inch or two of hydrogen peroxide into the barrel and let set. That get rid of the stubborn gunk and allows me to finish cleaning with soapy water. As for pure water being good enough over the centuries, many old guns show serious, and sad , results of corrosion. Not all was perfect 'back in the day'. So, IMHO, the extra care and stuff used to clean well is a good investment.

I have to agree with laffindog, nothing works better than water, pure water with a little soap doesn't hurt, but I don't soap, just room temp. water.

Rifleman1776, please remember that hydrogen peroxide is an oxidizing agent for steel. Many people do use it but.....

 

[Rifleman1776]

Rifleman1776, please remember that hydrogen peroxide is an oxidizing agent for steel. Many people do use it but.....

I don't forget. But, the H2O2 you buy at the local drug store is not industrial strength stuff. Do a search, you will find a test I did on this subject. I put a cut-off hunk of bp ml barrel in H2O2 and let it set to see if there would be any effect. Results none, nothing, as in nada. The drug store stuff in a barrel for a couple minutes will only attack crud.