What to Clean With?

[Jack Crevalle]

Up until now my C&B shooting has been with a Stainless Ruger Old Army and when I get done shooting, or maybe the next day, I remove the grips, the cylinder, nipples and loading lever and immerse them and most of the pistol in hot soapy water. I scrub out the cylinder and bore with a bore brush wrapped with a patch and soaked, wipe off the rest with a soaked piece of rag and then rinse all of it in fresh hot water and dry.

Since I just acquired a replica LeMat, I'm worried that I need to be more diligent.

I've read in the past about using Windex at the range and I've tried this (borrowing someone else's Windex) with the Ruger and it seems to work well. The problem is no place seems to sell the Windex with ammonia any longer, just vinegar. What to do?

What do you use? At the Range? At home? Any tips on how far to disassemble the LeMat for cleaning? What about lubing afterwards?

Thanks.

 

[brubincam]

-----why not add a litte ammonia if you want windex with it in-----

 

[Jack Crevalle]

-----why not add a litte ammonia if you want windex with it in-----

I thought about making up a solution of water and ammonia but I don't know the ratio or if there is anything else special about Windex. I was just told the Windex with ammonia D is the ticket.

 

[mykeal]

Plain water works just as well and is cheaper.

 

[slowpokebr549]

And plain ol windex works just fine too.

 

[HMSLion]

Try Simple Green. I've been using it for 20 years, with excellent results. Flush thoroughly with water afterwards.

 

[Bob Riegl]

:wink: Cabelas black powder solvent will work at the range---hot and soapy water works great at home---emphasizing the term "hot", which will help to dry out the parts, follow this by an air blast or two from a heater/blower, then scrubbing the innards with hot water and flushing dry, blow dry,and then I use Ballistol or Kroil for lube wipe dry, reassemble. With the LeMat I would be very careful with disassembly, it's got lot's of parts and is tricky to reassemble as well so BEWARE. :thumbsup:

 

[DanChamberlain]

Jack

I confess, I don't know how difficult it would be to clean the LeMat. But with my C&B Colt's and Remington models, I am apparently less dilligent than you are. I don't do much more than clean the chambers, nipples and bore, while wiping down the rest of the weapon on the outside.

I will squirt a little solvent into the hammer recess with the gun pointed downward to keep the solvent from affecting the stocks. Then I heat the whole thing up with a hair dryer to help dry the solvent. Then I oil up and I'm done. Total cleaning time for a revolver is about 10 minutes.

I've heard of people taking off the stocks and breaking the gun down into it's major components and putting it in the dish washer!

About once a year, I'll detail strip it down and so far, I've never found any rust on the innards.

Dan

 

[Blizzard of '93]

windsheild washer fluid. get the winter mix, more alcohol in it. cheaper than bottled water. and has slight amount of ammonia.
I put it in a small spray bottle. really cuts the crud fast.

 

[Kevin2241]

Jack:

Your cleaning method sounds good.

A friend got me to use 409 as a cleaner and that works well for me.

On the range, I like Ballistol or a similar product for lubing a patch or a quick wipe after several shots.

For cleaning after a day in the field, I have been happy with a product called Rust Sheath.

Happy shooting!

Kevin

 

[PRM]

Agree with mykeal - all I ever use is hot water, (patches and pipe cleaners). Dry it good and lube. I really like Gibbs Brand Lubricant - not heavy petroleum based.
www.gibbsbrandlubricant.com


Since you say you started off with stainless, I would suggest on your new LeMat, not waiting until the next day to clean it. Black powder is pretty corrosive after it is fired, and unforgiving if you forget it - save you some rust and pits in the bore. Ever look at originals from that era? I am sure they cleaned them as best they could for their conditions - still most bores on black powder pistols are not pristine anymore.

 

[wwfeatherston]

Hot water with a bit of detergent, followed IMMEDIATELY with a liberal spraying of WD-40 to remove any moisture, then a wipedown with a good grade of oil- CLP, Remoil or suchlike.

 

[David Snellen]

Gentlemen,
Has anyone ever used straight alcohol?
I have a friend that does that. What do y'all think ?
I've always just used the soapy water myslf.
David

 

[renovato]

Soapy water is plenty enough to clean up black powder residue. I have never understood why the various solvents and cleaning recipes have become so popular. I guess it's just hard to get out of our modern mindset. Black powder residue just isn't very hard to remove.

I basically just clean the chambers and bore. The rest gets swished around in soapy water, rinsed, dried and oiled. Every now and then I'll break the gun down and detail clean and lube, but considering that the soapy water washes away any corrosives, I don't really do that often and I've never had any rust issues.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

yeah but if you are camped out get a spray bottle w/the windsheild fluid in it.
spray and brush the pistol down good. and wipe with WD40 when dry.
if you have boiling water use it to rinse the w/w fluid with. then WD40 when you have wiped dry.
I have been out as much as a month camping & fireing my BP revolvers nearly every day and cleaned useing this technique.
Go-Jo white hand cleaner does good too.
use bore butter or equivalent on the pin for lube.

 

[Kevin2241]

David:

I know folks who run a patch with alcohol on it down their barrels after they have cleaned them with a soap & water solution and a dry patch. They swear by it and they shoot well on the range.

I have also seen them swab their barrel with an alcohol patch after their guns have been in storage just prior to a club shoot or rondy. I started to do this myself. Good luck!

Kevin

 

[jeepwj992002]

For general cleaning, I use just plain water. To keep my remy or my Navy running at the range, I use Stumpy's Moose juice. Every once in a while I strip them down and give the lock parts only, a good cleaning and soaking in WD-40.

 

[graybeard]

I'm one of those guys who runs his 1860 Colt replica through the dishwasher. Field strip it, run a patch w/solvent or water down the barrel and in each cylinder, run through a cycle, spray with wd40, then remoil. Never had a problem with rust or with my wife. graybeard

 

[David Snellen]

Gentlemen,
Thanks for the information. Like I said, I always use soapy water, but my friend SWEARS that straight alcohol cleans it faster and better. He then oils with a mix of olive oil and bees wax. I would think the wax would build up.....
David

 

[Long Johns Wolf]

I started using steel wool soaked with ethyl alcohol (Spiritus) to clean old and worn wooden grips. Found in the exercise that cloth or Q-Tips soaked with the same ethyl alcohol works excellently to remove old BP residue from neglected steel (small parts of the lock & inside of the lock, cylinder cups, threads, bore of the barrel, chambers, what have you) and the inside of the brass grips.
For regular cleaning I use soapy hot water, followed by MOS2 as a lubricant/preservative.
Long Johns Wolf