# Muzzleloader Cleaning Tips



## DeltaBoy (Mar 4, 2004)

Since muzzleloader season has started and a few shots have been fired...

What are your tips/tricks for cleaning the smoke pole?


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## TN.Frank (Nov 12, 2005)

Well, I've been shooting black powder since'78 so I have learned a few little tricks I guess. Let me preface this by saying that I shoot a Flintlock, not one of them new fangled inlines (which I think are harder to clean then traditional muzzle loaders) so this applys to my gun, YMMV. First off, I use only boiling hot water to initally clean my barrel. No soap, nothing else, just water. That kills all the salts that the black powder makes and flushes it out of the barrel leaving it squeeky clean, because it's boiling hot it drys quickly too so it won't rust up. Second, the only cleaner/lube/preservitive that I've used in the last 5 years is Ballistol. It's Muzzle Loader friendly(non-petrolum) and works on wood, metal, plastic, just about any thing. Do a google on it and you'll be amazed at how you lived without it all these years. Anyway, after I do the hot water clean I run a dry patch down the bore then I run a patch soaked with Ballistol down the barrel, then another dry patch and one last one with Ballistol. That takes care of the barrel. Then I go to work on the lock(which is still in the stock.) by spraying it with some Ballistol and using an old tooth brush to scrub off any junk that's on it. One final spray with Ballistol and a totaly rub down of the gun with it and I'm done. Simple as can be. As long as you get a hooked breech, traditional style muzzle loader it's as easy as punch to clean em'.


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## BigDaddy (Mar 4, 2002)

DB,

When I had my inline Knight rifle, I would mix up some hot soapy water in a bucket and drop the bolt, nipple, and other pieces for a good soaking. While they were soaking, I would put a decent-sized rag on my shotgun rod, put the barrel in the water and start running the rag up in down. After awhile, you build up a vacuum and pull the hot water up and down through the barrel. After a good cleaning, put the barrel aside and let it drain. I'd then come back to the bolt and nipple. Using a toothbrush, I'd get rid of any powder residue.

As a last step, I would use WD-40 or similar solvent to drive any water off the pieces. I would also spray WD-40 in the barrel until it ran out of the muzzle. Let things air dry and put the pieces back together.

I got my pieces nice and clean, and never had any rust problems.

I just love that smell of hot water and black powder. It truly gets me excited.


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## TN.Frank (Nov 12, 2005)

I guess I clean my rifle on "auto pilot" so much that I forgot to mention that you do put the breech end of the barrel down into the hot water and pull it up into the barrel using a patch and rod in a pump action like the old water pumps used to use. Be sure to wet the patch first so it'll make a good seal. As for WD-40, it's petrolum based and not the best stuff to use. The idea is to "season" the barrel just like you season a frying pan, once you get it seasoned you shouldn't use any soap or petrol products in it or it'll strip out the seasoning and you'll be more prone to rust. Natural products are why the Mt. men could go so long between cleaning their guns, the seasoned bore wasn't as apt to rust up on em' as a green, unseasoned bore would. Anyway, just thought I'd throw that in.

P.S.
If your gun is stainless steel then don't worry about seasoning the barrel, it won't work. It only works on steel that can rust or be blued.


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