# Boresnakes and WD40 for Inline Muzzleloader cleaning?



## usmarine0352

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My brother spoke with a Gander Mountain worker who says he doesn't use water or foams to clean his muzzleloaders. He uses two Boresnakes, WD40 and Bore Butter and says it's much quicker.

He says he uses the first Boresnake with WD40 because it's water based, not petroleum based which could hurt the rifle. After a few runs and that comes out clean he runs the 2nd Boresnake with Bore Butter.

*What do you think of that?*

*Will that work well?*

.


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## Jig Master

This is the first time i've read about WD40 being used as a bore cleaner in muzzleloaders. I use commercially available bore cleaning products, but hot soapy water has been the standard for years. Once the bore is clean use gun oil to coat the bore and at the end of the season, if your gun has a removable breech plug, leave it out so that air may circulate more freely through the bore. I used to coat my rifle's bore with Bore Butter, but would still get a little rust from time to time, and have read that it is only good for lubing Maxi Balls. A dab of the stuff does help tight fitting sabots slip down the bore a bit easier. I have used Bore Snakes on rifles, but not on muzzleloaders.


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## usmarine0352

I just heard that Bore Butter isn't a great rust preventative.

I guess Birchwood Casey "Barricade" is what a lot of guys use for inside the bore and the outside of the gun.


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## Stella1

I only use hot soapy water to clean my flintlock and percussion cap muzzle loaders with non-removable breech plugs. It gets it clean as new then run patches treated with bore butter down the barrel and can let them sit along time and have no issues with rust. As a side note I use real black powder so rusting would be evident quickly if not cleaned and coated properly.


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## Plainsman

I don't think WD40 is water based. Since it is advertised to displace water. Also, I can't imagine petroleum based products hurting your bore. Most people use a petroleum based oil to store their muzzleloader. I googled WD40 components and got this:

Formulation

WD-40's formula is a trade secret. The product is not patented to avoid completely disclosing its ingredients.[2][3] WD-40's main ingredients, according to U.S. Material Safety Data Sheet information, are:
50% Stoddard solvent (i.e., mineral spirits: primarily hexane, somewhat similar to kerosene)
25% Liquefied petroleum gas (presumably as a propellant; carbon dioxide is now used instead to reduce WD-40's considerable flammability)
15+% Mineral oil (light lubricating oil)
10-% Inert ingredients


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## specialpatrolgroup

I dont know how much I would trust anything I heard from a gander mtn employee, now that they fired all their full timers and will hire jsut about anything on a hourly basis.


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## dennyhawk

As an old sidelock shooter for years, I've found that BALLISTOL with water works really well...I stopped useing BORE BUTTER years back. Metal is pouris (sp),& even though the barrel seems perfectly dry, it may still contain a small amount of water in those pours. Ballistol or even machining oil works better FOR ME because it mixes with water, and once the humidity is out of the barrel, it prevents more from getting in! After cleaning, with a brush and some patches, I always apply a thin film of BALLISTOL b4 storeing. After you've used it several times the cleaning just gets easier and easier, the patches are comeing out white, and I NEVER have a problem with rust!
Though I LOVE and own 5 sidelocks, I have just ordered my 1st in-line...a Traditions Vortex Ultra Light. I plan on cleaning & careing for this piece the same way as my others!
SOOOO ...IN MY OPINION...I would say the bore snake idea is a good one!!! I'd just use BALLISTOL instead of the WD40, and I'd forget about the BORE BUTTER! Just my $.02 worth!  :beer:


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## alleyyooper

People read about using water to clean ML's with, but many times the whole correct story on just how to use it is never told. I Still use it on my side locks today, You start with a bucket of *scalding hot water* I wear a welding glove to hold the barrel as I pump that *scalding water *and soap mix thru the barrel. I then dump out the dirty cooling off water out and refill the bucket with more *scalding hot water *to rince with. After a few pumps remove the barrel and it will dry out on it's onw from the heat of the *scalding water* then you can run a patch with some type of gun oil motor oil and even bore butter(best for lubing breach plugs on inlines) if you want. I use 87% isotrophy Ahcola to clean the bores of my inlines. then use rem oil in the bore for storage.

 Al


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