# How do you clean your muzzleloader?



## rogerw

I am wondering what cleaning procedure is most common way up North in NoDak. How do you do it?

Last 8-10yrs I shoot flintlocks almost exclusively (except for CB pistols) with blackpowder. The barrel is pinned in the stock of my guns, not removable.

I used to use boiling water with a removable patent breech percussion gun; then cold water or cold water and soap. I used Windex for a while (worked pretty good).

Now I use a 50/50 mixture of Murphy's Oil Soap and Isopropyl Alcohol; cheap ingredients, always available at Wally world or the grocery store. I keep some in a spray bottle in my shooting box. To clean a gun I:

1) use a toothpick to plug the touch hole (shorten it slightly; it cannot stick too far into the barrel or the cleaning jag will dislodge it).
2) spray 10-15 squirts of MOS/Alky into the barrel.
3) take a cleaning patch and run it down with the cleaning jag on a cleaning rod with a muzzle protector, 10 -15 times in the breech.
4) pull the patch out, hold the rifle muzzle down to drain, pull the toothpick and use the wet patch to clean off the lock, especially the touch hole area.

5) repeat steps 1-4 at least once again. Sometimes twice.
6) Use wet patch to wipe down barrel and other metal parts, in addition to lock.
7) use drying patch in the barrel.

That is it. It took 3, sometimes 4 cleaning patches that all rip easily from worn bedsheet that I save in my shooting box. In all but the most humid weather, the MOS leaves a protecting film after the alcohol (drying agent) dries. Within a couple or few days I usually re-check the barrel. Sometimes I will oil it at this point, but usually I don't find any need for it. Keeping petroleum oil out of a muzzleloading barrel is, I think, good idea. Mine seem to shoot better since I quite regularly putting petroleum oil in.

total time is usually about 10mins or so. I don't have to dissassemble anything, don't remove barrel, or breechplugs, etc. I do remove the lock about every 10th time I shoot it and check the trigger mechanism and lub the lock.....but that is optional at any given cleaning.

How do you do clean your ML?

YHS,
rogerw


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## darkgael

Well, not from ND, in PA instead. I, too, have a ML with a non-removable barrel - a .62 cal Fowler that I take out Upland in the quest for grouse. It also shoots a tightly patched RB quite well out to 50 yds.
I have adopted the cleaning procedure suggested by the folk who made the gun - Matt Vance and Tenn. Valley Muzzleloading.
First, I give the wood a thin coat of MinWax paste finishing wax. This takes only a moment. Then, I run a scaper down the bbl. and dump what comes out. Then, a toothpick in the vent and warm soapy water down the barrel. I let that sit for five minutes or so. After the wait, dump the dirty water. Then I run patches down the barrel until they come out clean. Run a patch with Ballistol down the clean bbl. Last two things to do: buff the wax off the stock with a soft cloth and then, this was a new idea for me, coat all external surfaces with a coat of Type A transmission fluid.
The waxing and tranny fluid steps are extras compared to what I have read about other folk's cleaning procedures. They take only a moment - maybe a minute total - and the effect is well worth the time. The gun looks like it just came out of the box.
Pete


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## NDTerminator

Windex dampened patches, after I break the action and finger remove the breech plug...


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## rogerw

NDTerminator said:


> Windex dampened patches, after I break the action and finger remove the breech plug...


How many patches typical?
No brush?

No further procedure on the breechplug to clean it? 
What about its threads both male and female?
Are they greased or dry?
Clean/clear the firechannel thru the plug? 
What about the 209primer seat itself?

Or is it because it is all stainless that you don't have to clean it?

Do you follow with any rust preventative ?

YHS,
rogerw


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## barebackjack

Little simple green and water, or spit in the field. Half a dozen patches go down. Than two drying patches. I let it stand muzzle up for a few hours, than a patch heavy with moose snot goes down. Seals the barrel and keeps rust out.

Ive always wondered why people get turned off from traditional because of the cleaning. It honestly takes me about 10-15 minutes. Plus, real BP is easier to clean than ANY of the subs, except maybe in REAL cold weather.


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## Plainsman

Roger
I only have to pull one wedge on my Hawken and the barrel is in my hand. I use a half gallon of very hot soapy water. I remove the nipple and drop that in the hot water. Then with a wet patch I pump it up and down until water getting past the patch comes out the top of the barrel. I pull it out and swab a clean patch up and down the barrel a half dozen times then let the barrel dry. Because I use very hot water the barrel will be dry in seconds.
After that I take a one inch piece of pipe cleaner and clean the inside of the nipple. With a qtip I clean the nipple threads, and threads in the nipple receptacle. I then use Gorilla Grease in the nipple threads and install the nipple. The last thing I do before reassembly is swab the inside and outside of the barrel with synthetic TSI-301. I carry an empty CCI cap tin filled with Minwax past wax, and I wipe down the stock with that. Then I reassemble and I am done. Oh, I drop the hammer on a piece of rubber. This cushions the hammer, and if you have powder in the rifle it keeps moisture out. Related to that, if I plan on leaving a load in the rifle for a while I load with a wad of wasp nest between powder and projectile. It keeps oil contaminations from getting to the powder from the front end.


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## rogerw

Plainsman said:


> Roger
> I only have to pull one wedge on my Hawken and the barrel is in my hand.


I still have my first ML; a CVA Mountain Rifle much like yours in that I pulled TWO wedges and the barrel comes out. I used to clean just like you.

I like your idea of carrying some minwax in a old perc cap tin....that is going to be a new addition to my possibles.

I started cleaning the present way with MOS/alky as a result of being influenced by all the competitive shooters in a couple clubs I used to be in.

I believe hot water when available, or cold water when not available, was the way the orginals were cleaned almost exclusively. However, there WERE persons way back then advocating other ways of doing things:

I recently acquired a re-print of John R. Chapman's "Instruction to Young Marksmen.....The Improved American Rifle" published in 1848. I was struck by this passage on pg94:

"I have found that after a day's practice, the best plan is to put a tablespoon of bear's oil or lamp oil into the barrel of the rifle, having previously stopped up the vent and cone, and let it remain there till you used the rifle again. The oil saturates and loosens the residuum in the breech and communications, so that the greater part of it can be forced out with a wiping rag and a small quantity of powder, placed in the cone seat and fired off. By this method the weapon is kept tolerably clean for several day's practice, and there is no possibility of the interior of the barrel becoming rusty, as is too often the case when water is used for cleaning out by incompetent and careless persons. However, when a rifle becomes so foul as to require cleaning out with water, use it "boiling hot," and be as quick about the operation as possible, and don't forget to work a quantity of oil through the barrel with a dry clean rag. After using a rifle, however slightly, always remember to clean and rub the "outside" of the barrel and trimmings perfectly dry, and then apply a moderate coat of good bear's oil or lamp oil, either of which is better than Florence olive oil. Some people are very particular about what kind of oil they use in the favorite rifles, but good clean bear's oil or best fish oil is good enough and more "comeatable" than squirrel, ****, or deer's leg oil."

.....this is the same Chapman, elsewhere in the same book, whom you hear about in connection with the earliest use of scopes on target guns in the US.

YHS,
rogerw


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## rogerw

barebackjack said:


> Little simple green and water, or spit in the field. Half a dozen patches go down. Than two drying patches. I let it stand muzzle up for a few hours, than a patch heavy with moose snot goes down. Seals the barrel and keeps rust out.
> 
> Ive always wondered why people get turned off from traditional because of the cleaning. It honestly takes me about 10-15 minutes. Plus, real BP is easier to clean than ANY of the subs, except maybe in REAL cold weather.


I have heard the Simple Green is pretty good. I may have to try that.

But what is moose snot?


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## NDTerminator

To expand on my answer; usually not more than one or two Windex patches are needed, then a couple dry, and one with a light application of Clenzoil to finish.

Drop the breech plug in a small tub of T7 Solvent and by the time I get done with the bore the fouling is dissolved. Wipe down the plug, apply Super Lube to the threads, wipe & dry out the breech threads, and re-install the plug.

Maybe a 5 minute job start to finish...


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## barebackjack

rogerw said:


> But what is moose snot?


I cant take credit for its invention, as I didnt invent it. But its a homemade lube somewhat similar to bore butter that another gentleman devised. I started using it when I started toting my MLer along on cooooold weather coyote hunts. All the commercial patch lubes froze solid. Works equally well to seal a bore and keep moisture out as its thick and wont run and pool at the breech.

2 oz. beeswax
8 oz. castor oil
1 oz. murphys oil soap

I also get more shots between wiping when I use it as a patch lube compared to bore butter, and it works great on patches that may be sitting in the ball block for awhile.

If ya want I can PM you the specific instructions on making it.


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## rogerw

NDTerminator said:


> Maybe a 5 minute job start to finish...


Now that is Really Quick! That probably leads the NoMuss/NoFuss sweepstakes.... I don't even clean a cartridge gun any faster than that! Could be my age though....

I have used Windex and think it is quite good for regular BP too.
I used to use ClenzOil....good stuff I think, but was expensive.

YHS,
rogerw


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## rogerw

barebackjack said:


> 2 oz. beeswax
> 8 oz. castor oil
> 1 oz. murphys oil soap
> 
> I also get more shots between wiping when I use it as a patch lube compared to bore butter, and it works great on patches that may be sitting in the ball block for awhile.
> 
> If ya want I can PM you the specific instructions on making it.


Yes! I am interested in instruction to make......I only have one more dumb question....what is PM? email? you can email me at [deleted]

Thanks!

Editorial comment: I got crossways once before with CSquare using the word "dumb" so I want to be sure everyone knows, I am only using it above to describe MYSELF and no one else...

PS - OK, so THATS what a PM is! Thank you BBJ, received and appreciated.


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## NDTerminator

rogerw said:


> NDTerminator said:
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe a 5 minute job start to finish...
> 
> 
> 
> Now that is Really Quick! That probably leads the NoMuss/NoFuss sweepstakes.... I don't even clean a cartridge gun any faster than that! Could be my age though....
> 
> I have used Windex and think it is quite good for regular BP too.
> I used to use ClenzOil....good stuff I think, but was expensive.
> 
> YHS,
> rogerw
Click to expand...

Usually not too fouled up because I run a wet & dry patch every two shots when shooting. Also the Triumph is an exceptionally easy ML to clean, having only 4 moving parts.

Clenzoil is the best cleaning/preserative for firearms I've ever come across. An instructor at Sniper School introduced me to it and it's all I've used since. I find I run through about one 8 oz bottle a year, and have two new 8 oz. bottles being shipped here as I write this. Pricey, but worth it...


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## bmxfire37

i take a bit more time, i unscrew my forearm lift off the barrel. i use a cloth to clean the reciver and the ring around the fireing pin.

then i take the brech plug out, soak it in hot water w/ some cleaner i have that i have no idea what its called. because its in a forign bottle.

then i run a .50 cal bore brush down the barrel and back. then i run down a wad of my cleaning patches ( the wool kind ) to push out anything. then i squirt in some cleaner, bore brush it again, then run a ball patch down it again.

i wipe out the plug off w/ a q tip. dry, apply rail grease insert plug.

set barrel on, screw forearm back on

wipe of the barrel and the stock.

run a jag with one patch back down the barrel then im done.

some people say it takes to much time....but im enjoy it


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## sdeprie

I have one rifle with the barrel pinned to the stock and a non-removable breech plug, but it does have a stainless steel flash hole insert, so I can fasten that screw-in tube to it and keep the stock relatively clean and dry. Otherwise, just the routine with hot soapy water, scrubbed up and down til I get the barrel clean to the muzzle, rinse with hot water until its clear and without soap suds, dry patches and gun oil. It's not perfect, but I can still load and shoot that 32, so it must be working. The pinned barrels have a routine much like plainsman described. I appreciate seeing some of the alternatives, "cause I know I never do a really good job.


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## bigboytwo

I use ballistol. Best BP cleaner I have ever used. The barrel is pinned on my 12ga flintlock and I never had a problemcleaning it with ballistol. Use it for alot of different things. Check out the website [ uses for ballistol]it will amaze you.


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## barebackjack

bigboytwo said:


> I use ballistol. Best BP cleaner I have ever used. The barrel is pinned on my 12ga flintlock and I never had a problemcleaning it with ballistol. Use it for alot of different things. Check out the website [ uses for ballistol]it will amaze you.


Ive started using that in ALL my firearms. Great stuff! Just wish it was easier to get. (I have to order mine through the company).

Its the ONLY cleaner/lube that keeps a semi-auto shotgun action working fast and easy in cold weather.


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## rogerw

I have been meaning to try some Ballistol someday, having heard good things about it over the years, but I never seem to run across it. Guess I will have to order some somewhere...

YHS,
rogerw


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## Powerfisher

I take my time when it comes to clean up after the range or a hunt. Gotta take care of my babies. On the range or in the field T7 or BP in any way and I love windex. A patch pre soaked in a little windex or a windex wipe, (cut int quarters) over a .45 bore brush and follow with a dry patch (for a .50 ML) and swabbing is NO PROB! Shooting and cleaning. Breech plug removel is not a chore when you swab the way I do. No crud ring during shooting and a full seat with my Sabot every time. Perfect lineup to my rod line every shot. I am going to try the BH209. They say to use Hoppe's#9 for it and no swabbing for like....50 shots or whatever! Havent tried it yet but when I do, I will let ya know what the gun likes better. 8)


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## rogerw

I agree the Windex works well. I haven't used that in a while, but maybe I ought to return to it.

YHS,
rogerw


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## thatguy670

Mil-Spec CLP(Cleaner Lubricant Protectant). takes about 10 minutes to clean it.pull the breech plug, rub CLP on that, let it sit, run a dry brush through the barrel till the crud ring is gone, then run patches with CLP on them till the barrel is damp with it. then set it aside, go catch a smoke(the longer the CLP sits in the barrel without disturbing it, the better it works). then i come back to it and hit it with the brush again, then patch it out till the barrels dry. then i put it away dry. if you have any questions as to why i store it dry, PM me. i will explain. and i will aslo explain the way i have prepped my gun cabinet for dry storage.

again, PM me with questions.


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