Essential BP Cleaning products.

cloud8a · April 6, 2011, 11:05 PM

I am thinking that pumping hot soapy water through my barrel, after a day at the range, followed by dry patches to dry, gun scrubber, and then a dose of bore butter is enough to do a good cleaning and protecting job on my BP barrel.

If anyone can simplify this further let me know because I get a thousand different ways to keep the gun well and clean. The simpler the better right?

jimbob86 · April 6, 2011, 11:10 PM

Essential BP cleaning products:

Hot, soapy water

Patches

Ramrod with appropriate jag

Some sort of light oil or grease (Bore Butter is great stuff)

A gallon bucket, toothbrush, and appropriately sized nylon bore brush make things a bit easier.

cloud8a · April 6, 2011, 11:17 PM

Thing is I am really paranoid about water in the barrel because my barrel was not taken care of by the previous owner and I put alot of elbow grease in to cleaning the gunk and rust out. I do not want a single speck anywhere in it. That's why I want the gun scrubber.

Also the first time I shot it I had put "Super Lube", that stuff that comes in a BP cleaning kit at Cabelas, around the threads on my nipple. Wound up having to pull the ball, while the range master told me not "to use that crap" and had to go home after only getting off one shot. So I am also wary of oils and greases.

jimbob86 · April 6, 2011, 11:24 PM

I listed what I use .... works for me. YMMV

cloud8a · April 6, 2011, 11:26 PM

How are you sure you get all the water? Where exactly is it safe to put any lube? I have a CVA Frontier.

jimbob86 · April 6, 2011, 11:59 PM

A really old .45 flintlock, and a blued .50 hawken. I clean 'em both the same way:

I use water as hot as I can get .... it dries really fast .....

I remove the barrel from the stock, an the lock from the barrel.

I put the breech end into a 5 quart icecream pail of hot soapy water.

I put a patch (I use mattress ticking) on the jag, run it down and rapidly work it back and forth toward the muzzle ..... essentially pumping water up the bore..... until the jag comes out, usually followed by a little water.

I run the Nylon bore brush down the bore once.

Repeat the water pump thing a couple times with clean patches.

I drain the bore.

I dry the bore with more patches. The hot water evaporates really fast.

Once the patches come out dry, I run a bore butter patch down on the jag.... or a patch with a bit of Rem oil followed by a couple of dry patches....

and scrub, dry and oil the lock, outside of the barrel and brass furniture.

Re-assemble.

I shoot only real BP in my guns, and don't shoot plastic sabots either, so there's no need for any solvents other than hot soapy water. I use a bit of Crisco on the patches for the round ball in the flintlock. The Hornady 385 gr Plainsman bullets for the Hawken come prelubed .... no rust problems for me.

cloud8a · April 7, 2011, 12:19 AM

Ok so the gun scrubber I can probably lose then to make this a simpler deal. Do you lube any of the nipple or drum threads?

jimbob86 · April 7, 2011, 12:21 AM

Yeah. Wipe on Rem oil, and then wipe it off.

cloud8a · April 7, 2011, 12:28 AM

Ok thanks a-lot. Ive been trying to sift through all this "moose milk" and wasp nest stuff and grandpa's old remedies. Not that those are not good, its just I want to get the best simplest way down first and then later I can experiment at leisure. I really appreciate it.

mykeal · April 7, 2011, 06:03 AM

Simplest?

Plain water. it worked then and it still works.

Dry with alcohol if you worry about getting the water out, otherwise just use dry patches. They work, too.

The best, and simplest, rust protection I've ever used is Barricade, although Ballistol is very good also.

Rifleman1776 · April 7, 2011, 08:12 AM

You are doing fine. Don't worry about the water, just dry your barrel afterwards.
All I would suggest is don't get all atwitter about products that are called "miracle" "wonder" or whatever. Any good lube will help protect your barrel between uses. I use WD-40 for short term storage and RIG for long term. But, fact is, several of my guns, modern and traditional, were lubed with WD-40 and years later are just fine.

kwhi43 · April 7, 2011, 09:33 AM

I have some expensive pistols and I will only use water to clean them. Been
doing this for over 40 years. It rains here a lot also, raining now. Kansas City

jmortimer · April 7, 2011, 10:03 AM

Ballistol is an excellent choice in this application as it can be mixed with water and is good CLP.

jimbob86 · April 7, 2011, 10:08 AM

The one thing you do not want to do is shoot the gun and leave it dirty for an extended period of time: BP fouling will absorb moisture from the air and form an acid (sulphuric, IIRC) ..... that will pit the bore, if left unchecked.

Wash it, dry it, oil/grease it, wipe as much oil/grease off as you can so it does not attract dirt. Done.

No magic, just elbow grease: procrastination is the enemy.

Jimmy10mm · April 7, 2011, 10:18 AM

I bought a couple of large cans of RIG years ago and glad I did. I've never found anything better for rust prevention. Then I heard it was discontinued. Now I've done a google search just for the heck of it and apparently it is back by Birchwood Casey. Found some here if anyone is interested. No affiliation BTW.

Hawg · April 7, 2011, 11:20 AM

Quote:

The one thing you do not want to do is shoot the gun and leave it dirty for an extended period of time

You can procrastinate for a few days without hurting anything. I live in the humid South and use Pyrodex which has a worse rep for rust than real bp does. I sometimes go a couple or three days without cleaning and once deliberately left one uncleaned for nine days with no sign of rust or corrosion.

jimbob86 · April 7, 2011, 12:59 PM

..... but I bet it ain't doing it any good, either.

Quote:

You can procrastinate for a few days without hurting anything. I live in the humid South and use Pyrodex which has a worse rep for rust than real bp does. I sometimes go a couple or three days without cleaning and once deliberately left one uncleaned for nine days with no sign of rust or corrosion.

I like to be in the habit of cleaning BP guns right away, lest I forget about them.... no sense in destroying the gun 'cause I'm lazy and forgetfull......

Here, you might need this sometime, in case you forget about the muzzloader you were going to get around to cleaning......

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=1...usty_Smokepole

arcticap · April 7, 2011, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cloud8a

Do you lube any of the nipple or drum threads?

Yes, at least some Bore Butter on the nipple and clean out screw threads which I clean after each range session.
But I've never needed to unscrew the drum.
That's best left alone unless absolutely necessary.

Hawg · April 7, 2011, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Maybe 9 days isn't enough to do serious damage.....
..... but I bet it ain't doing it any good, either.

I only did that once just to see when it would start showing signs. I gave up and cleaned it after nine days. I usually clean the same day but sometimes circumstances dictate.. I can't see where it did any harm.

cloud8a · April 7, 2011, 05:11 PM

JimBob

I had the same problem with the bore on my CVA Frontier. I read the article which holds pretty close to how I cleaned my barrel. My problem is my model rifle does not allow for removal of the breech plug. So I have no clue as to the shape of the barrel further down even with a bore light.

jimbob86 · April 7, 2011, 06:53 PM

I have never pulled the breech plug on either of my BP rifles.... but after hundreds of patched round balls in the last dozen years or so, the rocksmasher still has a a butter smooth bore .... the Hawken I have not shot enough-50 shots or so- it is still essentially new.

Cascade1911 · April 7, 2011, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbob86

I like to be in the habit of cleaning BP guns right away, lest I forget about them.... no sense in destroying the gun 'cause I'm lazy and forgetfull......

Listen to this man! He knows! I said to myself once "I'll clean it tomorrow". Tomorrow came about a month later when I realized I forgot. Now I have three year old barrel on my thirty year old Hawken........ (new barrel is great, has nice bluing, shoots great but my original barrel I hand polished and browned myself....will never be the same

)

Hawg · April 7, 2011, 07:32 PM

I've been shooting bp since 69. Never forgot to clean one.

Hardy · April 7, 2011, 07:42 PM

Order 16 oz bottle of Ballestol! Mix 6 to 1. After scrubbed and cleaned--coat inside barrel etc w/ a patch of soaked undilluted b.

jimbob86 · April 7, 2011, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Listen to this man! He knows! I said to myself once "I'll clean it tomorrow". Tomorrow came about a month later when I realized I forgot. Now I have three year old barrel on my thirty year old Hawken........ (new barrel is great, has nice bluing, shoots great but my original barrel I hand polished and browned myself....will never be the same )

Nope, I don't KNOW. I was warned against doing it and have seen pictures ..... I believe.

Cascade1911 KNOWS.

No better school than the School of Hard Knocks ..... nor a school as pricey.

April 6, 2011, 11:05 PM	#1
cloud8a Senior Member Join Date: April 27, 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 399	Essential BP Cleaning products. I am thinking that pumping hot soapy water through my barrel, after a day at the range, followed by dry patches to dry, gun scrubber, and then a dose of bore butter is enough to do a good cleaning and protecting job on my BP barrel. If anyone can simplify this further let me know because I get a thousand different ways to keep the gun well and clean. The simpler the better right?

April 6, 2011, 11:59 PM	#6
jimbob86 Junior member Join Date: October 4, 2007 Location: All the way to NEBRASKA Posts: 8,722	I have a couple of CVA's A really old .45 flintlock, and a blued .50 hawken. I clean 'em both the same way: I use water as hot as I can get .... it dries really fast ..... I remove the barrel from the stock, an the lock from the barrel. I put the breech end into a 5 quart icecream pail of hot soapy water. I put a patch (I use mattress ticking) on the jag, run it down and rapidly work it back and forth toward the muzzle ..... essentially pumping water up the bore..... until the jag comes out, usually followed by a little water. I run the Nylon bore brush down the bore once. Repeat the water pump thing a couple times with clean patches. I drain the bore. I dry the bore with more patches. The hot water evaporates really fast. Once the patches come out dry, I run a bore butter patch down on the jag.... or a patch with a bit of Rem oil followed by a couple of dry patches.... and scrub, dry and oil the lock, outside of the barrel and brass furniture. Re-assemble. I shoot only real BP in my guns, and don't shoot plastic sabots either, so there's no need for any solvents other than hot soapy water. I use a bit of Crisco on the patches for the round ball in the flintlock. The Hornady 385 gr Plainsman bullets for the Hawken come prelubed .... no rust problems for me. Last edited by jimbob86; April 7, 2011 at 01:01 PM.

April 6, 2011, 11:10 PM	#2
jimbob86 Junior member Join Date: October 4, 2007 Location: All the way to NEBRASKA Posts: 8,722	Essential BP cleaning products: Hot, soapy water Patches Ramrod with appropriate jag Some sort of light oil or grease (Bore Butter is great stuff) A gallon bucket, toothbrush, and appropriately sized nylon bore brush make things a bit easier.

April 6, 2011, 11:17 PM	#3
cloud8a Senior Member Join Date: April 27, 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 399	Thing is I am really paranoid about water in the barrel because my barrel was not taken care of by the previous owner and I put alot of elbow grease in to cleaning the gunk and rust out. I do not want a single speck anywhere in it. That's why I want the gun scrubber. Also the first time I shot it I had put "Super Lube", that stuff that comes in a BP cleaning kit at Cabelas, around the threads on my nipple. Wound up having to pull the ball, while the range master told me not "to use that crap" and had to go home after only getting off one shot. So I am also wary of oils and greases.

April 6, 2011, 11:24 PM	#4
jimbob86 Junior member Join Date: October 4, 2007 Location: All the way to NEBRASKA Posts: 8,722	I listed what I use .... works for me. YMMV

April 6, 2011, 11:26 PM	#5
cloud8a Senior Member Join Date: April 27, 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 399	How are you sure you get all the water? Where exactly is it safe to put any lube? I have a CVA Frontier.

April 7, 2011, 12:19 AM	#7
cloud8a Senior Member Join Date: April 27, 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 399	Ok so the gun scrubber I can probably lose then to make this a simpler deal. Do you lube any of the nipple or drum threads?

April 7, 2011, 12:21 AM	#8
jimbob86 Junior member Join Date: October 4, 2007 Location: All the way to NEBRASKA Posts: 8,722	Yeah. Wipe on Rem oil, and then wipe it off.

April 7, 2011, 12:28 AM	#9
cloud8a Senior Member Join Date: April 27, 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 399	Ok thanks a-lot. Ive been trying to sift through all this "moose milk" and wasp nest stuff and grandpa's old remedies. Not that those are not good, its just I want to get the best simplest way down first and then later I can experiment at leisure. I really appreciate it.

April 7, 2011, 06:03 AM	#10
mykeal Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,772	Simplest? Plain water. it worked then and it still works. Dry with alcohol if you worry about getting the water out, otherwise just use dry patches. They work, too. The best, and simplest, rust protection I've ever used is Barricade, although Ballistol is very good also.

April 7, 2011, 08:12 AM	#11
Rifleman1776 Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 3,309	You are doing fine. Don't worry about the water, just dry your barrel afterwards. All I would suggest is don't get all atwitter about products that are called "miracle" "wonder" or whatever. Any good lube will help protect your barrel between uses. I use WD-40 for short term storage and RIG for long term. But, fact is, several of my guns, modern and traditional, were lubed with WD-40 and years later are just fine.

April 7, 2011, 09:33 AM	#12
kwhi43 Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2008 Location: Kansas City Posts: 1,393	I have some expensive pistols and I will only use water to clean them. Been doing this for over 40 years. It rains here a lot also, raining now. Kansas City

April 7, 2011, 10:03 AM	#13
jmortimer Junior member Join Date: January 24, 2010 Location: South West Riverside County California Posts: 2,763	Ballistol is an excellent choice in this application as it can be mixed with water and is good CLP.

April 7, 2011, 10:08 AM	#14
jimbob86 Junior member Join Date: October 4, 2007 Location: All the way to NEBRASKA Posts: 8,722	The one thing you do not want to do is shoot the gun and leave it dirty for an extended period of time: BP fouling will absorb moisture from the air and form an acid (sulphuric, IIRC) ..... that will pit the bore, if left unchecked. Wash it, dry it, oil/grease it, wipe as much oil/grease off as you can so it does not attract dirt. Done. No magic, just elbow grease: procrastination is the enemy.

April 7, 2011, 05:11 PM	#20
cloud8a Senior Member Join Date: April 27, 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 399	JimBob I had the same problem with the bore on my CVA Frontier. I read the article which holds pretty close to how I cleaned my barrel. My problem is my model rifle does not allow for removal of the breech plug. So I have no clue as to the shape of the barrel further down even with a bore light.

April 7, 2011, 06:53 PM	#21
jimbob86 Junior member Join Date: October 4, 2007 Location: All the way to NEBRASKA Posts: 8,722	I have never pulled the breech plug on either of my BP rifles.... but after hundreds of patched round balls in the last dozen years or so, the rocksmasher still has a a butter smooth bore .... the Hawken I have not shot enough-50 shots or so- it is still essentially new.

April 7, 2011, 07:32 PM	#23
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,190	I've been shooting bp since 69. Never forgot to clean one.

April 7, 2011, 07:42 PM	#24
Hardy Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2009 Location: South Carolina Posts: 709	Order 16 oz bottle of Ballestol! Mix 6 to 1. After scrubbed and cleaned--coat inside barrel etc w/ a patch of soaked undilluted b.