Pyrodex cleaner

preboomer · March 3, 2016, 10:59 AM

According to "you tube" and google there seem to be plenty of opinions. One says soak and scrub with hot water and dish soap, rinse in boiling water, another like Ballistol, another uses some homemade formula, another says Pyrodex needs different cleaning materials and methods and black powder cleaning methods won't work, etc. What's the simplest effective product and method? Thanks

Pahoo · March 3, 2016, 11:48 AM

Whenever one asked this question, you will get various opinions and please understand that we are all entitled to them. We get our information from various sources and most based on personal experience. I think it's human nature to stop looking when we find what works for us and that's fine ....

I have used most known methods and here is what I have found;

1) When I used hot/cold soapy water, It did a pretty good job of fighting the Sulfur. Then I found that I now had to fight the removal of "all" moisture. My take-away on this is to never let water near "my" barrels. ..

2) Lately, I have been using a 50/50 mixture of Ballistol and Mineral spirits. In the field after I'm done shooting, I spray down the carbon contact areas with this mixture and heavily swab the bore with same. I give the Ballistol time to soak in and work on the carbon residue. It's surprising how well it kills any corrosive action. I have actually seen the deposits peel off. I might wait till the next day to do a more thorough detailed cleaning. I finish with a good mineral spirits rinse and apply a protective coating. I often go back and recheck just to see if I have missed an area......

Be Safe !!!

BlackPowderBen · March 3, 2016, 02:14 PM

I've used pyrodex heavily and I clean it with water, hot or cold. I have done ballistol and water mixes as well.
Going to be using my homemade powder as my main supply soon.

Hawg · March 3, 2016, 03:15 PM

Hot soapy water is all I ever use for bp and Pyrodex both. No real scrubbing involved. A bore mop down the bore and chambers and an old toothbrush for nooks and crannies. I don't even tear mine completely down for cleaning except maybe once a year or whenever I think about it. Never had any rust.

Ifishsum · March 3, 2016, 10:48 PM

Water. A little bit of dish soap speeds things up. Never needed anything more than a couple of patches on a tight jag to clean things up, no rust in my guns.

brotherg · March 4, 2016, 08:46 PM

It is not too hard. Soap and water do fine, did fine for how ever many decades "modern" methods were uninvited. I kind of freaked out the first time I poured boiling water down the bore and over the cylinder in a coffee cup. Now I am all nostalgic about it.

I have switched to Gatofeo wads and the bore skips the water, just oil and patches. It is almost magic.

I take down and clean the action every other shoot with oil. Rem oil or Outers.

It only makes sense to keep things dry or get them dry pretty quickly. I have noticed that Hoppes 9 is about useless for Black powder.

Hawg · March 4, 2016, 09:37 PM

Quote:

I have noticed that Hoppes 9 is about useless for Black powder.

Smokeless cleaners have no effect on bp except for Ballistol. Hoppes #9 plus is made for bp but water is a lot cheaper.

BlackPowderBen · March 4, 2016, 09:59 PM

That what I say Hawg
I've been using a ballistol/water mix again lately

March 3, 2016, 10:59 AM	#1
preboomer Member Join Date: February 9, 2016 Posts: 31	Pyrodex cleaner According to "you tube" and google there seem to be plenty of opinions. One says soak and scrub with hot water and dish soap, rinse in boiling water, another like Ballistol, another uses some homemade formula, another says Pyrodex needs different cleaning materials and methods and black powder cleaning methods won't work, etc. What's the simplest effective product and method? Thanks

March 3, 2016, 11:48 AM	#2
Pahoo Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2006 Location: IOWA Posts: 8,783	Just another Ballistol fan Whenever one asked this question, you will get various opinions and please understand that we are all entitled to them. We get our information from various sources and most based on personal experience. I think it's human nature to stop looking when we find what works for us and that's fine .... I have used most known methods and here is what I have found; 1) When I used hot/cold soapy water, It did a pretty good job of fighting the Sulfur. Then I found that I now had to fight the removal of "all" moisture. My take-away on this is to never let water near "my" barrels. .. 2) Lately, I have been using a 50/50 mixture of Ballistol and Mineral spirits. In the field after I'm done shooting, I spray down the carbon contact areas with this mixture and heavily swab the bore with same. I give the Ballistol time to soak in and work on the carbon residue. It's surprising how well it kills any corrosive action. I have actually seen the deposits peel off. I might wait till the next day to do a more thorough detailed cleaning. I finish with a good mineral spirits rinse and apply a protective coating. I often go back and recheck just to see if I have missed an area...... Be Safe !!! __________________ 'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.

March 3, 2016, 02:14 PM	#3
BlackPowderBen Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2015 Posts: 380	I've used pyrodex heavily and I clean it with water, hot or cold. I have done ballistol and water mixes as well. Going to be using my homemade powder as my main supply soon. __________________ "If you have to shoot, shoot! Dont talk"

March 4, 2016, 09:59 PM	#8
BlackPowderBen Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2015 Posts: 380	That what I say Hawg I've been using a ballistol/water mix again lately __________________ "If you have to shoot, shoot! Dont talk"

March 3, 2016, 03:15 PM	#4
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	Hot soapy water is all I ever use for bp and Pyrodex both. No real scrubbing involved. A bore mop down the bore and chambers and an old toothbrush for nooks and crannies. I don't even tear mine completely down for cleaning except maybe once a year or whenever I think about it. Never had any rust.

March 3, 2016, 10:48 PM	#5
Ifishsum Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2005 Location: Oregon Posts: 1,033	Water. A little bit of dish soap speeds things up. Never needed anything more than a couple of patches on a tight jag to clean things up, no rust in my guns.

March 4, 2016, 08:46 PM	#6
brotherg Member Join Date: February 6, 2016 Location: Payne Springs, Texas Posts: 56	It is not too hard. Soap and water do fine, did fine for how ever many decades "modern" methods were uninvited. I kind of freaked out the first time I poured boiling water down the bore and over the cylinder in a coffee cup. Now I am all nostalgic about it. I have switched to Gatofeo wads and the bore skips the water, just oil and patches. It is almost magic. I take down and clean the action every other shoot with oil. Rem oil or Outers. It only makes sense to keep things dry or get them dry pretty quickly. I have noticed that Hoppes 9 is about useless for Black powder.