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Cleaning with water
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Greenhorn
posted
Well, after shooting all kinds of muzzleloaders for a while, I hadn't actually cleaned with water since back in the '70's, when cleaning my brothers Ruger Old Army. I read some threads about using water with soap, water without soap, etc hot, cold, tepid, you name it. Well, today after shooting my .32 flinter, I thought I'd give it a try. I got a bottle of water out of the fridge, just the old spring water stuff, and put one drop of Dawn dishwashing liquid in it. My thinking was that the soap would break the surface tension and make the water easier to use. When I cleaned with Hoppe's #9 plus, or Ballistol it took a bunch of patches to get the gun clean and lots of elbow grease. With straight cold water $ Dawn, (just happened to be cold from the fridge), it took maybe 4 or 5 patches to get down to fairly clean, a quick twist of the breech scraper, and two or three more patches of water and I was getting white patches. Then a couple dry patches, a couple of alcohol patches, to get the moisture out and a couple of Ballistol patches to lube the bore and I'm done. Maybe a dozen patches and it was totally clean. Much easier than the several dozen patches it takes to get it clean with other cleaners. A quick cleaning of the lock and the gun is ready for storage.

That just goes to show you, you need to pay attention to what's written in these pages. I read it earlier and had tried all manner of cleaners, and didn't really think any one was better than the other, but water is really the best. Also shows that all the hi tech engineered products don't get you ahead of the old timers, way back then, when they just cleaned with water out of a creek.
 
Posts: 1 | Location: Parkersburg, WV | Registered: 04 January 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
Picture of Will Ghormley
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I've been known to dip my tow in a creek or puddle and clean my rifles. Works great with black powder, but don't know how well it would work with smokeless powders, (but who cares about that).

Will


"When Liberty is illegal, only outlaws will be free." Will Ghormley

In 1913, the gold and silver backed dollar was worth a dollar. Today, that same greenback is worth 3 cents. In just under 100 years, the Federal Reserve Bank has made the dollar virtually worthless. Will Ghormley

"Exploit your strengths. Compensate for your weaknesses." Will Ghormley
 
Posts: 657 | Location: Ankeny, Iowa | Registered: 28 January 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
Picture of roundball
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Water sure is simple and handy...been using hot soapy water for almost 20 years in all of mine.


Flintlock Rifles & Smoothbores
Hunt Like The Settlers
 
Posts: 1867 | Location: North Carolina | Registered: 28 January 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
Picture of Hanshi
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Simple, effective and cheap. You can't beat that.


*Young guys should hang out with old guys; old guys know stuff.*
 
Posts: 3560 | Location: Maine (by way of Georgia then Va.) | Registered: 26 January 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Hivernant
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I agree. Started 40 years ago using the hot water and soap method including hot rinse and flash rust. Went thru many commercial and homemade cleaners. Found plain tap water or even spit to do just as good if not better.

Sooooo....
 
Posts: 138 | Location: Cedar Valley, Travis Co., TX | Registered: 24 December 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
Picture of roundball
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I like to clean my bores back to the bare raw metal after every use to avoid any buildup of lube.
With hot water & a squirt of dish-washing detergent I know that'll be the case...not so with cold water.

And we create flash rust...it doesn't happen if the bore is dried first thing when finished with the hot water.

Other cleaning methods may vary of course...


Flintlock Rifles & Smoothbores
Hunt Like The Settlers
 
Posts: 1867 | Location: North Carolina | Registered: 28 January 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Pilgrim
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My experiance over many years is the same as the above, warm to hot water with a small bit of dish detergent in an old coffee cup, a nice wad of tow, a few drying patches, and a well oiled patch to finish - then I stick the rifle in the corner upside down to drain. Next day or so I run a lightly oiled patch a few times up and down the bore and put the rife away.

PAL


"The pen maybe mightier than the sword, but at least the sword has a definite point"
 
Posts: 92 | Location: PA | Registered: 27 April 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Greenhorn
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I AGREE I USE THE HOTTEST WATER I CAN HANDEL AND CLEAN TILL I GET A WHITE PATCH BACK OUT. THEN RUN A DRY PATCH DOWN THE BORE. THE HOT WATER WILL HEAT THE STEEL IN THE BBL. AND CAUSE ANY EXTRA WATER TO EVAPORATE. SET THE RIFLE ASIDE FOR
A HALF HOUR DRY PATCH AGAIN THEN OIL IT UP. IF I AM NOT GOING TO SHOOT IT AGAIN FOR AWHILE, I WILL RUN A DRY PATCH DOWN THE BORE A WEEK OR SO LATER TO CHECK FOR ANY COLOR IF NO COLOR RE OIL AND PUT AWAY
 
Posts: 7 | Registered: 26 January 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
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I picked up an old hair dryer years ago and use it to dry the bore after cleaning. Use it on the locks, too.


*Young guys should hang out with old guys; old guys know stuff.*
 
Posts: 3560 | Location: Maine (by way of Georgia then Va.) | Registered: 26 January 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Greenhorn
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Hi Hanshi. Thay's a good tip using the hair dryer. It gets every drop of water out. I always use it at home after a good cleaning then I oil up lightly. I have a problem when I'm in the woods though. That mile long extension cord is too d'md heavy. I've been looking for a white gas portable dryer on ebay but so far no luck!
 
Posts: 45 | Location: Rockland County, NY | Registered: 29 May 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Greenhorn
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I use only really hot water, no soap, no petroleum anymore. Once I get clean wet patches I dry the bore and run down a good amount of Natural lube on a patch. Over time it really gets in the porous barrel surface and seasons it like a skillet. Since omitting oil in the bore fouling seems to be less and easier to get rid of. I check the bore and haven't seen any rust.

NYS Fowler


"Don't mess up my shop!"
 
Posts: 21 | Location: southern tier, NY | Registered: 18 December 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
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I have never found the need for hot water myself, cold was likley used in the past as well at least at times.
 
Posts: 272 | Registered: 12 June 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
Picture of Cado
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I think the take from all this should be just use water hot or cold. They both work. I used to use hot water with soap but now only use cold tap water or water out of the creek.Thats all you need and my guns are as clean as they can be. I run a oiled patch down the bore when done and thats it, same for the lock. If you been using anything else your wasting money.
 
Posts: 617 | Location: Republic of Texas | Registered: 19 November 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Greenhorn
Picture of VEARL
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I've been using hot water and dishsoap for years and years. Works great for me. I check my rifles every week or two to see if anyrust is appearing. Oil lightly.
Lately I have been using that dish soap with lilac fragrence. Makes my barrels smell SWEET !!!
 
Posts: 45 | Location: OKLAHOMA | Registered: 02 October 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
Picture of Will Ghormley
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Vearl, are we goin' ta haft'a call in your man-card!?

Will


"When Liberty is illegal, only outlaws will be free." Will Ghormley

In 1913, the gold and silver backed dollar was worth a dollar. Today, that same greenback is worth 3 cents. In just under 100 years, the Federal Reserve Bank has made the dollar virtually worthless. Will Ghormley

"Exploit your strengths. Compensate for your weaknesses." Will Ghormley
 
Posts: 657 | Location: Ankeny, Iowa | Registered: 28 January 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
Picture of wattlebuster
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Im a warm water, hot water rinse, dry patch an then bear oil man. Been working for over 30 yrs so I figure Im too old to change now Big Grin


Nothing beats the feel of a handmade southern iron mounted flintlock on a crisp frosty morning
 
Posts: 354 | Location: Heart of DIXIE | Registered: 18 November 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Greenhorn
Picture of Crusader
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Yeppers, water and soap here too. Never use petroleum in the barrel. I oil the bore with sweet oil ( olive oil.) I will use balistol on internal lock parts. ++C++
 
Posts: 39 | Registered: 23 April 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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