Flintlock...Flintlock cleaning

How do ya'll go about cleaning the flintlock when you have it out while cleaning barrel? Do you take it appart everytime or what? I kinda see the mainspring removal as I do the pins in the stock. I don't like taking the mainspring off more than necessary due to possible breakage.

I run mine under the faucet and use an old toohbrush on it. Then dry it good and oil it.

On my Thompson/Center flintlocks, one screw holds the lock assembly to the stock. After a shooting session, I simply remove the screw, pull the lock from the stock, submerge in hot soapy water, scrub with toothbrush, then rinse and dry.I use a hair dryer to blow hot air on it. Reoil all moving parts, and reinstall in the stock. This all takes about five minutes.

I do the same as landngroove but I use my air compressor to blow the water out of it.

Huntin

I remove the lock and spray her down with G-96 gun treatment as it cleans and lubricates. Wipe off gunk or excess lube and you are good to go.
Nit Wit :thumbsup:

I spray mine with Break Free or BC Gun Scrubber, then lightly oil the moving parts. I don't remove the mainspring or take anything apart.

How do ya'll go about cleaning the flintlock when you have it out while cleaning barrel? Do you take it appart everytime or what? I kinda see the mainspring removal as I do the pins in the stock. I don't like taking the mainspring off more than necessary due to possible breakage.

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I strip, clean, & lube mine to showroom condition after every time I use them...since they're TC Hawkens with hooked breeches, its very easy and fast to do.

The lock is easy...since it has a coil mainspring, there's no worry about breakage...and I've learned to get a tight metal-to-metal fit between the sides of my locks and the side of the breech & barrel so nothing gets down into the lock internals.

While the barrel is soaking in a pail of steaming hot soapy water, I simply hold the lock upside down over the water and clean the hammer, pan, frizzen area all over with a toothbrush and the soapy water just drips back down into the pail, then blow it dry.

Then I pull the frizzen and clean/lube the frizzen pivot hole, frizzen bridle, frizzen pivot screw, and the top of the frizzen spring...lube and reassemble.

Same with the tang...I hold the stock upside down over the pail of hot water, toothbrush all around the tang area to remove residue from the pan flashes, blow dry and flush with WD40.

Takes about 30-45 minutes to do the whole rifle the way I want to but when I put the rifle up, it might sit there for a day, week, month, year, etc, and it doesn't matter...I don't ever want to worry about them.

I run mine under the faucet and use an old toohbrush on it. Then dry it good and oil it.

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If it is Hot where you live like ARIZONA in Summer. Post Cleaning, leave it out in the Hot Sun for a Good Drying... Oilive Oil is a Great Oil to PREVENT RUST, or Sweet Oil as it was called way back when..... :redthumb:

Yea, but you don't want to do that in Aug. Heat may take the temper out of your springs. :crackup: Born and raised in Tucson, so know about the heat. ::

Yea, but you don't want to do that in Aug. Heat may take the temper out of your springs. :crackup: Born and raised in Tucson, so know about the heat. ::

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This is an interesting observation, as I am sure Locks get Hotter when Powder Ignites. Think on a Sunny Day it get only to 110 Degrees, plus Boiling Water Many use to Clean Black Powder is way hotter than 110 Degrees. ::

It was just a joke. Didn't really mean that it was hot enough to take the temper out, just DANGED hot.

Wal, livin har in Phoenix, Ahs seen tha 116 degre heat take tha temper out many times.
Espically out thar in sity drivin! Em notheads been nown ta luse thar temper un wave thar fingar at ye, an it ain't tha pointin finger thar a wavin. :shocking:

Ah woodent rely on tha 116 degre tempurature ta dry ma barrel neither.
Rite after ye has soaped all o tha ull offen yer bore, thar aint nothin ta keep rust frum formen, an it wil iffen ye don't dry it as soon as ye can.

Wipe it dri wit as many dri patches as it takes un slap some ull on it pronto Ah says. :thumbsup:

I helped my dad move from Glendale,Az. to Jackson, Mich. last May. He had lived in Az. for 58 years. Talk about climate shock with this being the first WINTER he has had in 58 yrs. But he says it isn't bothering him He just stays in if it gets too bad. I guess ya can always put more clothes on to get warm, but you can only take off so many, trying to get cool. ::