Cleaning The Gemmer Flintlock

[Powderfirst]

The Gemmer flintlock has what I guess would be a patent breach that has a smaller diameter than the barrel. When cleaning, the patch/jag doesn’t get into the last inch inside the breach plug. I made a long patch worm that I can get into the breach for cleaning, oiling, and drying it out. I’m looking for other options so what are you guys using for this?

 

[SDSmlf]

I’m looking for other options

With the barrel out of the stock (and the touchhole liner removed) , place the breech end of the barrel in a container of cleaning solution of your choice, and work your tight fitting patch and cleaning jag up and down, effectively plunging the chambered breech clean.

Or, consider using an undersized jag and patch combo that fits in the smaller chambered area.

Or, attack with a steam cleaner through the breech with the touchhole liner removed. And wear gloves, things are going to warm up fast.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Basically agree with @SDSmlf, but I see no need to remove the touch hole liner. You will get a very good flush of the chambered breech with the liner in place.

 

[Phil Coffins]

I clean rifles with patent breech with a normal jag with out any attempt to use anything to get into the smaller breech area. The water will flush it out just fine. Most of the time I do not remove the nipple or in the case of a flintlock, I never remove the flash hole liner. Many years of cleaning a number of guns have proven that this is completely adequate.

 

[SDSmlf]

Basically agree with @SDSmlf, but I see no need to remove the touch hole liner. You will get a very good flush of the chambered breech with the liner in place.

Yep, there is always ‘discussion’ on removing touchhole liners and nipples for cleaning. When I started in the 1970s I was taught to remove nipples (on rifles, single shot pistols and cap and ball revolvers) along with removable touchhole liners for cleaning and then use Never-Seez or similar product on the threads when reinstalling (I only snug them up, being careful not to over tighten), and for me, the method hasn’t failed. I have also left ‘non-removable’ liners in place for years and have only removed one that I installed without issue. I have also removed a few that I didn’t install, and only had one of them damage barrel threads during removal, one of the reasons I install 1/4-32 threaded Chambers White Lightin’ liners on new builds. Allows room to bump up a size if things ever go bad.

Whether one removes nipples or touchhole liners for cleaning or not, the important thing is to make sure that whatever type of breech the gun has it is thoroughly flushed, clean and dry. Any corrosion prevention oils must be allowed to drain (storing the gun muzzle down will assist here) and/or be removed from the bore before loading. Personally I use a dry film product like Eezox or Barricade, but that’s probably a different discussion.