Do ANY of you guys remove pinned barrels...

[Skychief]

....for routine cleaning? I have a couple of friends that insist on removing their pinned barrels out of their longrifles for every cleaning. I have been doing this as well (the short time I have owned my pinned barrel flinter). I have other friends that believe this practice to be overkill. Their argument is that removing the pins time and again will eventually bugger up the stock. The "pin removing " friends claim they have never had a problem of the sort in decades of pin (and barrel) removal for every cleaning (water in a bucket style).

Who's right and who's wrong? :idunno:

 

[mykeal]

Both.

It's certainly possible to repeatedly remove a pinned barrel without doing damage. But, it's unlikely; I can't imagine not wearing the holes in the wood, but I suppose if you were very, very careful and used very well prepared tools, it could be done. Of course, it's possible the holes were already oversize so that repeated pin removal does no additional damage. Perhaps that's what they're talking about.

Having said all that, I do remove the pins from a .45 CVA Kentucky when I clean it. I'm very careful, but honestly, it's not the most expensive gun in my safe. I don't claim not to be doing any damage, but so far they go back in and hold the stock to the barrel.

 

[rabjr]

I have a liberal amount of bear grease in the barrel channel and leave it a lone. If I get caught in a rain storm, the gun gets broke down when I come in and gone all over. Otherwise a lot depends on how much shooting I'm able to do which usually isn't much. So it's not unusual for my guns to go several seasons without the barrel coming off.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Both sides may be " right " with individual guns. I know men who use a 1/16" drift pin to tap the pins carefully out of the stocks, and carefully put the pins back in using a " Nail Set". They have cleaning their barrels outside the stock without adverse effects.

Others clean the barrels with the barrel left pinned into the stock. The gun is set in a cradle, with the muzzle elevate a bit, but basically the barrel is parallel to the floor. Some use a hose attached temporarily to the nipple or vent to siphon water and soap into and out of the barrel. Other plug the vent, or nipple hole, and pour soap and water down the barrel, then pour the dirty water out into a sink. They rinse the barrel, keeping the stock facing UP, so that no solution or residue gets on the wood stock during the cleaning.

Both methods work. If pins are removed improperly, they can damage wood, and loosen the pin holes so much that the pins fall out of the stock. So, as with so many other things involving the care of firearms, " Do It right, or don't do it at all!" :hmm: :surrender: :thumbsup:

 

[Celt5494]

If I'm doing a very thouough cleaning I might remove the barells just to make sure no rust or crud has accumulated underneath but then again I store my flinters in a temperature/humidity controlled environment so it's mostly just for peace of mind. Prior to replacing the barell I make sure it is well cleaned and lubricated usually with Rem Oil and the barell channel in the stock is completely clean and dry. I've found that a good cleaning tends to be enough so you don't have to go through all of that hassle other than once in a great while.

 

[Coot]

My answer is "sometimes". I do not think it necessary with every cleaning but want to re oil/grease the barrel & add a bit of wax to the channel in the stock every now & then. Humidity is high here & I would be uncomfortable not to attend to hidden areas on occasion. I was told by a respected builder to always put the pins in from the right & push them out from the left & I have always done it that way. I have a set of brass drift punches in small diameters & use one of them to push the pins out. Works fine for me. Others may have different approaches.

 

[M Kuhn]

I never remove my pinned barrels for cleaning.
I have one rifle that I have not removed the barrel in 20 years and another that went 12 years until about two weeks ago when I re-browned the barrel after putting a new sight on it.
I didn't see any damage to the underside from not being removed in 12 years.
I never use soap on my guns either.
Just lukewarm water on a patch until it comes out clean then dry it and lube it a little. I usually run another lubed patch down the barrel about 2 days later just to double check for rust but I have never had problems.
My bores are as shiny as the day I bought them.
I did rub all my barrels and the barrel channel with beeswax lube before putting them together and it has kept them in good condition.

 

[hanshi]

Back when I had a Pedersoli I always removed the barrel for cleaning. I do not remove the barrels of my "nice" guns for cleaning and actually have yet to pull even one. I remember removing the barrel of one rifle several years ago for the first time in decades. It was fine with no particular corrosion even though it had been wet many times.

 

[Rock Island]

I never pull them apart, I use boiling water when I clean, the heat transfers to the metal and will steam off any water than sneaks under the wood. I oil my barrels well when I hang the gun up, the oil will run down under the wood line enough to keep things protected.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

I'll have to defer to the folks that own Flinters.

All I have are half-stock 48-twist and 66-twist .50 cal percussion rifles. I pull the wedge pin(s) and pull the nipples and with a little work, they're clean as a whistle.

Some of my firing sessions are 52 shots or more with the same rifle. That creates a lot of dirt. I don't think that it's entirely fair to compare my shooting to a hunting situation where you MIGHT shoot once or twice in a day, as others here have noted.

That being said, IF the rifle was exposed to high humidity and burnt powder on a routine basis, I would adopt a schedule of de-pinning and cleaning & re-oiling every so often, even if I had to take it to a custom shop to have the work done if I didn't have the tools. Here's an analogy: I have Leica 35mm collectible cameras. If the $3K camera body becomes soiled on the inside, I don't get out my knuckle-buster tools and dismantle the thing myself so I can break it while cleaning the thing! I take it or ship it back to Leica and they do the work. Looking "outside of the box", and knowing that at SOME POINT the rifle will need to be taken apart to be cleaned is just expected. Now all you need to do is to come up with a schedule (depending upon actual usage) for the maintainence, and for that I'd consult the maker, if a custom rifle.

Some guns sit in a cabinet or up on a wall for most of their lives. Others get weekly usage. Do what you think is right for your situation, based upon usage and exposure to the elements and you should be O-K. Just my 2 cents' worth.

Dave

 

[MikeChapin]

The only time I pull my pinned barrels is when the rifle needs work for one reason or another. Other than that I leave them in for cleaning.

If one is careful taking a pinned rifle apart is alright but usually Murphy is going to win over time.

The only pinned barrels I have are all flinters. If I am at a shoot I clean with the lock in and put a cleaning patch in the pan and close the frizzen to keep barrel gunk off the rifle. If I am at home and pull the lock, I tie a paper towel around the touch hole for the same reason.

 

[Old Salt]

I do every time I clean a rifle. I have three flintlocks, two of them use 1/16th pins the other uses 3/32 pins. After cleaning and drying I rub a coat of Johnsons floor wax on wood and metal surfaces before reassembly.

I tried to clean my barrels using the toothpick in the vent method but I was not satisfied with the end result.

I also partly disassemble, clean and lubricate the locks each time. IMHO the cleaner the lock the better the function, especially with a flintlock. From time to time I'll completely disassemble the lock and repolish the working surfaces.

That's just how I do it now. I might change in the future. :haha:

Salt

 

[Elnathan]

I remove my barrel for cleaning pretty regularly - I tend to dribble dirty water over everything if I don't, and I have a hard enough time getting everything clean as it is. Eventually I want to get a hose, and will probably leave the barrel in the stock when I do.

 

[Stumpkiller]

....for routine cleaning? I have a couple of friends that insist on removing their pinned barrels out of their longrifles for every cleaning. I have been doing this as well (the short time I have owned my pinned barrel flinter). I have other friends that believe this practice to be overkill.

Who's right and who's wrong? :idunno:

Them.

I had a Bess that I removed the barrel on once in 15 years. I may never remove the barrel of my current longrifle (five years so far). No need.

If I feel the need I put some penetrating oil on a piece of manila folder stock and run it between the barrel and wood.

 

[skunkskinner]

I take the pins out and remove the barrel at the end of every days shooting. I have tried not removing the barrel for cleaning but found it was a PINA to keep the black water away from the wood. Just easier and faster to disassemble, for me.

 

[David W.]

I never found the need to take the barrel off my Bedford County. I am afraid of ruining the tight fit between the tang and the wood and maybe jimmy where the pins go. I have taken the lock off occasionally though.

 

[stubshaft]

I remove the pins on my rifles when cleaning. For me it serves 2 purposes;

A) It lets me clean under the channel to insure that there is no rust or debris.

B) It also insures that the pins haven't rusted in place and/or stuck to the stock. ( I have a friend who never removed the pins and when he tried one of them was rusted frozen to the underlug. The other 2 had corroded slightly and caused slight chipping of the stock when removed.)

 

[brubincam]

-----SEE-- :idunno:--- that is why the barrels that are pinned should not be taken off----- :idunno:

 

[Frank/Pa]

I have been shooting muzzleloaders since 1975, and have never remove pinned barrels for cleaning.

 

[napolean]

Do I remove the pinned in barrel of my guns? Not unless there is a problem. which constant removal and replacement will cause with any mechanical joint including threads.
Jon