Newb Here

[Pete G]

I ALWAYS pull the barrel during cleaning.

Let the fight begin.

I NEVER pull the barrel during cleaning.

 

[tenngun]

I ALWAYS pull the barrel during cleaning.

Let the fight begin.

No fight from me. Gun cleaning is simple.
1)(starting with dirty gun) clean crud out of barrel and off of exposed surfaces.
2) dry barrel inside and out, all exposed surfaces
3) clean hidden surfaces and dry as needed
4) apply some barriers to decrease exposer to moisture in air.
5) redirty at earliest opportunity
6) repeat.
When you find what works for you it’s the best method. Just pointing out that a barrel rarely removed can get to step 5 as easy as the remove barrel and flush in bucket method. I dare say my gun is as clean after I’m done as any one else’s.
Ask ten of us get twenty answers, or more and a few self contradictory. Ml is an art not a science.

 

[Sidney Smith]

Hooked breech, I take the barrel out if the stock to clean. Pinned barrels stay in place, simple as that.

I clean my pinned barreled guns using one of those clamps with the surgical tubing attached. Gun is positioned upside down so any water that might come out of the touch hole or muzzle will drain onto the table and not into the stock.

 

[Dwight Rutherford]

Hooked breech, I take the barrel out if the stock to clean. Pinned barrels stay in place, simple as that.

I clean my pinned barreled guns using one of those clamps with the surgical tubing attached. Gun is positioned upside down so any water that might come out of the touch hole or muzzle will drain onto the table and not into the stock.

I just started to clean my new flintlock with the clamp and surgical tubing. Im having a hard time visualizing how you set it up as described. Could you show a picture or diagram? Thank you

 

[Grenadier1758]

 

[Dwight Rutherford]

Grenadier,
Thank you, that’s how I have been cleaning my flinter. The rifle standing upright (muzzle pointed upward) So I can pump water from the bucket on the floor into the barrel. I have had some water dribble down from the muzzle into the stock. What puzzled me was Sidney Smiths comment “ Gun is positioned upside down so any water that comes out of the touch hole or muzzle will drain onto the table and not into the stock.” I am unable to visualize this.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Instead of setting the butt on the ground, the rifle is horizontal with the lock side down.

 

[Dwight Rutherford]

OK, that makes sense.
Brain cramp from an old fart that has been cleaning hooked breach percussion by sticking the barrel in a bucket and pumping water all over.
Thank you

 

[Sidney Smith]

Exactly what grenadier said, except placing the gun lock side down can still let seepage at the muzzle enter the stock. Place gun on a couple sand bags with the stock up in the air, sights facing table, with the butt end slightly higher than the muzzle.. That way any runoff falls right onto the table and never touches the stock.

I use a small painters bucket to hold my hot water/ Murphy's oil soap solution. The little bucket holds about a quart of water and is placed on the table near the touch hole side. Place weighted end of tube into the water. Insert patched ramrod and pump the water in and out, then pull out the rod letting the dirty water drain into another bucket. Follow that with some clean hot water with no soap. Then dry and lube barrel. Hardly any mess.

One trick with the clamp. A little grease on the O ring will help seal it tight against the barrel and helps keep water from spraying out when you pump the ramrod.

 

[Dwight Rutherford]

Sidney Smith,
Thank you!

 

[Relic shooter]

Most of my flintlock rifles & pistols have flat faced breeches & barrels of some are pinned into their stocks. Over past few decades I've not removed the barrels for cleaning unless I got caught in heavy rain.

To thoroughly clean the bores & breech I first attach flat-faced breech scraper that I've sharpened to my cleaning rod similar to the Treso scraper pictured below & tap & rotate it to breakup any attached fowling & dump any residue out. BTW, you can also re-shape the blade of this scraper to fit & clean a gun with recessed breech plug.
A few patches or mop-style tip with this inexpensive solution will quickly dissolve BP crud & leave your bore & breech clean & ready for a coating of non-petroleum lube to prevent rust.

TRIED & TESTED RECIPE FOR PATCH LUBE & BORE & FRIZZEN CLEANER, ALSO WORKS ON HANDS.
An old timer at Friendship shared this three part mixture with me back in the 80s so will pass along.
Mix 1/3 of each in equal parts in a dark colored container, Murphy's oil soap, rubbing alcohol & hydrogen peroxide.
-After a good shake transfer the mix into a smaller container with a swivel-spout top to carry in your shooting bag. This solution has proven it'self to be an excellent patch lube on the range & for hunting. It's protected the bores of guns in my collection for years & has worked as well or better than the many others I've tried.

A dab of this solution on a cloth patch also works great for wiping powder residue buildup from your frizzen & flint for reliable ignition. Works equally well to clean BP residue from your fingers !
Years ago my RN wife gave me an old oto-scope so I I could thoroughly inspect the bores & rifling in vintage muzzle loaders before buying. I've also used it to check the bores of guns that I've cleaned with the above solution, some after not being fired for a few years & have never seen any rust.
Give it a try & you'll be hooked.

 

[Sidney Smith]

Your gun, do what you want. I however will never use peroxide as part of my cleaning regimen. Peroxide is a weak acid and will eat into the metal over time. Best to use just water with the Murphy's mixed in or alcohol and Murphys. I've never had to scrape the breech of my guns. The action of drawing the water through the bore completely dissolves and flushes out all the fouling.

I used to hear of that old moose milk recipe back when I started shooting black powder too. I researched it and talked to many people regarding it and all of them told me to either not use it or to leave the peroxide out of the mix.

You may not physically see any damage, but I had enough people in the know tell me it wasn't good so that was enough to convince me not to use it.

 

[Relic shooter]

Much appreciate your advice Sidney. I suppose it is possible that my 60 + years of first-hand experiences in collecting, shooting & cleaning hundreds of antique & modern M/L firearms has become flawed in the eyes some of today's new-age shooters

 

[Sidney Smith]

I guess I'm new age by your comparison, as I've only been at this for 30 years. But just because someone has been doing something for 60+ years, that doesn't mean it's right or correct. I've been pissing for 60+ years. Don't mean I got good aim.

I am only trying to help a new shooter, as I'm sure you are. I can only relate what Ive been told. You and anyone are free to agree or disagree with it.

 

[MSW]

welcome to the addiction … in time, you will become excited about bits of sharp rock, and your co- workers and family will be sure that you're "round the bend." Don't worry - it is they who don't 'get it.' I would recommend that you check out Dutch Schoultz' work. Here's a link:

http://blackpowderrifleaccuracy.com/
This is, to my mind, the best non shooting accessory you can get. Since you are heading down the path already, here's a great book on how to get started in making your own powder horns:

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/75/1/BOOK-R18CPH
this book will walk you through how to make your own horn, even if you don't have a lathe (although it's much easier if you do, and a small wood lathe can be used for a great variety of cool projects.

You will also need a pouch to store all the cool stuff you need, as well as the cool stuff you don't really need, and the stuff that's still in the middle:

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/39/1/BOOK-R18-CHP
Neither the pouch making hobby or the horn making hobby take up very much room, and neither has any substantial appetite for your hard earned, God- entrusted, overtaxed dollars. If you decide to tinker with horns, break down now and get a small "fry daddy" type deep fat fryer at a local garage sale, as well as a good thermometer. … the book will tell you that you can soften a horn with boiling water, but this didn't work for me - it didn't get hot enough.

Have fun, and, as always,

Make Good Smoke!

 

[Eterry]

Some may not agree, but if I was to start shooting black powder today, I'd want to start with a cap lock. There's plenty to learn about shooting black powder period, and adding the issues associated with a flintlock just causes more problems for a new shooter without friends to lean on/learn from when problems arise. I've seen over the years many new shooters get frustrated with black powder and end up sticking the gun in the back of the closet or selling it.

I got my first flintlock 35 years ago and had no one to help, I ended up trading it off. Hindsight is 20/20, I wish I'd kept it. Caplocks are mush easier to transition to from centerfire guns, IMHO.

 

[Rudyard]

Re horns boiling the hot fat may work but heating till it about melts will ensure the horn will stay flatted & not try to try to regain its original .Once you've sorted out the plugging formers shapes and clamps to hold it till it cools . Rudyard

 

[LawrenceA]

Does not appear to be an original.
Looks nice
Can we see any barrel markings?
What is written on the tag if there?

 

[Howard Pippin]

I imagine that many got into muzzleloading much like I did. My kids gave me a TC percussion kit over 30 years ago. I soon figured out the advantages of the hook breach system, mainly for cleaning. Like many newbies I used wonder lube 1000 because that's what was recommended by TC. Used for patches and also for cleaning, with pretty hot water. When I got done, coated the bore with TC 1000 and put it away. Rifle still works good, don't use it much, it's too darn heavy, but the bore looks good. I did use both black and pyrodex and neither one gave any trouble. More than one way works.
Squint

 

[Sidney Smith]

Some may not agree, but if I was to start shooting black powder today, I'd want to start with a cap lock. There's plenty to learn about shooting black powder period, and adding the issues associated with a flintlock just causes more problems for a new shooter without friends to lean on/learn from when problems arise. I've seen over the years many new shooters get frustrated with black powder and end up sticking the gun in the back of the closet or selling it.

I got my first flintlock 35 years ago and had no one to help, I ended up trading it off. Hindsight is 20/20, I wish I'd kept it. Caplocks are mush easier to transition to from centerfire guns, IMHO.

Agreed. This is exactly how I started into black powder. I had read some articles and a book or two, then went ahead and bought my TC Renegade left handed. 50 cal. Bought it to hunt with, and had to learn on my own as I didn't know anybody who used black powder firearms back then. No internet when I started either.

Percussion is definitely the way to start out. Once you master the loading techniques, etc, then the transition to Flintlocks is a lot easier.