Cleaning mix?

[Ralph Meisse]

Hi, I have been a BP flint locker for close to fifty years now and was shooting last weekend. Another gentlemen was also enjoying the day and we got to talking. He said that if I wanted a really easy way to clean my gun I should use a product called Simple Green. He uses it on his patches too. Says clean up is a breeze with it. Dilutes it fifty-fifty with water. Has anyone else used this stuff and if you have, how did it work? Thanks

 

[Kansas Kid]

One might say the same for a dozen other products and concoctions.

 

[Juice Jaws]

Yes it works along with hundred's of other ways. Cleaning a ML is not rocket science. Here we go again.

 

[Eutycus]

I've never used Simple Green before but really 50/50? Wouldn't that be a little expensive?

 

[Ralph Meisse]

I don't know how expensive that stuff is. I haven't tried it yet, just wondered if anyone else has. I've always used water and a little dish wash but he said this works much better.

 

[Kansas Kid]

I think that’s the time to just smile and nod.

 

[Pete G]

Seems that a lot of good cleaners have single ingredient in common; ...water.

 

[Tom Compton]

I use a 50/50 mix of water and H2O.

 

[Carbon 6]

Simple green is 85% water to begin with.
Always interesting what people use.

 

[Ralph Meisse]

Sorry, I didn't mean to stir up a hornets nest here. It was just an honest question. Even though I'm old doesn't mean I can't learn something from someone else. I know water works fine but it doesn't hurt to ask if something else would work better.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Ralph,
Except for the folks doing some sort of blank firing engagement, where their smokepole gets really really fouled..., a quart of water with a single drop of liquid dishwashing soap works just fine. The tiny bit of soap reduces surface tension, so the water gets absorbed in less time by the fouling.

Folks have used generic windshield washer fluid..., or some have splurged and used Windex..., or there's a combination of alcohol,hydrogen peroxide, and Murphy's Oil Soap..., and while some might be very good because they have a "base" pH, it's not really necessary unless you have around 30-40 rounds from your gun without having swabbed between shots.

So the reenactors tried lots of combinations, and compared these with hot and with cold water...., not enough advantage was gained (if any) over plain, cold water, so the cost is thought to be unnecessary.

Hot water was touted for generations as it was intended to dry faster, and to help "melt" any greasy lube that was stuck in the barrel from live firing..., that same residual lube it was thought might trap moisture and help cause rust. Now it's pretty much known that hot water just causes "flash rust".

So water, and you can use soap if you want, followed by a clean rinse, and some damp patches to clean out the fouling, then patches to dry, and then lube up the bore with a rust preventative.

LD

 

[Carbon 6]

Keep in mind that not all water is equal. Hard water can cause scaling, and municipal water can contain chlorine, which can attack steel and cause rust. There are also commercial descaling agents used in municipal water. None of this does your gun any favors.
If cleaning with water causes you problems then it could be your water source.

 

[tenngun]

We like to find something that works, and when we do we continue to use it and swear by it. Sometimes we hear of something and we give it a try. It might not work any better then what we used but it might work a little better. Try simple green, it’s just a mild soap, but if you like it you’ll like it. As long as residues are gone and it’s dried and oiled your good to go.
Dove soap, lye soap, urine, hot water, cold water, fancy dan’s super doper black powder magic solvent, wash off the residue clean and oil you will be fine. And your way of doing it is the best.... at least for you.

 

[smo]

There’s always more than one way too skin a cat....

 

[Juice Jaws]

Sorry, I didn't mean to stir up a hornets nest here. It was just an honest question. Even though I'm old doesn't mean I can't learn something from someone else. I know water works fine but it doesn't hurt to ask if something else would work better.

Ralph you are not stirring up a hornets nest, its just that some of us are still shell shock from the Battle of the Dawn.

 

[Eutycus]

Ralph, by all means ask away. There are plenty of guys here who very much like the sharing of knowledge on any aspect of muzzle loading or black powder shooting. Most here are not only loaded with experience and knowledge but are also a patient bunch with a great big sense of humor!

 

[Grenadier1758]

Thankfully Zonie declared a unilateral halt to the Battle of the Dawn in "General Muzzleloading".

Ralph, the real dust up was going on in the Dawn Dish Soap thread. Simple Green did get in a lick or two on that thread. Nothing will be covered in this thread that wasn't covered elsewhere.

 

[Cruzatte]

I use a 50/50 mix of water and H2O.

Why sonofagun! So do I. Great minds think alike

 

[Stumpkiller]

I use about a pint of tap-hot water and 10 drops or so of Murphy's Oil Soap.

 

[tenngun]

I use warm water, so when I saw the dawn thread I didn’t follow it. Had to look it up after reading of the dawn wars . Guys it’s soap.... no where near as important as plain ticking vs striped ticking.