• This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.



    Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades

Cleaning mix?

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
I have been shooting my muzzleloaders, flintlock rifles, flintlock pistols, shotgun, Zouave, and BP Cartridge for about 44 years. The gentleman I started shooting with and learned a lot from gave me some cleaner in a plastic bottle with the ingredients written on the bottle. I have been using it since. He would take a one gallon jug, empty, add 1 cup of Water Soluble Cutting oil like they use in lathes and band saws, 1 cup cup 409 cleaner, (he also said when he couldn't get 409, he would use Murphys Soap), 1 cup of Ammonia, and top it off with water. Shake well before use.
I also use this same cleaner for patch lube with shooting competition. He called it Moose Milk.
I have never had a muzzleloader rust. After cleaning I use Break Free in black bottle for barrel, lock and stocks. It is a synthetic type lube.
I use it on all my guns, modern and primitive.
Mike
 
I've used Simple Green to clean my cap & ball pistols a couple of times and for them, it does seem to have a bit of an advantage over just soap and water.

Simple Green is a strong detergent so it will easily wash off the grease I put over the balls in the chamber's mouths that gets blasted all over the frame and the back of the barrel. It also does a number on the arbor grease that has become fouled while I was shooting.

That said, for cleaning a rifle I don't think it has any advantage over just a little DAWN and a bucket of water. :D:D:cool:

(Gotta love that!!!!! "The Battle of the DAWN". Boo,ha,ha,ha,ha! )
 
I've used Simple Green to clean my cap & ball pistols a couple of times and for them, it does seem to have a bit of an advantage over just soap and water.

Simple Green is a strong detergent so it will easily wash off the grease I put over the balls in the chamber's mouths that gets blasted all over the frame and the back of the barrel. It also does a number on the arbor grease that has become fouled while I was shooting.

That said, for cleaning a rifle I don't think it has any advantage over just a little DAWN and a bucket of water. :D:D:cool:

(Gotta love that!!!!! "The Battle of the DAWN". Boo,ha,ha,ha,ha! )
yep works pretty good and she won't talk back to ya!!
 
Simple green in the concentrated form is extremely strong. I work at a place that makes seats for Honda, we use the stuff all the time to clean up greasy fabric or whatever gets on the seats during production. I use it from time to time and yes it is about the strongest cleaning detergent that I know of. That being said, it is costly. So weigh it all up and decide for yourself. I’m all for a great cleaner, as long as it’s not too expensive. I make my own concoction, 1 part Murphy’s oil soap, 1 part denatured alcohol and 1 part ammonia. It works like a champ and doesn’t break the bank to make it. Yes water works great too...there are many ways/concoctions to clean your muzzle loader, sometimes it’s cool to experiment and try new things. I’d be intersted in knowing your results to compare with mine.
 
"I was gonnna mention you may try pouring your canteen down the barrel, but with some of you that might not be water."

But our water dries faster
Guilty! When young I got hold of home made wine and never got so sick in my life. I suppose it would have been a good solvent or penetrating oil!!!!
 
Simple Green and a Scotchbrite pad make short work of stripping oil-finished gun stocks, BTW. Rinse off with a hose and hang up and let dry for several days before applying new finish.
=======================================================
Simple green in the concentrated form is extremely strong. I work at a place that makes seats for Honda, we use the stuff all the time to clean up greasy fabric or whatever gets on the seats during production. I use it from time to time and yes it is about the strongest cleaning detergent that I know of. That being said, it is costly. So weigh it all up and decide for yourself. I’m all for a great cleaner, as long as it’s not too expensive. I make my own concoction, 1 part Murphy’s oil soap, 1 part denatured alcohol and 1 part ammonia. It works like a champ and doesn’t break the bank to make it. Yes water works great too...there are many ways/concoctions to clean your muzzle loader, sometimes it’s cool to experiment and try new things. I’d be intersted in knowing your results to compare with mine.[/QUOTE
 
For stripping stocks, I use Easy Off oven cleaner (fume free). Pulls out oil, and cleans without removing wood. Hang stock (wood only), spray on,15 minutes later, wash off. I wipe down with vinegar just to be sure everything is neutralized. A second coat might be needed.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top