Why is this 32 crockett so difficult to clean?

jdw276 · Jul 31, 2021

Bore diameter?
Patch grabbing, range rod stickin, Breech?

I can clean any rifle i got in 10 minutes or so. Both full stock and half stock styles. But this crockett with that patch grabbing, ramrod stickin breech makes me take 45 minutes or more and i do not know if i got it clean to prevent that red stuff from showing up. I am afraid of that breech for one big thing. Getting my range rod stuck is not on my bucket list to do more than the last 4 times.

I do not even feel comfortable swabbing at the range from that range rod grabbing breech. I have seen a ramrod go down range but would like to avoid my range rod following it down range.

You guys got any tricks or do i have to get over my fear of the patch grabbiin breech......

Historian · Jul 31, 2021

Sir, Honestly,
I would send the barrel to Bobby Hoyt and have him pull the breech and remove any burrs in the barrel and breech. I owned a Pedersoli 32 and had no problems swabbing the bore at the range with a range rod and cleaning was real easy. Sounds like you have serious burr issues and the Crockett 32's are known to have some issues. Good news is once you have the rough areas removed you will have a great shooting rifle. I happen to love the .32's. Good luck to you sir.

mooman76 · Jul 31, 2021

I don't have a crocket but I do have several 32's. The cleaning rod sticks a little but only because the small bore. maybe you need a slightly smaller cleaning rod. You might get a bore scope so you can see what is going on down there. If I remember correct, the crocket has a patient breech. It may be the problem.

Historian · Jul 31, 2021

Yes as the gentleman above also mentions you might need a smaller rod diameter. I used a .25 rod for mine and never had issues. Good luck.

SDSmlf · Jul 31, 2021

A borescope would tell you what is going on in the bore, maybe you know someone who has one, or possibly consider purchasing one. Without a borescope and not knowing what exactly the issue is, you could try a small piece Scotch Brite on a jag on the end of a solid range rod (suggest NOT) using your ramrod) to try and clean things up. Just make you have a patch puller and access to a compressor before you start. Good chance you’ll lose the piece of Scotch Brite in the bore, particularly if you are not prepared to get it out. I also agree with others that a smaller diameter range rod is appropriate. I use 1/4” diameter one for my 32 caliber guns.

jdw276 · Jul 31, 2021

SDSmlf said:
A borescope would tell you what is going on in the bore, maybe you know someone who has one, or possibly consider purchasing one. Without a borescope and not knowing what exactly the issue is, you could try a small piece Scotch Brite on a jag on the end of a solid range rod (suggest NOT) using your ramrod) to try and clean things up. Just make you have a patch puller and access to a compressor before you start. Good chance you’ll lose the piece of Scotch Brite in the bore, particularly if you are not prepared to get it out. I also agree with others that a smaller diameter range rod is appropriate. I use 1/4” diameter one for my 32 caliber guns.

I am using a .25 range rod. I believe the powder drum has a square, larger than bore opening that connects to the barrel. So when i shove the ramrod to the breech face to clean, upon pulling the ramrod out, the patch bunches up in the larger powder drum area and catches on the barrel face where it meets the breech. Then it is brute force to pull it out. My only thought solution is open the barrel at the breech to equal the powder drum. That entails pulling the breech. Am i correct that the crocket does NOT have the patent breech that everyone fears? I have borescope. Hope it is small enough to go down the .32 barrel. I have owned this rifle for years but am getting fed up with the difficulty of cleaning and range swabbing with the range rod jamming up somewhere at the breech. This has been discussed on here in the past. Will do a search as well.

Gtrubicon · Jul 31, 2021

I’m interested in this topic as well. I noticed the same thing when cleaning my new to me CVA mountain rifle earlier this week. I’m actually getting ready to shoot it for the first time today. I got the ramrod and wet patch stuck 3 times while cleaning it.

SDSmlf · Jul 31, 2021

I do not know what the breech of the Crocket looks like, but here is something Zonie has posted many times showing what the CVA style Ardesa breech plug and drum look like. Thought is Ardesa uses the same design for the Traditions guns that they manufacture. If the same on the Crocket, there doesn’t appear to be the rag catcher you are describing. Hopefully the borescope tells the story.

Ironoxide · Jul 31, 2021

I second the bore scope idea, just to see what is going on.

Regarding jag tightness I pretty much never use the corect caliber jags with any of my muzzleloaders. Specially when using a wooden ramrod. I have a lathe to turn them down slightly. If I didn't I would chuck a jag in an electric drill and use a file to make it slightly undersized. With my 58 cal I even use a 54 jag (swabbing patches are folded for a slightly thicker fit).

If you decide you really want to polish the bore, I recently used 0000 steel wool wrapped around a worm. The ramrod chucked in an electric drill. It worked fine for me. I'm not sure that is the best way, but it worked fine for me.

Grimord · Jul 31, 2021

I suggest a smaller diameter range rod and a smaller jag. I use a .30 caliber jag in my .32's so I can get into the patent breech to clean it. Losing a patch in the bore is no big deal. generally a cap will blow it out or you can use a patch puller. getting a jag or rod stuck is a big deal, that is why I suggest a smaller diameter range rod and jag. BTW, I do not think Bobby Hoyt will work on a traditions breech plug due to how they are bored.

Gtrubicon · Jul 31, 2021

What would be your thoughts on using a .40 jag on a .45 rifle?

gary peacemaker · Jul 31, 2021

I have a Crockett that I built from a kit. I ordered from frontier muzzleloading a bottle of shoot out and some of there patch lube. After about 30 yards I was loading very easily. I shot maybe 50 rounds that day with shoot out only.That was three years ago today when I go to the range I get maybe 30 rounds before I have to swa that was three years ago today when I go to the range I get maybe 30 rounds before I have to swabb The board. After cleaning my barrel looks like a mirror.

1sgt · Jul 31, 2021

I have three .32 rifles. Fun to shoot but finicky when cleaning. A damp patch on a longer jag (more rings) works best for me . A dry small patch seems more likely to catch at the bottom. I shoot with moose milk patch lube and clean with the same moose milk. I always have the patch puller handy. I will be shooting my .32 TC Hawken with green mountain barrel tomorrow. Offhand at 25 yards.

Ironoxide · Aug 1, 2021

Gtrubicon said:
What would be your thoughts on using a .40 jag on a .45 rifle?

I would use it with the cleaning patch folded twice depending on thickness. There is always a little risk the patch will stay down, but it is a lot easier to pull a patch that slipped off the jag down the bore rather than a whole ramrod properly stuck.

I suggest to have a ball puller for the caliber handy. It takes a second to pull a patch out with a ball puller.

BTW, I never had any luck blowing a stuck patch out with just a cap. Perhaps it depends on the caps, the shape of the nipple etc.

In the past when I had a stubborn patch that slipped off the jag at the very bottom and I had no ball puller I removed the nipple. I put a small pinch of powder in the hole. Tapped on the barrel so it gets through the flash channel to the breach. I blowed some air at the threads to remove powder stuck to them. I screwed in the nipple and I fired the patch away.

jdw276 · Aug 1, 2021

Ok guys, bore scope s showing like three rings. Furthest in is the clean out port screw area. Measured with my range rod, no patch, it goes to about .25" of the breech plug seam on the barrel. So what have i learned? Well i cannot clean a gun very well says the bore scope. Use a smaller jag, be more gentele shoving the range rod down the barrel are a couple of things. But i do not think this is solving my problem of confidence in swabbing and cleaning. So i do not think this is a patten breech. It is more like a TC. So i am thinking pull the breech plug and do a better, more through review, smoothing, cleaning. Other suggestions? Go for it?

Grimord · Aug 1, 2021

Traditions does not recommend pulling their breech plugs due to the way they are fitted to the barrel. If you do pull it, you may not be able to get it re-aligned.

jdw276 · Aug 1, 2021

Grimord said:
I suggest a smaller diameter range rod and a smaller jag. I use a .30 caliber jag in my .32's so I can get into the patent breech to clean it. Losing a patch in the bore is no big deal. generally a cap will blow it out or you can use a patch puller. getting a jag or rod stuck is a big deal, that is why I suggest a smaller diameter range rod and jag. BTW, I do not think Bobby Hoyt will work on a traditions breech plug due to how they are bored.

I agree, losing a patch in the bore no big deal at all. Happens frequently to me. Stuck ramrod is a whole nother level of uh oh.....

gvandersluis · Aug 1, 2021

jdw276 said:
Bore diameter?
Patch grabbing, range rod stickin, Breech?

I can clean any rifle i got in 10 minutes or so. Both full stock and half stock styles. But this crockett with that patch grabbing, ramrod stickin breech makes me take 45 minutes or more and i do not know if i got it clean to prevent that red stuff from showing up. I am afraid of that breech for one big thing. Getting my range rod stuck is not on my bucket list to do more than the last 4 times.

I do not even feel comfortable swabbing at the range from that range rod grabbing breech. I have seen a ramrod go down range but would like to avoid my range rod following it down range.

You guys got any tricks or do i have to get over my fear of the patch grabbiin breech......

mooman76 · Aug 1, 2021

What about using a small brush like a 22 cal to clean the breech area? I wrap a patch around a smaller brush when I clean.

gvandersluis · Aug 1, 2021

The end of my range rod has a flat slightly concave end, great for ramming a patched ball the tip on my ramrod is slightly rounded. Both will grab and hold a cleaning patch but the edges of the range rod if I use it with a cleaning patch will jam in the bottom half inch of the breech and is very hard to withdraw. For that reason I only use the supplied ramrod for cleaning

Why is this 32 crockett so difficult to clean?

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

40 Cal.

20 ga. Flintlock SXS

69 Cal.

20 ga. Flintlock SXS

Cannon

40 Cal.

45 Cal.

Cannon

40 Cal

Fyrstyk

45 Cal.

32 Cal.

40 Cal.

40 Cal

40 Cal.

Fyrstyk

40 Cal.

40 Cal

69 Cal.

40 Cal

Similar threads

Join the conversation!

Join today and get all the highlights of this community direct to your inbox. It's FREE!