REMOVE FLINT TO CLEAN?

How do you clean the flint? do you remove it while cleaning the lock or leave in the lock while cleaning the lock.? friend and I discuss this every time we clean our guns,one does it in.. the other out...which do you do..and why? thanks RC

RC said:

How do you clean the flint? do you remove it while cleaning the lock or leave in the lock while cleaning the lock.? friend and I discuss this every time we clean our guns,one does it in.. the other out...which do you do..and why? thanks RC

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If you mean clean it with an alcohol rag DURING a range session I just do it in the lock...only requires a few wipes back and forth;

If you mean cleaning it AFTER you're finished shooting and you're cleaning the entire rifle, then I absolutely think they should be cleaned out of the lock.

I remove the top jaw, screw, flint and leather to clean them all...then clean & lube the lock...then reinstall the top jaw, screw, flint and a fresh dry flint leather...(let the damp one dry out all week for reuse next time.)

I don't believe in putting up any muzzleloader knowing that it has even a trace of fouling left on it...

During a shooting session, I find that I can usually just wipe the flint clean of fouling and it will still spark just fine.

Now, when I take my gun home, of course, I take the lock out, take out the flint and my leather wrap and just chuck em all into my very HOT soapy bucket of water. Flint doesn't even need to be scrubbed and it's ready to replace within the jaws and set straight and ready for the next time I go to the range. :thumbsup:

:rotf: does anyone ever clean a flint?????

Sometimes I wipe my flint and frizzen down with spit and then my hunting shirt. They don't last long enough to worry about anything else.

I leave it in. The only reason I remove the lock after every shoooting session is that it's easier to clean the pan and frizzen area with the lock out. I usually wipe the lower jaw with a damp cleaning patch and sometimes put a drop of oil on the cock threads. Unless the lock looks kinda grundgy that's about all the cleaning I do. Once or twice a year or when needed I'll clean the lock with warm water and a toothbrush, oil etc.

I remove the lock from the gun, leave the flint in, was then dry then lube the metal parts. I've never seen any rust.

I have learned to ALWAYS take the flint out when cleaning my gun... not that the flint needs more than just wiping off occasionally to function, but it keeps me from ripping my hand open (again... :shake: ) on the edge and corners! :cursing:

M

If the flint doesn't have to many shots on it, I pull the lock and throw the whole thing in my pail of hot water. when the barrel's done,so is the lock & flint- pull it out, dry & oil,then replace lock.just don't get oil on the flint.

Once I have the flint positioned just the right way I leave that sucker right where it is until it needs replaced. When I clean my lock I just use a damp toothbrush to clean what I can from around the flint. After all is cleaned and dried I'm always sure to oil things up I make sure to wipe my oil cloth on the flint leather so it doesn't get too hard or transfer much much moisture to the jaws. I haven't found any underlying rust when I do finally change flints. I used to remove the flint for each cleaning but not for a few years now. Everyone's got their own way of doing things :hatsoff:

I remove the flint when its worn out! Otherwise it's there to stay for the duration. No rust problems or any other that I have found. Course I live in the dry west, but even when I have been back east shooting I haven't found a need to remove it when cleaning.

Othern

I dunk my whole lock in water without removing the flint. I keep checking for rust under the leather but haven't seen any. I just let the flint in while cleaning. I personally have not seen any evidence yet as to why it needs to be removed while cleaning.

Ron

I remove the flint each and every time that I replace the flint.
Other than wiping it off, the only time I touch it might be to move it forward as it shortens over many shots.
I clean the flint with the lock, but don't remove it to do so. Never had any problems doing so.
Jack