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Cleaning a "Patent Breech"

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UndeadPoet said:
My only problem with the boiling (or really hot) water, is how quickly the barrel can/will flash rust. The first time I did it, it scared the bejeepers out of me, but I got it cleaned up. I’m a little “gun-shy” (no pun intended) now. How do you avoid the flash rusting?
Click to expand...

I'm going to wager that you live where you get treated city water and that is what you heat up and then see flash rust when you clean.
I have city water and always have seen flash rust if I heated it at all. Anywhere from slightly warm to piping hot = flash rust. Room temp or cold, no flash rust. I find that tepid to cold water cleans just fine, but hot water is nice for how quickly it evaporates and dries in the barrel. I also like hot for dissolving animal fat based lubes I use.

Lots of other folks here have commented about cleaning and using hot water, some saying they always get flash rust and some saying they never do. The ones that I asked that did get flash rust were all using city water, and the ones that didn't get flash rust were on well water. I didn't ask a ton of folks, but enough to form a theory. Specifically, I think it is the chlorine that is added to city water that causes flash rust when it is heated.
Next time you shoot, try heating up some distilled water to use, rather than water from your tap. Bet you don't get any flash rust. I haven't had flash rust since I started using distilled water.
 
renegadehunter said:
I'm going to wager that you live where you get treated city water and that is what you heat up and then see flash rust when you clean.
I have city water and always have seen flash rust if I heated it at all. Anywhere from slightly warm to piping hot = flash rust. Room temp or cold, no flash rust. I find that tepid to cold water cleans just fine, but hot water is nice for how quickly it evaporates and dries in the barrel. I also like hot for dissolving animal fat based lubes I use.

Lots of other folks here have commented about cleaning and using hot water, some saying they always get flash rust and some saying they never do. The ones that I asked that did get flash rust were all using city water, and the ones that didn't get flash rust were on well water. I didn't ask a ton of folks, but enough to form a theory. Specifically, I think it is the chlorine that is added to city water that causes flash rust when it is heated.
Next time you shoot, try heating up some distilled water to use, rather than water from your tap. Bet you don't get any flash rust. I haven't had flash rust since I started using distilled water.
Click to expand...
Yes. City water. I may have to try the distilled route, as well. Thanks!
 
I am presently re reading Ned Roberts book The Muzzle Loading Caplock Rifle , it it he says after using boiling water do not let the barrel get cold before lubing it , do it while it is still warm . Whether this will make a difference with water I don't know .
 
Shotgun bore mops do a great job getting down in a patient breech. I use a 410 mop on TC guns. They clean all of the surfaces with no chance of getting stuck like a brush can. As a side benefit, they can be washed out and reused.

Ironhand
 
DuncNZ said:
I am presently re reading Ned Roberts book The Muzzle Loading Caplock Rifle , it it he says after using boiling water do not let the barrel get cold before lubing it , do it while it is still warm . Whether this will make a difference with water I don't know .
Click to expand...
The barrel wasn’t cooled off yet when the flash rusting began. It is crazy how quick it is. You are done with the water, you turn around to pick something up, you turn back around, and voila! Rusted. Spooky fast. 🧐
 
DuncNZ said:
I am presently re reading Ned Roberts book The Muzzle Loading Caplock Rifle , it it he says after using boiling water do not let the barrel get cold before lubing it , do it while it is still warm . Whether this will make a difference with water I don't know .
Click to expand...
I doubt that Ned used city water processed with chlorine to clean his rifles.
 
Reguardless of the rifle, I always take the barrel off for cleaning. I put the breech in a bucket of tepid soapy water, and I start pumping the water in the barrel, in and out with a patch and jag combo. This cleans the patent breech real good.
 

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