Boiling locks and trigger mechanisms

I think this belongs here, but maybe not. Anyhow, I heard that it is a good practice to now and then boil the lock and triger mechanism in tap water to deep clean all the muck out and destroy any salts that may be hiding in places ytou just can't get at. Well, after having put a few hundread rounds through my rifle over the past while, I did the boiling thing this evening. I boiled the items after cleaning them with hot soapy water and a toothbrush - which is my normal cleaning routine. I was suprized to see a ring of black greasy residue at the water line. Does anyone else boil these parts or am I going ovderboard?

 

[k.jacobfrost]

Well I can't really say either way, but a while back there was a short discussion about boiling pistols to clean them. Here is the LINK.

Frost

 

[Flintandsteel]

Deacon,

First question.... why??

In the process of cleaning away any unwanted dirt, you're also cleaning away any desired lubrication that is imbedded in the metal as well.

Look out for rust!!!

If you are doing a good job cleaning, you just don't need to do this.

 

[ss1]

If you can access to a ultrasinic cleaning maching , it works best.

 

[bob1961]

what bout brake cleaner, then reoil :v .........bob

 

Well, Good question. let me try to respond: First, to get out all the corrosive material that black powder residue deposits in all them little places in the lock (between leaf springs for example). Second - we (I anyhow) use hot water and soap to clean the barrel and chamber, - so why not boiling water on the lock? Like I said - I had already cleaned the lock mbut the boiling water realy got the gunk out.

 

[Many Klatch]

I don't boil out the lock, but occasionally I will run the tap water as hot as I can get on the lock. It really cleans the lock out quickly. After that I oil the heck out of the lock.

You may want to disassemble your lock a little more often to make sure that the fly and other fiddly-bits don't rust up.

I don't know if actually boiling the lock in a pot of water is a good idea, I think I'd start worrying about annealing the frizzen or something.

Many Klatch

 

[dlocke]

I like to take the lock, either percsuction or flint, and scrub it with a toothbrush dunked in bore solvent (I make my own w/ alcohol, H peroxide, & Murphy's oil soap) and rinse it well under the tap, then dry it thoroughly w/ a hair dryer. The hair dryer gets the metal nice & warm so I oil it immediately therafter and the oil thins and spreads into all the nooks & crannies. Wipe of the excess & back in she goes.
DJL