Breach Plug Sraper

[Mike Suri]

Breach Plug Scraper ! Yes I use one on a .54 Flintlock as well as a .62 Fowler. Both seem to develop a whole lot of crud down there.
But were these handy little devices used at all during the 18th C.? And if not what was used if anything ? Any thoughts ??

 

[bpd303]

In 50+ years I have never used a breech plug scraper. If the bore is properly cleaned with plenty of water and a little soap, there will never be crud at the breech plug. I have verified that many times while pulling the plug while working on my guns.

 

[Flint311]

I've never used one either. A proper cleaning seems to work the same. When I can see the bright breech plug face down the bore, it's clean.

PS-I've polished the breech plug face (prior to last install), it shines like a mirror to help see when it's clean.

 

[Zonie]

My books showing the accouterments for the US Rifled Muskets does not show any sort of breech plug scraper so I assume they did not exist.

The typical steel ramrod which often had an enlarged end on it had a slot going thru that end.

The slot was for inserting a cleaning patch or tow for cleaning the bore.

If a cleaning patch was inserted thru this slot it would be easy to fold some of it over the end of the rod. Once done, ramming the rod down until the patch hit the face of the breech plug and then spinning the rod would wipe the breech plug face.

They did have a patch worm with two twisted points for removing any cleaning patches that might have been left in the bore after cleaning.
This worm could be attached to the small end of the ramrod.

 

[buzz]

in my thoughts a modern day thingies to sell or might be inline doohicky
???
Seen them but after i clean my gun regularly my bore light show a nice shiney breech and so i never thought i need one them

 

[bpd303]

That patch worm is also excellent for catching a bit of tow or a patch and cleaning the breech plug. For a patent breech a 22 caliber brush with a patch wrapped around will clean any fouling from the chamber.

 

[Mike Suri]

Thanks to all of your thoughts. I used water (cold) poured down the bore and let it sit a while and there was no need for a breach plug scraper. Cleaned up real good! Who needs all the fancy modern stuff ! I then lubed the bore with bear oil. All good. Thanks for the comments.

 

[BrownBear]

A guy stays on top of it and does a great job of cleaning with patches and water, no need. But let any buildup sit down there and it grows fast.

I ALWAYS use one on used guns when I get them home. Amazing how much crud you'll find there, especially with flat breeches. If the previous owner was using subs, it's going to come out in chunks looking like shiny black coal. No amount of water and patches would ever get it.

Found it in a couple of patented breeches too. I "reshape" the scrapers to fit patent breeches.

Dunno and don't care when they were invented. I know they predate inlines, but that doesn't matter to me either. A useful tool when you need it is still a useful tool.

 

[Oudoceus]

I've always had one. I used it more of a tester to see if my gun was clean. After cleaning I would use it and it always came back clean. Once I got confident in my cleaning ritual I quit using it. I still keep it, just in case. :grin:

 

[Billnpatti]

I am far from being an authority on what was done in days of yore but I do not remember ever seeing a breach scraper in any of the gun displays. The thing that I have seen is the tow worm and I believe that was the main, if not the only, cleaning attachment use back "in the day".

I have several different calibers of breach plug scrapers and occasionally, I will use one to make sure that there is no crud on my breach plug. I have never found anything. No build-up of any kind. I wouldn't say that they are a useless item because, even though I have never found any crud with them, I'm glad I have them.....just in case. But, I think they are a relatively recent development and I would be hard pressed to say that they fall into the category of an essential item. But, like I say, I'm glad I have them.......just in case.

 

[buzz]

Well i buy a used gun i use coarse steel wool
And send a bunch down and a wormto spin it always gets it clean

 

[Bob J]

I use a breech scraper. By removing some crud in just a few seconds, it cuts down on the number of patches needed to get clean.

 

[Mike Suri]

I do agree !

 

[Snakebite]

I use a breech scraper. By removing some crud in just a few seconds, it cuts down on the number of patches needed to get clean.

I use one too. I squirt some black solve down the bore let it sit a little, tilt my gun up and down to let the solvent run up and down the barrel then use the scraper on the softened fouling. It gets a lot of the crud out. I think it just makes cleaning a little quicker for me.

 

[hanshi]

Yes, I use them but find the breech face is often not caked up with fouling. Good insurance and it does help lessen cleaning muscle.

I have found the best use for scrapers is to push down a wet patch and use the scraper to turn it several times. This way it cleans the "hidden" area between the bore and breech face right at the threads.

 

[Bob J]

Yes, I use them but find the breech face is often not caked up with fouling. Good insurance and it does help lessen cleaning muscle.

I have found the best use for scrapers is to push down a wet patch and use the scraper to turn it several times. This way it cleans the "hidden" area between the bore and breech face right at the threads.

Going to give that a try, hanshi! I always push down a Ballistol patch, put a second on a patch-puller, and "twirl" them against the breech face to leave some ballistol on the breech face as a last step in cleaning.

 

[thecapgunkid]

"Found it in a couple of patented breeches too. I "reshape" the scrapers to fit patent breeches." Ditto

For some reason, Pedersoli has a convex breech in my Jager, and other forum guys helped convince me that their breech is designed acey deucy so it is interchangeable with percussion. The vent is flush, but it appears to intersect the breechplug. Taking a look at some spare parts it's obvious that its threads are identical to the percussion drum they sell.

I ground both a scraper and jagto convex faces and was quite surprised at what I pulled out of there when I swabbed the barrel out-of-box.

Next step is to take it to a riflemaker and find out whether I am stuck with this arrangement and have to keep the new rod tips or something can be done about the breech.

I customized the Jager to my own taste, will probably post separately on how it turned out, am pleased enough with the gun to use it once in a while, but won't buy a factory gun again.

I've never seen an 18th Century scraper, and the commments above are pretty dead on about cleaning procedures. I can't wait to polish the face of the breech plug to see how well that works...