cleaning a 50 cal thompson renegade project

[Elkeater]

What a shame that this rifle externally looks in good shape but it apparently was neglected by the former knuckle head owner. In this case my fiance's ex husband

Uh oh, may need an exorcism. Then get with Thompson Center, for free they will send an owner's manual.

 

[MSW]

congrats on your new (to you) rifle... plain warm (not hot) soapy water will do fine... there is (as you can see) much contention as to the adequacy and efficacy of brushes ... I use them, but that doesn't mean you have to if you find something that works better -- bottom line: go with what works for you and don't get too wrapped up in what others may say.

you will, as previously said, need 'real' black powder. the substitutes will not ignite reliably. as far as the best accessory available, check out Dutch Schoultz' method. here's a link:
http://blackpowderrifleaccuracy.com/

if you follow his instructions, Dutch guarantees that your groups will shrink.

once you get the rifle's favorite load dialed in, you'll be surprised at how accurate these guns really are.

good luck, and welcome to the hobby.

Make Good Smoke!

 

[Billnpatti]

You certainly don't need an expensive kit to clean your rifle. Track of The Wolf has everything you will need https://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Category.aspx/558 What you will need are a good solid rod. I don't like the jointed rods because they are prone to coming apart or breaking at one of the joints. A cleaning jag, a bullet pulling jag, a nipple wrench, some patching material (old T shirts work just fine), some dish soap, a container to put the soapy water in, and some elbow grease. I also use some WD-40 after cleaning and rinsing the bore just to get rid of the last traces of water. Finally some good oil such as a gun oil or some light machine oil such as 3 in 1. I never use a brush on my bore because a brush can get stuck and be a beast to get out.

Before you start any cleaning, check to be sure it is not loaded. Do this by putting your rod down the bore and marking it at the muzzle. Then remove it and lay it alongside the barrel to see if it reaches the breach. If it is short of the breach, there may be a load in the barrel. To remove a load, you will need a bullet pulling jag on your rod. It looks like a wood screw. Use a good bit of force to screw it into the ball in your bore and then get someone to help you hold the rifle while you pull on the rod. It isn't an easy task and may likely require several tries before you successfully get the ball out. Whatever you do, do not try to shoot it out because you do not know what the previous owner has loaded it with. He could have loaded it with modern smokeless powder and that will be like a pipe bomb.

To clean your barrel, remove it from the stock and remove the nipple. Put a bit of dish soap in your bucket and add some warm water. Put the breach end of the barrel into the bucket and start pumping a wet patch up and down in the bore to flush it with the soapy water. Do this until the water coming out of the nipple hole looks clean. Then remove the barrel from the bucket and rinse with clear water. Run several dry patches through the bore to dry it and then spray it with WD-40. Next, wipe out the WD-40 with some dry patches. Wipe the bore with a patch moistened with oil and you are done. Clean out the nipple and dry it. Put a dab of grease on the threads of the nipple and replace it. This procedure should have your bore nice and clean and ready for inspection. I don't think I have missed anything but if I have, one of the other folks on this forum will catch it and straighten you out on the procedure. Good luck, those Renegades are pretty darned good rifles.

 

[Kansas Jake]

Nice overview of cleaning and good advice on what stuff is needed.

 

[tom deinek]

Many of us learned about bp before the internet existed and did not have ready access to info.

There's no such thing as a dumb Q here. I learn new stuff all the time from this forum &I've had a bp rifle for decades.

 

[azmntman]

Many of us learned about bp before the internet existed and did not have ready access to info.

There's no such thing as a dumb Q here. I learn new stuff all the time from this forum &I've had a bp rifle for decades.

Gimme a minute :hmm:

:blah:

 

[Billnpatti]

Many of us learned about bp before the internet existed and did not have ready access to info.

There's no such thing as a dumb Q here. I learn new stuff all the time from this forum &I've had a bp rifle for decades.

Gimme a minute :hmm: :blah:

Oh, come on now. Does it really take you that long to come up with a dumb question? I can do it in a split New York second. :rotf:

 

[MSW]

I was working in a small (three attorney) law office in south central Pennsylvania. As the paralegal supervised by the lawyer who went to court, I got to do most of the "screening" and one call comes to mind...


Can you help me?

I hope so, what seems to be the problem?


Well, I'm calling from jail.
(this is never a good sign)


Well I'm sorry to hear that. Can you tell me how you got jammed up?


Well they arrested me after I shot that bear. [opening day was about two weeks off] and it was over bait [a big no-no then] and I was leaning over the hood of my truck to steady my aim [also very much frowned upon] on account of I'd been drinking [by now i'm looking for a graceful way to simply hang up the phone] and, well, I wasn't supposed to have that gun on account of felony drug thing. [groan] So, should I have signed that paper they gave me after they told me all about my rights?



yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, and yes, there are dumb questions.

 

[Scota4570]

If it is full of nasty rust, use Evapo-rust.

I just cleaned a percussion-rimfire Ballard that somebody shot and never cleaned. I soaked it overnight. The result was amazing. The rust was all gone. The base metal was not etched. The bore is now shootable.

IT is important to make sure it does not evaporate from the bore. I put plastic tape around the muzzle to make a little cup. Plug the nipple, then fill it up. Walk away. Later rinse and clean with steel wool.

 

[BruceL]

You certainly don't need an expensive kit to clean your rifle. Track of The Wolf has everything you will need https://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Category.aspx/558 What you will need are a good solid rod. I don't like the jointed rods because they are prone to coming apart or breaking at one of the joints. A cleaning jag, a bullet pulling jag, a nipple wrench, some patching material (old T shirts work just fine), some dish soap, a container to put the soapy water in, and some elbow grease. I also use some WD-40 after cleaning and rinsing the bore just to get rid of the last traces of water. Finally some good oil such as a gun oil or some light machine oil such as 3 in 1. I never use a brush on my bore because a brush can get stuck and be a beast to get out.

Before you start any cleaning, check to be sure it is not loaded. Do this by putting your rod down the bore and marking it at the muzzle. Then remove it and lay it alongside the barrel to see if it reaches the breach. If it is short of the breach, there may be a load in the barrel. To remove a load, you will need a bullet pulling jag on your rod. It looks like a wood screw. Use a good bit of force to screw it into the ball in your bore and then get someone to help you hold the rifle while you pull on the rod. It isn't an easy task and may likely require several tries before you successfully get the ball out. Whatever you do, do not try to shoot it out because you do not know what the previous owner has loaded it with. He could have loaded it with modern smokeless powder and that will be like a pipe bomb.

To clean your barrel, remove it from the stock and remove the nipple. Put a bit of dish soap in your bucket and add some warm water. Put the breach end of the barrel into the bucket and start pumping a wet patch up and down in the bore to flush it with the soapy water. Do this until the water coming out of the nipple hole looks clean. Then remove the barrel from the bucket and rinse with clear water. Run several dry patches through the bore to dry it and then spray it with WD-40. Next, wipe out the WD-40 with some dry patches. Wipe the bore with a patch moistened with oil and you are done. Clean out the nipple and dry it. Put a dab of grease on the threads of the nipple and replace it. This procedure should have your bore nice and clean and ready for inspection. I don't think I have missed anything but if I have, one of the other folks on this forum will catch it and straighten you out on the procedure. Good luck, those Renegades are pretty darned good rifles.

Thanks, Billnpatti, for the overview on cleaning and basic cleaning stuff needed. I'm a Newbee to black powder shooting and am building Jim Kibler's .50cal colonial rifle kit. I went to Track of Wolf to look at cleaning rods and jags.
There are 4 cleaning jags for .50 cal to fit either 3/8 rod or 7/16 rod with each size with either 8-32 thread or 10-32 thread.
Any thoughts on which rod or thread size you might suggest?
Also ball pullers come with brass collar or without. Suggestion on which one?
Thanks.

 

[selvinman]

Yep does good work! You can go either smooth or rifled!

 

[Mark Herman]

I prefer 3/8" rods with 10X32 threads and always use collared jags. The collar will keep the jag centered in the bore.

 

[irishtoo]

I was given this rifle and am not sure where to start.....if at all :shake: looking down the barrel I see some rust at the muzzle and black/grey dust stuff further down. Disconcerting that this rifle barrel is not open on both sides, yes I am VERY new to this. I guess 1st off I am looking for a cleaning kit that will not get stuck in the barrel? and a good solvent etc recommendation please?. I am also looking for instructions on cleaning the barrel. What a shame that this rifle externally looks in good shape but it apparently was neglected by the former knuckle head owner. In this case my fiance's ex husband

Good morning. Im working to clean up an old cva rifle with a bad bore. Fwiw save yourself time and frustration and maybe money, send that barrel to bobby holt and have him rebore it. My choice a .54 with a ball twist (1:66) and dont look back. If this cva had thicker walls thats what i would do. Mr holt does good work a skilled and honest man. Oh! Round bottom rifling. Best of luck. Irishtoo

 

[Grenadier1758]

I have heard that Bobby Hoyt doesn't rebore CVA barrels because of their method of boring the touch hole/drum through the breech plug. May be worth a call to find out.