Cleaning a flintlock?

[PghDad]

Warm water with a drop of soap. I plug the touchhole with a toothpick, then fill the bore with water. Put my thumb over the muzzle to hold the water in for 30 seconds or so. Pour out water and repeat. Wipe it clean, then give it a shot of WD40 to make sure all water is out of the breech. Wipe clean, then oil with gun oil. Never have a problem with rust.

Just a tip, I use those blue, shop-grade paper towels for a cleaning patch. Much cheaper than cloth patches. But I do use a cloth patch to oil the bore.

 

[stephenprops1]

Do you guys use solvents or the good old hot water soap method for cleaning flintlocks? I have a 54 cal flint Renagade that I want to shoot for the first time. This gun is like new so I want to clean it right. I plan on fffg for the pan and ffg for the load with a patch and ball.

I have tried many things. Soap and water are my standby. I have also mixed my own concoction. It consists of Auto Windshield Washing Fluid, Alcohol, Ballistol and a few drops of Dish Washing Soap. It works for me. If I buy commercial stuff I have learned that Birchwood Casey makes a great black powder cleaning fluid. It is colored pink and it works very well.

 

[kyron4]

Plain warm water works great but also Hoppes Black Powder cleaner works well to for a quick cleaning if I'll be shooting again the next day or so.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

cleaned my barrel with water when it was brand new, and have never used it again.
I use No. 13 bore cleaner, and lots of dry patches to get it dry.
Then I coat a patch with Bore butter, and slide it down. Its worked since 2005 when it was new.

Oil is the dumbest thing you can leave in your barrel. It makes sludge when it comes in contact with black powder.

Maybe why I can shoot 75-80 shots, never wipe nor have a hard time sliding the rod down the barrel.

 

[Terrier]

I don't get it with the Ballistol... That's the nastiest smelling lube I've ever smelled. I found myself without any oil at the end of our last club shoot and borrowed a sploosh of what was Ballistol from one of the guys. While I appreciated the gift of the lube, I had to drive home with the windows open for the hour trip, then clean the gun again when I got home to get rid of the stench. Wheeeew! Never again. I'll let 'er rust before I use that stuff.

 

[tenngun]

Same here. My firearms has no time to rust.

Just to save you from having to brag on yourself you have a great you tube video on gun cleaning OP should watch

 

[tenngun]

cleaned my barrel with water when it was brand new, and have never used it again.
I use No. 13 bore cleaner, and lots of dry patches to get it dry.
Then I coat a patch with Bore butter, and slide it down. Its worked since 2005 when it was new.

Oil is the dumbest thing you can leave in your barrel. It makes sludge when it comes in contact with black powder.

Maybe why I can shoot 75-80 shots, never wipe nor have a hard time sliding the rod down the barrel.

Living proof that there are many ways to do the job right

 

[Indy Durtdigger]

I don't get it with the Ballistol... That's the nastiest smelling lube I've ever smelled. I found myself without any oil at the end of our last club shoot and borrowed a sploosh of what was Ballistol from one of the guys. While I appreciated the gift of the lube, I had to drive home with the windows open for the hour trip, then clean the gun again when I got home to get rid of the stench. Wheeeew! Never again. I'll let 'er rust before I use that stuff.

I think it smells like licorice. Not a fav by any stretch of the means but readily available locally and water soluble so I use it. Can you believe that with as strong smelling as it is and as long as it lasts that that was once the weapons cleaner and lube for a nation's entire military services?

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Don’t overthink it.

 

[oldwood]

For those with a pinned barrel , best to not remove the barrel from the stock. Couple times doing that , problems with the pins will cause trouble. Just remove the lock , put it under the warm water fawcet , and tooth brush it clean , dry with hair dryer , and replace the lubricant. The bore , hot tap water , and patches until it starts to look clean , squirt some WD 40 in the bore and more patches. Put the lock back on. Once bore is clean , stand the gun muzzle down , so any gook runs foreward , wipe next day and clean rifle results.

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

Just to save you from having to brag on yourself you have a great you tube video on gun cleaning OP should watch

This thread will have 100's of different ways to clean a gun.
One needs to figure out what works for them and stick with it.
This is one I put together years ago..
The main difference I do now is....
I quit using Bore Butter since then..switching to fresh 10W-30 motor oil as lubricant.
I still use this method:

 

[French Colonial]

I think it smells like licorice. Not a fav by any stretch of the means but readily available locally and water soluble so I use it. Can you believe that with as strong smelling as it is and as long as it lasts that that was once the weapons cleaner and lube for a nation's entire military services?

I love the guys who complain about the smell of Ballistol, the only thing I can think is that they are city boys.

Go live on a farm for a summer and clean out stalls, chicken coops and find the dead animals that have wandered off and died in the woods and have been there for a few weeks in summer.........Oh, and the outhouse that we all had back in the day.
City boys do not know what stink is.

 

[Terrier]

I love the guys who complain about the smell of Ballistol, the only thing I can think is that they are city boys.

Go live on a farm for a summer and clean out stalls, chicken coops and find the dead animals that have wandered off and died in the woods and have been there for a few weeks in summer.........Oh, and the outhouse that we all had back in the day.
City boys do not know what stink is.

Been there, done all that, and threw away the T-shirt due to the stench.

I may not be a bumpkin, but I sure ain’t no city boy.

 

[Juice Jaws]

Do you guys use solvents or the good old hot water soap method for cleaning flintlocks? I have a 54 cal flint Renagade that I want to shoot for the first time. This gun is like new so I want to clean it right. I plan on fffg for the pan and ffg for the load with a patch and ball.

I clean mine just like Daniel Boone did, soap and water.

 

[hanshi]

I clean with cold tap water and maybe, or maybe not, with a drop of Dawn.

 

[Mad L]

Do you guys use solvents or the good old hot water soap method for cleaning flintlocks? I have a 54 cal flint Renagade that I want to shoot for the first time. This gun is like new so I want to clean it right. I plan on fffg for the pan and ffg for the load with a patch and ball.

Well, you have been a member here two years longer then I, but from what I have gathered from all the threads on this topic, from shooters all across the country and around the world; All are correct and All are wrong.

It seems to boil down to:
WHERE do you live (climate).
HOW do you shoot (a lot, a little, hunt only, competitive, just plink..)
and of course, but you have answered, WHAT you shoot (type/make and what powder).

For ME; from the west coast (beaches) to the arid high desert, I have tried all the Voodoo and Whoodoo.
I have settled on:
Plain Water (not hot)
Any good brand BP cleaner
Alcohol
Ballistol (because it angers some)
Finish with light coat of quality oil (even good ol' Bear Oil)

But don't listen to me for I have Never had rust, I have Never had oil migrate into places you don't want it, I clean at the kitchen table (I don't have a yard and hose), and I store my rifles.....Muzzle UP

But I store pistols on a rack with muzzle slightly tilted down.

Also note: I do Not use brass brushes, those are for Unmentionables and are designed to run down the barrel in the direction ammo runs (my name is not Elmer Fudd).

 

[Mad L]

I clean mine just like Daniel Boone did, soap and water.

Do you make your own Lye soap??

 

[bkct]

Thanks for all the replies. I have a 54 Cal TC Renagade Flint that I have never fired. Going to try it out this week with patch and ball and my go hunting with it. I also have a few other TC's that are percussion and have killed a few with my 54 Cal Renagade percussion. Was thinking the flint area and flash pan is a whole new thing.

 

[Mad L]

Thanks for all the replies. I have a 54 Cal TC Renagade Flint that I have never fired. Going to try it out this week with patch and ball and my go hunting with it. I also have a few other TC's that are percussion and have killed a few with my 54 Cal Renagade percussion. Was thinking the flint area and flash pan is a whole new thing.

Flint and pan are basically the only difference.
Percussion you unscrew nipple, clean, lube and replace.
Flint you clean basically same as the barrel, avoid oil on the frizen, LIGHTY OIL and whipe dry.
* if in a humid area then perhaps hold off the last whipe until ready to use again.
**Avoid oil on frizen surface.

....did I mention avoiding oil on the frizen surface?

 

[Juice Jaws]

Do you make your own Lye soap??

Yes