Cleaning a GPR

[Haggis]

I would give real money to know the authentic method of clean a ML. Everything I read just entices me that much more.

"A gun is never allowed to be fired in camp under any provocation, short of an Indian raid; but the guns are frequently inspected, to see if they are in order; and woe to the careless camp-keeper who neglects this or any other duty. When the second man comes around, and finds a piece of work imperfectly done, whether it be cleaning the firearms, making a hair rope, or a skin lodge, or washing a horse's back, he does not threaten the offender with personal chastisement, but calls up another man and asks him,
"Can you do this properly ?"
"Yes, sir."
"I will give you ten dollars to do it;" and the ten dollars is set down to the account of the inefficient campkeeper. But he does not risk forfeiting another ten dollars in the same manner." Joe Meek, "River of the West"

 

[Spot Shooter]

Birddog, Rollin'b,

What oil's does you two use fer keep'n yer rifle stored?

I also like the idea of being able to remove the barrel easily, but don't have any idea how the wedges work just yet. However, I'll know pretty darn quick. I just order'd me a GPR! It's on the way!

Thanks fer all the great post's, I'm a traditional "Newbie", and am running in short supply of local front end load feller's. Everone's got in-lines, and uses what ever knight sells.

Keep the tip's commin' feller's - I'm putt'n away lot's of coffee re-read'n as not to loss the great info.

Spot

 

Spot
The onlyest thing I use in my riflegun bores is a "bear oil and bee"s wax" mix after wipe"n it dry with clean patchs
You might even try a liddle "dab" on the threads of yore nipple after clean"n it!

I even use this concoction for "lube" on my frizzen "toes" and for wipe"n down the outside of my muzzleguns

I"ll send ya some to try!!

 

[roundball]

I'm really lucky to have a gun cleaning area permanently set up in the garage with everything handy on pegboard next to a carpeted cleaning bench, air compressor on hand, etc.

Hooked breach Hawken barrels sit in a 5 gallon bucket of steaming hot water & dishwashing detergent for 20 minutes to heat up the barrel before pump flushing.

Use a rifle cleaning rod with a 30cal brush to get down into the patent breech tapered area, both with cleaning patches and with lubed patches.

I ALWAYS use a bore brush to prevent any possible buildup of anything in the bore, then pump flush with clean hot rinse water.

I patch dry and begin lubing the bore...use wooden coffee stir sticks to pack NL1000 in the grooves as far as I can reach, then lubed patches smeared with NL1000 using a putty knife.

About once a month or so I usually get in the mood to uncase, check, relube bores on my rifles and so far haven't had problems with this approach

 

[Birddog6]

Spot Shooter: I use Ballistol or Break Fre on lall of my guns. Used Break Free for years on the modern ones & found out about Ballistol about 5 yrs ago & been using it on all my ML's since. it dies a wonderful job.

I understand about your thoughts about removing the barrel & etc. I didn't that also for years & shot all halfstocks. Now I shoot mostly fullstocks & flintlocks but still clean them all the same way, in a cradle with a cleaning tube attachment.

Back someplace someone mentioned cleaning the lock. I remove mine & clean it every time I clean the gun. If you don't you will get debris & rust under the lock. Not a big deal either on most of them, just 2 screws & 2 minutes. Stick it under the sink & take a toothbrush & scrub it, wipe it dry & I take a lil screwdriver & a patch & get into all the cracks & corners, then I totally drench it with Ballistol & lay it asside & clean the rifle. Wipe the lock off & put it back on the gun.

 

[Darkhorse]

I have another little step I use which really seems to help. Whenever I do a thorough cleaning using "wet,liquid" water, hot or cold, as opposed to quick cleaning with a damp patch. I immediately turn the barrel upside down and drain the water and let it sit for a few minutes with the muzzle on a paper sack. Then after gravity has drained all the water out I will wipe it with dry patches to finish drying the metal.

 

[musketman]

Darkhorse:
I do that too...

It works great, and I found that the hotter the water, the better it is in the long run...

I like to heat up the barrel, so the hot barrel will aid in the evaporation of leftover water droplets...

 

[BrownBear]

At the risk of raising any traditionalist hairs, I also direct the hot air of an old hair dryer down the bore for a while, just to be sure. I live in a really wet climate and it sure seems to help over the long run.

 

[musketman]

quote:Originally posted by BrownBear:
I also direct the hot air of an old hair dryer down the bore for a while, just to be sure.When the barrel in inverted to drain, it cuts off the air flow, somewhat...

This forced hot air will also keep the barrel warm and promote evaporation...

When you are out in the woods, away from a plug, you could hover the muzzle over a few hot coals and ger the same effect, the thermal up-draft from the campfire will force hot air into the barrel as well as the hair drier...