Cleaning a pinned flintlock barrel

[MSK]

I often read that a round toothpick can be used the plug a touch hole while cleaning a pinned flintlock barrel. Assuming the toothpick fits snugly, what are the limitations with this? Can a wet patch on a jag be run up and down the bore without popping the toothpick? I really don't want fouled liquid (or any liquid) finding its way into the lock mortice and/or under the barrel.

Thanks, Smollett

 

[JD Peppergrinder]

I always have used a tooth pick in the touch hole when cleaning. It does depend on touch hole size. A tooth pick bearly fits in my white lightning. I usually take it out when I run patches and replace it with a unused cleaning patch so it brakes up fowling on the pan and frizzen.

 

[MacRob46]

Sure. That's what I use to plug the touch hole. If the hole is not huge the toothpick won't project into the bore. I assume that you are removing the lock. Just keep a rag handy and if you see anything escaping from the plugged touch hole, dab it with the rag. I have cleaned one particular gun of mine that way for 22 years without any issues at all.

 

[hanshi]

Stuff paper towels in the lock mortise and that should catch any leaking water. Once you pour out the water you filled the bore with, remove the toothpick and start swabbing normally.

 

[Len Graves]

When cleaning the barrel while still in the gun, I turn the rifle upside down into a rack I made which makes the vent lower than anything else on the gun. If there is liquid moving through the vent it just runs away from anything important. I like doing it this way because excess liquid tends to clean out the vent. I have been doing this for many years with good results. Maby once a year( or if the gun gets really wet) I pull the barrel and do the bucket plunger method. Good luck however you decide to do it.

 

[bpd303]

I made this cleaning station to clean my pinned guns before I made the pump up sprayer. I would plug the vent/nipple fill the barrel with soapy water and slosh it back & forth with my thumb plugging the muzzle. Then place the rifle in the rack and let it drain then pull the plug and swab the bore till clean with wet patches. The pressure washer works so much better. I don't plug the vent and flush the bore till clean, dry and oil. The angle of the gun prevents any water from getting on the stock and a tray under the vent catches any liquid coming out of it.

 

[nchawkeye]

If the toothpick fits tightly you find that the patch and jag create a seal which will pull the ramrod back down as you pull it out...

I remove the lock, install toothpick, pour 6-10 ounces of water, cleaning solution whatever down the barrel, set it aside to soak...

I then clean the lock and pour the solution out of the barrel...I then grab the rifle, hold it with one hand, touchhole down and run a patch down the barrel...This cleans the touchhole...I run a second patch down, reinstall the toothpick and repeat the process...

After the barrel is dry, I squirt WD-40 in the barrel and dry it again...I then lube with a good gun oil...

 

[Col. Batguano]

Why take the chance of water contaminating the wood, or getting in the barrel channel and doing it's thing with uncontrolled rust? I drive the pins and pull the barrel each time. I must have done it 30-40 times during the build. If I feel like I'm doing it too much with one gun, that tells me it's time to start building a new one! Problem solved. :grin:

 

[Spikebuck]

I like a method I saw on one of the Brian Beckum videos. Just remove the lock. Fold up a couple of paper towels to be about 6" x 6" (the idea is create some "loft") turn the gun touch hole down onto those paper towels. Clean the bore. The crud coming out of the touch hole goes right into the paper towels. After a few patches, replace the paper towels. Swab until clean. Oil.

Simple and easy method. No toothpicks needed. No mess (relatively).

 

[kaintuck]

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/578/1/FLUSH-FLINT

love mine.........works great.

oil lock and replace~ done.....

marc n tomtom

 

[Darkgael]

Just remove the lock. Fold up a couple of paper towels to be about 6" x 6" (the idea is create some "loft") turn the gun touch hole down onto those paper towels. Clean the bore. The crud coming out of the touch hole goes right into the paper towels. After a few patches, replace the paper towels. Swab until clean. Oil.

This is pretty much what I do.
I do, however, use a toothpick at the start.
I mix up about a cup of warm water and dish detergent.
Then...I give the entire stock a coat of paste finishing wax. I leave it on for the entire cleaning process.
THEN, I put a toothpick in the touch hole and carefully pour the warm water down the bore. I stand the gun in a corner and let it sit for ten minutes or so. Then I upend the gun and pour out the water and crud.
After that.....I do what was quoted above.. when done, I buff off the paste wax.
One final step, which I took from Matt Avance at Tennessee Valley Muzzleloading, is to apply a coating of type A transmission fluid to the stock and then wipe it off immediately.
The gun stock just glows.
Pete

 

[Spikebuck]

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/578/1/FLUSH-FLINT

love mine.........works great.

I also have one of these and really like it for my guns with a patent breech. Helps flush the crud right out of there.

 

[curator]

When faced with cleaning a dozen or more flintlock muskets with pinned barrels used in our museum's living history programs I used this system:
Remove the lock, using a section of "shish kabob' skewer, I plugged the touch hole. I stuffed a bunched up dry paper towel in the lock mortise to catch any leakage. I poured a half cup of Hydrogen peroxide down the bore and let it sit for a few minutes. Putting my thumb over the muzzle I inverted the gun several times and poured out the liquid. I repeated this once with the peroxide than again with plain water. The bore was dried with cotton patches until they came out clean. Then the bore was swabbed with Type"A" automotive transmission fluid. Vent plug removed, lock cleaned and replaced. After 15 years of this treatment all the muskets are in excellent shape.

 

[Twisted_1in66]

I often read that a round toothpick can be used the plug a touch hole while cleaning a pinned flintlock barrel. Assuming the toothpick fits snugly, what are the limitations with this? Can a wet patch on a jag be run up and down the bore without popping the toothpick? I really don't want fouled liquid (or any liquid) finding its way into the lock mortice and/or under the barrel.

Thanks, Smollett

Hi Smollett,

You have to remove the toothpick BEFORE you swab out the barrel. I also pull the lock off; put the toothpick in the vent; pour some of my cleaning solution (I used MAP)down the barrel; and then set the rifle aside to soak and loosen the fouling while I clean the lock. However, after cleaning the lock, I evidently do it a little differently than most folks.

I leave the toothpick in and push a wet patch about half way down the barrel until I feel some back pressure from the compression. Then, being careful to point to vent away from anything I don't want stained a nasty black, I remove the toothpick and push the patch down quickly the rest of the way. This shoots out a stream of fouling soaked cleaning solution a good 6 feet or more and pressure-cleans the vent.

I leave the toothpick out while I swab out the barrel with additional wet patches; run a dry patch down it once the wet ones come back clean; and then run an oil dampened (wet but not dripping) one down it as the final touch.

I first started doing this at the suggestion of a gun builder because I was using a Traditions flintlock, which has a patent breech. This method pressure cleans the patent breech without the need to get a special size cleaning brush to fit the reduced diameter of the patent breech at the bottom of the barrel. I used it for years and never had a problem with the patent breech becoming clogged.

My current rifle doesn't have a patent breech, but that method still pressure cleans the vent.

Twistedd_1in66 :thumbsup:

 

[eaglesnester]

Something I figured out about the paten breach is if you stick a 30 caliber nylon cleaning brush on a cleaning rod and wrap a flannel patch around it the brush and patch fit the breach perfect for a good clean out. The patch very rarely comes off the nylon brush. If it does just grab it with yur patch puller on the end of your range rod or ram rod. :thumbsup:

 

[tenngun]

:thumbsup: What I was thinking. I plug my vent and fill with water dump and repeat till clear than swab with damp then dry oil and remember the day with a smoke :wink:

 

[MSK]

Very nicely put.

Smollett

 

[ToothPick]

:thumbsup: Talked me into it.

Ordered one for my SMR this AM and it's on it's way.

Thanks

 

[Hayfoot]

Guess I've been doing it wrong all these years, I just punch out the pins and remover the barrel. No tooth picks, no paper towels, no special benches or equipment. Not saying anyone else's methods are wrong just saying seems like a lot of bother.

 

[Pete G]

Guess I've been doing it wrong all these years, I just punch out the pins and remover the barrel. No tooth picks, no paper towels, no special benches or equipment. Not saying anyone else's methods are wrong just saying seems like a lot of bother.

You're not doing it wrong, but it sure seems to me that removing the pins and tang screw and then replacing everything (making sure they are in the proper place)is really a lot of bother; so much so that I can't see anyone in a hunting camp, either historic or modern, as to EVER doing such.