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Cleaning help - please!

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I hunted all day today in the rain - and knew that my Hawken would need a deep cleaning. As I was running dry patch after dry patch, I saw these specks. I doubt they are related to the rain - and am afraid they are related to some failure to adequately clean the barrel over the years. I have always cleaned it with soap and water - and would have said I always did a good job, until this. The gun shoots great. Does anyone know what I am seeing here? Any advice? Thanks!!
 

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Is it lead or pieces of the barrel? Did you pull the load and unscrew the ball from the powder charge? Looks like machining pieces from when they made the barrel or again pieces of lead from removing the load. Don't be too worried if it is either or. How old is your rifle and how many times have you shot it.
 
Is it lead or pieces of the barrel? Did you pull the load and unscrew the ball from the powder charge? Looks like machining pieces from when they made the barrel or again pieces of lead from removing the load. Don't be too worried if it is either or. How old is your rifle and how many times have you shot it.
The gun is about 40 years old. I have owned it since new. I shot the bullet at the end of the day since I knew I couldn't let it sit without cleaning until I go back out this weekend. I am hoping it is lead deposits. I've never seen them before - but as I said in the post I was really giving it a good clean since we both got soaked for an entire day!
 
It is lead. Probably there from using a roundball with poor quality or no patch or a bullet without lubricant, or bullets cast from range scrap. You can remove it with Scotchbrite (green) and Hoppe's #9.
 
This brings up a good point. On a modern revolver if you get leading there are brass screen patches that will pull out the lead fouling, etc. but you CAN'T use them in a muzzle loader because you'll never get them out of the barrel. Same thing with a brass brush, you'll never be able to pull it out. So the answer is to not shoot anything that leaves lead fouling. These firearms were intended to have a lubed patch, the lead never left any fouling unless you have cut patches, etc.
The pure lead ball will flatten on impact. A pal of mine shot an elk in Colorado, 50 caliber, the ball flattened out like a quarter coin. Patched round balls killed Bison, Elk, Moose, Grizzly bears. The hunters did crawl up to "shooting range" about 70-100 yards.
In any event, the whole thing becomes a lot easier if you use a PRB.
 
Put a Kroil patch through every day for a week. Then scrub with a bronze brush. Works every thing. For stubborn lead deposits, a mix of hydrogen peroxide and white vinegar will chemically alter the lead to a black sludge. Be careful with that one cuz it can also etch steel
 
Dave951 has the right idea, I had very little issues with leading using 20-1 in BPCR rifles but some others using different, usually softer alloys did.

Soak the bore using Kroil overnight and then shove a tight and I mean hammering tight patch down the bore and it would peal the lead right out.
Of course, that won't work on a breeched ML but getting some Chore Boy scrubbing pads and running that in and out will pull it out after the Kroil treatment.
 
Don't the brass brushes get stuck? I use them on modern rifles but not muzzle loaders.
When the brush is new spin it while inserting it in the bore and push it in a little, pull it out a little, keep doing that and the bristles will lay down and you can pull it right out.

I am a big fan of Pro-Shot brand brushes as well.
 
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