Cleaning of the breechplug face???

[Skychief]

How are you flintlockers making darn sure that any fouling at the bottom of the breech, (face of the breech plug), is removed? I am a flintlock newbie that has owned several hooked breech percussions (which were a snap to dissasemble and pump water through). The fullstocked flintlocks are a different animal and I want to ask how you guys clean them in this harder to reach area. Thanks VERY much!!!!!

 

[mazo kid]

There is an accessory made that screws to the end of the ramrod and is called (strangely enough) a breechplug scraper! It is something like a jag except it has a flat blade close to bore size across the end. I've made a couple and made the blade out of a piece of old hacksaw blade soldered into the slot cut in the end of the jag, extends out about 1/8" or so. Drop it down the bore and twist a few times, righty-tighty! Then flush and clean as usual.

 

[Coot]

To ensure that you are not leaving a ring of fouling in the corner where a flat faced breechplug meets the bore of the barrel, you can use a (caliber specific) scraper - a brass 'blade' on the end of a bore sized brass disc that screws on to a cleaning rod just like a jag. They will scrape the fouling out of that corner. They cost about the same as a jag. Check the TOW catalog.

 

[rf50cal]

A breech plug scraper does the trick for me also. Track has them for about every caliber.

 

[david50]

there is also a breach brush available,dont think Track carries them but Cains does.

 

[Razz]

Hot Water!!
I plug the vent with a toothpick and pour hot water down the barrel, let it soak for about 5 minutes while I work on cleaning the lock. Thumb over the end of the muzzle and shake it a bit, pour it out and repeat. After that wipe dry with patches and oil. BP fouling is very soluble in water.

 

[roundball]

Pump flush them clean too...make an x in the cap on a gallon jug of hot soapy water...slide the end of the hose down into the jug...and pump flush hot soapy water into the breech end of the barrel.

I make sure the O-ring seals good and that the hose doesn't leak on the slip on connector...and I also have the rifle laying in a cradle with the vent hole facing down so even if there's an accidental water leak it can't get down into the stock

 

[Skychief]

Pump flush them clean too...make an x in the cap on a gallon jug of hot soapy water...slide the end of the hose down into the jug...and pump flush hot soapy water into the breech end of the barrel.

I make sure the O-ring seals good and that the hose doesn't leak on the slip on connector...and I also have the rifle laying in a cradle with the vent hole facing down so even if there's an accidental water leak it can't get down into the stock

Roundball, how does this flush tube fit the touchhole? My touch hole is not readily removable. I have used flush kits on cap guns in the past by the way.

Thanks for all the replies guys. I figured I might get some breech scraper recommendations. I have never used them and I wonder how truly effetive they are. Also, are most breechplugs flat or concave? :hmm:

 

[Stumpkiller]

Breechplug scraper followed by a double helix worm with a balled up patch or wad of tow placed in ahead of it.

Some sample worms:

 

[roundball]

My touch hole is not readily removable

OK, then this flush tube kit would not be your choice.
There is a variation of a large C-clamp having a quarter size flat rubber flange that seals over the fixed liner...never used one so I can't comment on that particular models effectiveness

 

[texcl]

I used to use a scraper but now I just use water like the others mentioned, works like a charm.

 

[hanshi]

I'll go with those recommending a scraper. Just a couple of twists and dump the fouling from the bore. Makes cleaning easier as you have less fouling to contend with. I clean with alternating soapy water/dry patches until they come out clean. I then squirt WD40 down the bore, finish up with a patch wet with gun oil.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

I use a scraper, but every once in a while I use a "C" clamp type pumper too. They work fine and in conjunction with the scraper leave the breech face shiny.

 

[boar]

A little MAP in my Blue Ridge gets it clean, no problem. Have a breech plug scraper, have yet to use it in any of my 20 some muzzleloaders. My guns are clean. Use soap&water in my hook breech guns. Dilly

 

[tg]

I use a scraper but also for a few swipes I put a bit of wadded up patch material under the cleaning patch creating a bulbus end on the cleaning patch which will conform to the bottom of the barrel I twist it back and forth like a washing maching adgitator.

 

[Billnpatti]

I use a breach plug scraper to keep mine clean. They are available from such mail order places as Track of The Wolf, Dixie Gun Works, etc. When I am through shooting, I run my scraper down the bore and give it a few twists to remove any fouling on the face of the breach plug. Then I flush my bore with hot soapy water using one of the C clamp devices. They work fine, by the way. After flushing the bore, I run the breach plug scraper down one more time to make sure that all of the fouling has been removed. Some rifles have a powder chamber cut into the breach plug that is smaller than the bore. If you are unfortunate enough to have one of these, you will have to use a brass bush on the end of your cleaning rod that is small enough to fit down into the powder chamber and get the fouling out of it. Hopefully, yours will just have a flat faced breach plug and the scraper will be all you need.

 

[roundball]

"...Some rifles have a powder chamber cut into the breach plug that is smaller than the bore. If you are unfortunate enough to have one of these..."

:rotf: UNFORTUNATE ????

They're called Patent Breeches, and Chambered Breeches...first invented centuries ago by a fellow named "Nock"...Nock's Patent Breech.
They are very well established within the muzzleloading world, promoting increased ignition speed, eliminating fouling from interfering with the ignition fire, eliminating the need for a vent pick, and are virtually self cleaning.

The ONLY thing unfortunate about them at all is that they cost a few double whoppers more than a simple drilled straight breech most people use.
I have my second Rice barrel out at McCandless Custom Breeching in New Mexico machining / fitting a Patent Breech for it right now....he was recommended by TOW...who also carries Patent Breeches on their web site.

:thumbsup:

 

[Dphar]

How are you flintlockers making darn sure that any fouling at the bottom of the breech, (face of the breech plug), is removed? I am a flintlock newbie that has owned several hooked breech percussions (which were a snap to dissasemble and pump water through). The fullstocked flintlocks are a different animal and I want to ask how you guys clean them in this harder to reach area. Thanks VERY much!!!!!

Plug the vent with a toothpick.
Pour in 6"+-, in the bore, of water with a little soap added.
Put thumb over the muzzle and up end the gun 4-5 times. Dump water out run a loose fitting patch up and down 2-4 times, if you have a "worm"(not a ball puller) push a large wet wadded patch against breech and then turn it with the worm and remove, then repeat the water treatment, wet patch again 2-3 times then rinse the bore with clear water. Wet patch till clean, rinse again if you want. Dry, oil.
If its caking in the breech so bad you need a scraper to get the fouling out when cleaning you got a problem. Perhaps an oil trap the breech causing the base of the powder charge, or part of it is being contaminated with oil and causing caking that is not water soluble.
"Normal" fouling will dissolve and wash away with water, I add a little soap to make the water wetter. But the soap needs to be rinsed out too.

Dan

 

[Dphar]

I use a breach plug scraper to keep mine clean. They are available from such mail order places as Track of The Wolf, Dixie Gun Works, etc. When I am through shooting, I run my scraper down the bore and give it a few twists to remove any fouling on the face of the breach plug. Then I flush my bore with hot soapy water using one of the C clamp devices. They work fine, by the way. After flushing the bore, I run the breach plug scraper down one more time to make sure that all of the fouling has been removed. Some rifles have a powder chamber cut into the breach plug that is smaller than the bore. If you are unfortunate enough to have one of these, you will have to use a brass bush on the end of your cleaning rod that is small enough to fit down into the powder chamber and get the fouling out of it. Hopefully, yours will just have a flat faced breach plug and the scraper will be all you need.

Nock "antechamber" breechs or other "patent" breeches are not a particular problem and since most are part of a hooked breech they actually clean easier than a plain breech.
I have a Nock, plain, plain with a cupped breech face and a flint with a "patent" breech with a reduced chambered on guns right now and the Nock, the only one with a hooked breech is the easiest to clean.

Nock Breeches in a double barrel.

I have shot MLs since the 1960s and have never owned a fouling scraper.
Dan

 

[hanshi]

I have a few guns with patent breeches and can't say they have been a problem. Maybe it's the way I clean them but nary a glitch has surfaced with ignition. I can't say they're faster, though, and my chronograph fails to show any velocity advantage. The hooked breech guns are easier to clean (slightly) and I don't have one of the tube flusher kits. If I think the cavity needs extra attention a brush or small barrel mop is easy to use. A scraper is not as effective with this type breech. Mostly I ignore them and treat all my guns the same whether or not they have a patent breech.

Some have reported ignition problems with certain make/rifle/caliber combos but that is beyond my experience. I use the swab & pump method with hook breeches and the plugged vent & soak with the longrifles and this seems to prevent any problems with the PB guns. Still, I don't really like them and prefer flat breeches. Can't give a good, logical reason; just don't. I guess we've all got our little peculiarities.