OK, so I have been shooting cap guns for a while. been wanting to try a flinter. Was at a gun show this weekend, (which had the highest density of ML's I have ever seen BTW)and there was a fellow with (among other things)a Pedersoli Kentucky, .45cal, from the mid 70's, never been fired. Absolutely perfect shape. About 1/3rd the price of any NIB one I can find on the web..
So yesterday I found some .440 Rb's for it. 1st shop I looked in..
All seems golden..
Decided to swab the bore before loading and shooting first time, after all it's been sitting for 40 years. First patch comes back with just a bit of old funk on it.. put fresh patch on, send down barrel..
That's right. Patch and ramrod end are now in the bottom of the barrel, fairly well lodged it seems, not attached to anything but each other. FUDGE!! (only I didn't say fudge) lol
So it seems I am at an impasse.. web gurus vary between drain cleaner to eat the patch, or to work powder in behind it and shoot it out. OH, and NOT to try to remove the breech plug. (which seems smartest.. but apparently ain't easy or to be undertaken lightly)
So.. the cheapest route, other than hanging it on the wall, seems to be the draino dealeo. But not sure it is completely safe for the metal.. At least 2 people report they had to leave the draino in there about 3 hours. I know I have left it in my pipes longer than that, and they didn't seem damaged. I am thinking to put a patch in an old glass, cover it, see how long it takes to break it down.
The second recommended route is to "shoot it out".. This rifle doesn't have a vent liner. Seems it would take a couple weeks to get any powder into that little vent hole. However, for about $35 I can get a White Lightning instal kit from TOW.. then I could instal the liner, remove, work powder in, replace liner and "let her go.."
Thoughts? Experience? Tips?
So yesterday I found some .440 Rb's for it. 1st shop I looked in..
All seems golden..
Decided to swab the bore before loading and shooting first time, after all it's been sitting for 40 years. First patch comes back with just a bit of old funk on it.. put fresh patch on, send down barrel..
That's right. Patch and ramrod end are now in the bottom of the barrel, fairly well lodged it seems, not attached to anything but each other. FUDGE!! (only I didn't say fudge) lol
So it seems I am at an impasse.. web gurus vary between drain cleaner to eat the patch, or to work powder in behind it and shoot it out. OH, and NOT to try to remove the breech plug. (which seems smartest.. but apparently ain't easy or to be undertaken lightly)
So.. the cheapest route, other than hanging it on the wall, seems to be the draino dealeo. But not sure it is completely safe for the metal.. At least 2 people report they had to leave the draino in there about 3 hours. I know I have left it in my pipes longer than that, and they didn't seem damaged. I am thinking to put a patch in an old glass, cover it, see how long it takes to break it down.
The second recommended route is to "shoot it out".. This rifle doesn't have a vent liner. Seems it would take a couple weeks to get any powder into that little vent hole. However, for about $35 I can get a White Lightning instal kit from TOW.. then I could instal the liner, remove, work powder in, replace liner and "let her go.."
Thoughts? Experience? Tips?