Problem cleaning a 32 cal

[woodse guy]

I'm have a hard time getting my 32 clean. I have checked it twice after cleaning and putting away and found rust. So far I have tried two different cleaning routines.
1. Hot soap and water in the bucket with the plunger action.
2. Last night I tried cold water poured in the barrel let it sit. Did that twice then started running patches down the bore. Put it in a bucket of cold water and plunged the bore with a patch.
Durning both of these I have used a brush and scrubed. Last night when I ran the oiled patch down the bore I got black on the patch I scrubbed on the gun for 3 hours. Started to think that the patch wasn't thick enough so took one of my shooting patches and put it on the cleaning jag and a flannel patch that was 7/8 square. Pushing down and pulling out would get a squeak. So I figured it was clean NOPE. I have used the hot water and soap on my 50 cal and 62 smooth bore and my 10 ga. with no problems with not getting them clean just the 32 cal. I will take any help I can get.

 

[mooman76]

Once rust starts like that it's hard to get it to stop.

 

[Vaino]

A tight fitting piece of green Scotchbrite might do the job...but keep it in the bore while swabbing. You'll probably have to make a small jag to use the Scotchbrite seeing it's a .32......Fred

 

[BrownBear]

Wouldn't happen to be a Traditions Crockett, would it? Their breech has a tendency to catch and hold fouling behind the back of the barrel, where it's darned hard to dislodge completely by almost any means. Seems no matter what I do, I can always come up with a little bit of black on a patch. A bud reports better luck forcing high pressure water through the drum, but I haven't tried it yet.

High pressure water? He uses an old water pick he got for a buck at a garage sale.

 

[MacRob46]

To get them really clean, mix up 2 parts alcohol, 2 parts Murphy's Oil Soap and 2 pars peroxide. Pour it in the barrel, not quite filling to the muzzle, cap it with your finger and shake the barrel. Pour it out after 30 seconds or so, run patches down the bore until they come out dry then liberally oil and you will be rid of the fouling. I actually do my entire cleaning that way and it works great but be sure to oil generously afterward. The rust part is another matter and you have already gotten good advice on that.

 

[jdkerstetter]

To get them really clean, mix up 2 parts alcohol, 2 parts Murphy's Oil Soap and 2 pars peroxide......

What's the difference between this mix and one or three parts of each? Enjoy, J.D.

 

[MacRob46]

I don't know that there is any difference. When I moved to this area almost 25 years ago, everyone here was using this forumla, referred to as "The Miracle Cleaner" and those were the proportions given to me. It does work very efficiently and I do 2 oz. of each, which will clean a fairly long .50 caliber barrel or a shorter .54 barrel with one or two applications. The caveat about drying the bore and liberal oiling was also part of the instructions and I have, so far, not gotten any rust in a bore after the treatment.

 

[woodse guy]

No it's one that a local builder made. I stopped the rust the last time I cleaned it with a lot of scurbing and my friend Kroil. It has a little drum that screws in to the barrel and the nipple screws in to it. It has been a couple of days since I cleaned. I have 4-H shooting sports tonight so I will check it when I get home may have the wife pick up some supplies while she is in town with me.

 

[hanshi]

I'd go with the Scotchbrite suggestion. My .32 is a Crockett with a patent breech. I use one of those elongated bore mops and screw it on the cleaning rod to get to the hole in the breech bottom. Never had a problem keeping the bore squeaky clean. Forget about the fancy mixtures for cleaning; plain water is all you need, with or without soap.

 

[Claude Mathis]

To get them really clean, mix up 2 parts alcohol, 2 parts Murphy's Oil Soap and 2 pars peroxide......

What's the difference between this mix and one or three parts of each? Enjoy, J.D.

All that's required to express this formula is, "Equal parts of each". :wink:

 

[woodse guy]

For some reason water isn't working and I don't know why. I'm still fairly new to muzzleloading but I clean all my guns the same way with no problem getting them clean or rust. The only difference with this gun is it's to long to go in my safe that has a golden rod inside. But it's stored in the front room right next to my 10 ga that doesn't rust at all. I'm woundering if my cleaning patches might need to be bigger in size they just cover the rings on the cleaning jag. There is no skirt to wad up and pull the fouling out. :idunno:

 

[MacRob46]

My guess is that there is a problem with the way the breech plug is installed. There may be fouling getting into the threads and not coming out with your cleaning regimen. Since your other guns don't have this problem it has to be something to do with the fitting of plug to barrel. I suggest that you either pull the breech plug yourself and have a look or get a competent smith to do so. If this continues, and it probably will, eventually the breech could blow out, as has happened with antique guns in the past, notably one that was being used at the International Muzzle Loading Match a number of years back. That could take years or it could happen very quickly. That's what I would do were it my gun.

 

[woodse guy]

I talked to the guy that I bought the gun from. Told him I was having a problem. He is the one that told me to use the cold water and let it set in the barrel for a few minutes then dump and repeat. Could a patent breech cause this problem? And how hard would it be to pull the drum off the side it looks like it is screwed in with a flat bladed screw driver? I thought that might make it easier to look inside and see whats wrong.

 

[woodse guy]

Tried your mix and I think it worked I put it on patches instead of pouring down the barrel. Feel pretty good that I got it all out now ran a patch down with a lot of oil and took the barrel off and put it in the gun safe with the golden rod will check it in a few days and see what happens.

 

[woodse guy]

Well it worked left it in the save for about three days and no rust and the bore was clean. So I think the mix worked.

 

[MacRob46]

Just ran across your post. I figured it would work for you but you may still have a breech installation problem. The peroxide is the active agent in the mix, of course, and the bubbles it generates gets the cleaner down into the nooks and crannies and moves the fouling out. I just checked two of my rifles, which I have not fired in a long time but were cleaned with the Miracle Cleaner the last time I did, and there is no rust in the barrels of either.

Glad it worked for you. Use it religiously after shooting the gun in question and it should keep the fouling out and the rust as well.

 

[gunmaker43]

Naval jelly will kill that rust. ...Tom

 

[smo]

A word to the wise ....Be very carful with the naval jelly. It will remove the bluing as well if it comes in contact with it. :wink: