Soap and Water vs Modern Cleaners

[joliver]

I've always cleaned using buckets of hot soapy water and then hot clear water drawn through the barrel and breech plug with a cleaning rod and patches. I know that many people prefer to use modern cleaners on a patch. My question is: if you don't siphon some kind of cleaning agent through the breech plug, how do you clean out the channel in it?

Another question: I posted a topic earlier about patent breeches and one of the replies showed drawings of chambered breeches and Nock's patent breech. Does anybody have a drawing of a "non-chambered" or "non-patent" breech?

Thanks,

joliver

 

[gordy]

Over the last 50+ years I think I've tried most of the cleaning proceedures known to man. To me, the water process is the easist, cheapest and most practical. As for the (chamberd) breechs, you can purchase, or make a scraper. :thumbsup:

 

[spud]

Warm water & Dawn dish soap pumped through a piece of rubber tube connected to the nipple is better than most of these "super black powder brand name gun cleaners" and a heck of a lot cheaper too! been cleaning my BPML guns like this since the 60's and the bores are still bright and shiny --spud

 

[bob308]

i think your question is answered by the ones that clean with hot water and soap. if you pump it through the nipple then the breach has to be clean.

that is the way i cleaned my rifles since i have been shooting ml.

 

[Sherlock]

Stop up the nipple or flashhole with a round toothpick.Slosh some of your hot water & soap in the barrel with you thumb over the muzzle and pour it out . Then squirt some more in, plenty, it's cheap, and start a patch and jag into the muzzle. Pull the toothpick out and use hydraulic pressure in short bursts to clean the now dissolved crud out. Twice or more if neccessary. Dry thoroughly with patches. Scrub the exterior with a PC toothbrush and the same fluid. Dry with a PC rag. It is not neccessary to remove the nipple. The crud will dissolve and come out. After drying, liberally apply your favorite metal preservative to the barrel interior and exterior parts and force some through the flash channel hydraulically. Worrying types check frequently till you have your routine perfected to your satisfaction. HINT:BEFORE YOU START SHOOTING THE NEXT TIME, AFTER YOU DRY THE BORE FROM OIL WITH PATCHES AND HEAR AIR SUCKING IN AND OUT THE FLASH CHANNEL/NIPPLE, wipe the frizzen and flint clean. THEN APPLY WITH YOUR FINGERS A LIGHT COATING OF GREASE TO ALL THOSE EXTERIOR PLACES THAT GET SMUT ON THEM FROM FIRING. THE SMUT WILL COME OFF VERY EASY ON THE NEXT CLEANUP. WONKY

 

[George Holton]

:surrender: LOVE YOUR TOUNGE IN CHEEK use of PC.

 

[Sherlock]

Some only use ice cold creek water that otters have peed in with them toothbrushes. Wonky LOL

 

[boar]

I have a breechplug scraper but never had to use it. I use the soap and water. If I think it needs a little extra, I use a little M.a.p. Started in 82. Dilly

 

[smokehouseman]

M.a.p. ??????????? :hmm:

 

[roundball]

Steaming hot soapy water, then a hot water rinse.

 

[ol vern]

I use cold water with a little simple green works
great. Follow that up with some dry patches and a
final shot of WD 40 to displace any missed moisture.

 

[Ridge]

I use plain cold water.

24 years of shooting black powder and I've never had a problem.

 

[jtmattison]

Steaming hot soapy water, then a hot water rinse.

Ditto.

Never had to use anything else.
HD

 

[railgunner]

I have always used hot water and liquid dish washer soap. It works great and is cost effective.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

I rinse/brush using windsheild washer fluid (hot/warm is better but cold does great) then pour hot water down to rinse. if hot water isn't available I run a pipe cleaner through the nipple channel then dry and lube.

 

[Dphar]

Over the last 50+ years I think I've tried most of the cleaning proceedures known to man. To me, the water process is the easist, cheapest and most practical. As for the (chamberd) breechs, you can purchase, or make a scraper. :thumbsup:

Shotgun mops work better in percussion patent breeches.
Nock patent breeches cannot be "scraped" or mopped.
http://books.google.com/books?id=o...rDi&sig=Mbnwv6GIvg7zEqXjathSjvawwHY#PPA119,M1

Has some interesting information on various British breeches some percussion and some flint.

Dan

 

[joliver]

Over the last 50+ years I think I've tried most of the cleaning proceedures known to man. To me, the water process is the easist, cheapest and most practical. As for the (chamberd) breechs, you can purchase, or make a scraper. :thumbsup:

Gordy,

Do you know where I can buy a fouling scraper with a rounded bottom on it for use in my Lyman .54 cal GPR? Saw one at a match the othe day, but forgot to ask the owner where he bought it.

Thanks,

joliver

 

[arcticap]

Does anybody have a drawing of a "non-chambered" or "non-patent" breech?

 

[Trot]

I'm with Ridge, plain cold water. Somewhere around 15 years doing it this way and not a rusty gun yet.

 

[sgtshoutmore]

I've used some of the so called "made of black powder" solutions that didn't:

1. Make cleaning any easier than..
2. make cleaning smell any better than..

Warm soapy water. However I will say that ajax liquid dish soap and warm water is my preferred cleaning solution followed by liberal rising with clean water as hot as my hands can stand it.

So, another vote for plain warm water and soap.

YMMV