Arg flashholes!!

safehunter

safehunter

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South Western Onterrible
Please forgive me as I'm a newcomer to black powder. I have two muzzleloaders, a cva accura MR & a remington 700.

It seems to take me near forever to get my flash hole clean enough to see through, what I call peep sight clean. I'm a bit ocd about cleanliness as I've had hangfire issues with the 700.

I soak in solvent (vortex bore cleaner), clean with pipe cleaners, qtips etc. The air gun seems to work the best but tonight even that didn't clear it so I could see through. I tried passing some sewing needles through which worked well enough until it got stuck and broke off - at both ends.

LGS has nothing for cleaning. I hope they can order a new breech plug.

I'm frustrated. How to you clean this little (f)lash hole.
 
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For your breech plug with the broken needle, just take it to your local machine shop and they will remove it with a needle punch. I just use very hot water and let my breech plug soak and blow dry it. I have a little brass fitting with a retractable pin that inserts into the flash hole to clear it. It’s a Traditions brand tool. Should be able to find one in a gun shop.

As for cleaning the barrel after firing with my Traditions Vortek or my friends Accura, fill the kitchen sink with about 2” of very hot water. Take the rifle apart. Stick the muzzle end in the sink and with a patch on your ramrod at the receiver end, run it back and forth through the barrel. Every time the ramrod comes up near the breach, it draws hot water up the barrel and will clean it completely. You might need 2 or 3 patches and when the last patch stays white, your done.

Hot water is all you need and it’ll dry in minutes as the barrel gets toasty hot with the water cleaning process.Take a toothbrush to the breech plug threads with hot water and it’s done as well.
 
What bush1 said.
I usually use a plastic pail(easier to work the ramrod....at least for me). The breech plug or nipple, etc., also go into the pail. I also like to add a little dish soap. At least for initial cleaning. Then, rinse the bore thoroughly with hot tap water. A length of 1/2" garden hose attached to the end of the laundry tub faucet works well. Insert the end of the hose into either the breech end or muzzle end of the barrel, depending on muzzleloader. When the barrel becomes too hot to handle with bare hands, dry off the barrel/receiver, then run clean, dry patches(I like flannel from old shirts, etc.) down the bore until dry. To further protect metal surfaces, a thin coat of oil(your choice) is applied to bore and all exterior metal surfaces.

As for cleaning the flash hole: If access to compressed air is not possible: First, I soak it in hot water while cleaning bore, etc. Then, take a small piece of paper towel, twist it into a thin 'string' and insert the pointy end into the nipple, etc. When the tip pokes out of the flash hole, pull it out as far as it will go. Any residual fouling should end up on the paper end. Tear off the soiled end. Repeat with another clean twist, if necessary. Sometimes I'll put a couple of drops of isopropyl alcohol into the flash hole first. Works well.

For a quick and easy bore cleanup...try ordinary isopropyl alcohol. Percentage doesn't seem to matter. I've used anywhere from 50% to 99%. Squirt a little alcohol on a patch, run it down bore. Follow by one or two dry patches. Bore is squeaky clean. Works well on breech plug threads, nipples, too. I use this method when a thorough cleanup may not be possible. In camp, or extended shooting sessions. Dirt cheap and available at any pharmacy.

Here's another tip: To prevent bp residue from getting into breech plug threads and making the plug hard to remove..., wrap the threads with a layer of ordinary teflon(plumbing) tape. Then thread into the breech, as usual. You can also use a thin layer of lithium grease on the threads, too. Keeps the fouling soft and plug easier to remove. Hope this helps.

Al
 
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