Bore Maintenance

bandanaman

bandanaman

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One thing I was warned about and have found to be true is every "black powder enthusiast " has a different opinion.So I'd like some opinions on keeping a bore "bright".I have tried several cleaning methods, some were good some were bad.I found greasing the barrel too soon after any kind of water based cleaning locked moisture in and turned ugly real fast.Now I finish with WD 40 [ Dutch Schoultz's method] and that seems to keep things at bay.However my bore does not shine like it did a year ago after 500 + shots.It has a dullish greyish look about it.Products I have heard about are "Evaporust", vinegar[I've cleaned up old files this way].I am also curious on whether using lapping compound to get down into the rifling as an option.I did take to leaving my gun overnight with powder charged while hunting which no doubt has contributed to it's discoloration.Allright amigos give me your 2 cents on restoring or maintaining the original look, please!
 
Don't overthink it. Hot water with some detergent is perfect. Wipe'r out with a dry patch (or a two) then gently oil it. That's it, that's all. If you do that consistently your bore will reflect the number of shots you put down it (how's that). I've bought expensive "cleaners" and still have full bottles of that stuff, with price tags from stores that haven't been in business here since the 90s. None did a better job than hot water and detergent. YMMV.
 
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NorthCoastBigBore said:
Don't overthink it. Hot water with some detergent is perfect. Wipe'r out with a dry patch (or a two) then gently oil it. That's it, that's all. If you do that consistently your bore will reflect the number of shots you put down it (how's that). I've bought expensive "cleaners" and still have full bottles of that stuff, with price tags from stores that haven't been in business here since the 90s. None did a better job than hot water and detergent. YMMV.
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I agree. Hot soapy water gets the residue out. leave the hot barrel standing muzzle down to drain the water out for a while. Oil 'er up. I have been experimenting with different oil. WD40, as you know, eventually evaporates, leaving your bore dry, and exposed. I tried water soluble cutting oil, thinking that it would be easy to remove, but it develops a nasty looking brown scum in the bore after a short time. Now I just use engine oil, just like we did years ago. You just have to get it out of there the next time you shoot.
 
Be sure to use non-petroleum based oils. Regular gun oil will harden BP fouling. I think I was using Olive Oil.
 
I had the same problem as the OP in my 45-70 that I shoot Black powder exclusively. I cleaned it religiously with boiling water and oiled after with olive oil... but after a while my bore went from shinny to a dull grey. A friend at my local range suggested a product called JB's bore paste. It worked very well and even removed some leading that I wasn't even aware of. After about an hour it came out shinny and clean.
Just be sure to remove all of it as I think it is petroleum based.
 
I think that boiling water is a mistake and heats the barrel up enough that it oxidizes quickly. I prefer hot water from the tap because warm / hot water seems to dissolve fouling much faster than cold water but does not oxidize the bore as rapidly as boiling water. I also think that as long as the bore is not pitted, it will continue to shoot accurately for many thousands of shots

cheers mooncoon
 
First thing is to find out what's in the barrel. Water will take care of powder fouling, do that first. Then a patch with solvent to remove carbon. If the patch is black, then you have carbon, if grey, that's lead. I find carbon is easy to remove with solvent, lead will only come out with brushing. A bit of copper from a scouring pad wound around a brush works better that anything else. There are chemicals, but anything that attacks lead, will also attack steel in time, so I don't use those.
 
In general, for best results, clean the bore, but ensure that there is no residue - that's either fouling or solvent residue. Either way. Bore treatment is ultimately about using a quality lubricant protectant, which should be applied to clean, dry parts. After lubricant is worked into the barrel (until not visible), you will minimize buildup and can actually enhance the ballistic event.
 
Hot soapy water, dry with patches, wonder lube bore check bore after several days have always worked for me. Also none of my bores have remained shiny but no rust and I am good with that.
What I would like is to have a way to clean out the bottom off brass casses after black powder, can never seem to get the inside bottom of rim clean.
 
as mooncoon says;

I think that boiling water is a mistake and heats the barrel up enough that it oxidizes quickly. I prefer hot water from the tap because warm / hot water seems to dissolve fouling much faster than cold water but does not oxidize the bore as rapidly as boiling water.
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I then run a set of dry patches,
then patches of either Ballistol or Gunzilla, left wet
also as stated above,,,,check bore after several days

great information;
Be sure to use non-petroleum based oils
Click to expand...

from shinny to a dull grey. A friend at my local range suggested a product called JB's bore paste.
Click to expand...
use gently
 
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When I first got into muzzleloading I used hot water with soap to clean. After a few minutes of letting the barrel sit, it started to have small rust spots. Never again used hot water/soap. Plain cold water works just as well as hot and no flash rust. Plus no extra step of rinsing out the soapy water either.

My way of cleaning:

I use a plastic 2.5L ice cream container and fill with cold water/no soap. Remove the barrel from the stock and put it in the container. With a nylon brush scrub the nipple area and the fouling comes right off. Next using blue shop towels found in auto stores & Costco, I pump the water up and down through the barrel like using a bicycle pump. Dump the water and refill, now remove the nipple. I always find some residue comes out. The water then clear. Next I run dry blue shop towels down the barrel. They work really well at absorbing the water than regular towels and tough too. After 2-3 patches it's bone dry. Don't forget the breech area with a slotted jag.

Then I use a patch with gun oil swabbing the barrel and breech + outside of the gun. Before firing I use one patch with Isopropyl Alcohol 99% swabbing the bore & breech. The rubbing alcohol removes all the oil. Then one dry patch. Fire 2 caps then load. Never had a problem with hard fouling. There are many ways to clean black powder fouling, solvents, blue windex, windshield washer fluid,etc.. They all mainly contain water which flushes out the salts. Why spend money if plain water gives the same result.
 
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Thanks fellas for the insight.I feel better that I think I am not doing any harm to the rifle I am checking it nearly every time I go in the safe.I have been bitten by the bug now and wanted to know if I am doing things correctly before I get another muzzle loader.The .54 worked great on my whitetail this year and is my "chicken gun" now[head shots only]. Looking into .40 cal Tennesee flintlocks now ,Way too much fun!Wish I had carried on with this way back when...
 
I clean my muzzle loaders with warm soapy water and Ballistol.
Sometimes i use a commercial cleaner if i am on the road on a hunt, but one thing I make sure i do is to oil them the next day again, to make sure all is well.
As long as the gun is accurate, I don't worry about anything like trying to get more excess fouling out, and I never polish my bores with anything but a patched round ball!
Cat
 
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