How to clean Black powder ?

Ice-Pick

Ice-Pick

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Hey,
Very little experience with Black Powder.

I bought a Single Action pistol a few months ago, I've only tried it once.

A buddy did me a FAVOUR , laff, and gave me a bunch of .45 Long colts he hadn't used up before he sold his. Well it turns out they were Black powder,,,, man and these things filthy !

Due to a brain fart and a tight schedule I gave the gun a quick wipe down and put it away. It seems this stuff if fairly sticky and more than a little difficult to remove now.

Is there an easy/proper way to get this stuff out now that its been sitting for weeks??

i.e. ,,,, help I screwed up !! :redface:

Thanks
Mike.
 
When the fouling is new, you can clean with windex w/vinegar.......you should wash in soap and hot water(submerge), use very hot water and drying will be easier, then oil well, don't be lazy again, get off your duff!!
 
Whoa, you guys are fancy.

I use lots of hot water and a little baby shampoo.

Not because baby shampoo is magical or anything, just because it was handy (for cleaning the pets), when I first started, and it works fine. I've also used regular shampoo, when it was closer and it works fine too. It's really all about the hot water. I use the soap to get off the bore butter and fingerprints.

I do mine up in the bathtub.

P.S. I feel your pain Ice Pick. The problem chemical you are dealing with is K2SO4.

If you think you have it rough, I had about two pounds of the stuff form in a large round bottom boiling flask, when a reaction I was running went bad. Stupidly I removed the heat source from the system before disconecting the jury rigged fume scrubbers I was using. The vapour condensed, and the water sucked back up into the reaction vessels, and condensers. Not slowly, but in a split second....THWOOOP!!!

What a nightmare alternately chiseling and boiling and melting the single crystalline mass out of that very valuable round bottom boiling flask. (The glassware we use in chemistry is stress relieved pyrex = $$$ and as a chemistry major in university, if you break it, you pay for it!)
 
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Thanks guy, i'll give it a bath tomorrow. I tried scrubbing it with 3 different solvents tonight then took it to the range and ran some GOOD rounds through it.

If find if I use CLAYS powder in my guns they come out squeeky clean, and it did help tonight.

("vinegar/ water") Never thought i'd have to douch my guns clean, laff.


M.
 
Vinegar is an acid, don't use it ever.
I have a Bowie knife I forged yesterday soaking in vinegar right now, and in 24 hours that scale will be dissolved.
You can etch steel with the stuff.
You may as well dip a patch in battery acid and push that down your bore.
Black powder residue is water soluble, so windex will do it as will soapy water.
 
Get some phosphor bronze bore brushes and a rod to mount them

clean heavily with water then scrub out the bore and chambers with soapy water and really give er a good going over

Rince well

Dry then oil.

I use alcohol after cleaning with water before oiling and find it works well, though most I know do not.

I really think the main thing is to keep it as clean and dry as humanly possible at all times.

Bp residue really likes to stay wet and attack steel.

Cheers
 
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I shoot almost nothing but blackpowder in my .45. I simply use regular Hoppes#9 on a copper brush, and brush each chamber as well as the barrel. Black powder residue is NOT corrosive to steel,but if the bore is left too long without cleaning, it will absorb moisture and start to rust. On a percussion musket, place a piece of rubber on the nipple, and lower the hammer on it. Then pour in some really hot water, plug the muzzle, and shake it really hard. Pour the water out, and swab the bore dry. Run an an oily patch down the bore when it's dry. Same thing works on a flintlock, just plug the flash hole with a round toothpick. Vinegar works well with hot water for cleaning brass cases.
 
The guys who are telling you hot water....boiling is best...with some detergent or soap are leading you the right way. I let it sit in the barrel for a few seconds before dumping and by the time you're finished it is dry from the retained heat. I also check my job a day or two afterwords to make sure I have done a good job. Dave
 
Non water clean up

If you want to try another way you can mix up a first class black powder solvent by just taking a jug of the blue wind shield washer fluid anf add enough water soluble cutting oil to it to turn it a mint green color. Add a table spoon of Murphy's oil soap. You can put it in a spray bottle so it will penetrate into those tight spots. It does not harm wood. If you wish to clean a muzzle loader just seal the nipple with a piece of rubber and hold it down with the hammer. Pour it down the barrel and let it sit. Pour yourself a coffee and when you have finished it dump the stuff into a container. Wipe the barrel with dry patches and then use a good oil like G-96 or break free. You can actually re use the stuff again if you just leave the black powder residue in the bottom of the can. By the way, this stuff is the best black powder patch lube I have ever used as it dissolves the residue in the barrel each time you load.

Cheers.
 
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