Drying the barrel after cleaning

[Sergeant Earthworm]

There are quite a few posts on the subject of cleaning ML guns so we probably don't need another. But I'm going to post one anyway as it may be of interest to fellow Black Powder purists out there.

I've noticed there are lots of shooters who use petroleum based products in their BP guns, WD40 being commonly used for drying out metal parts after cleaning. Maybe it is because of the fact that the humidity was so high when I lived on the east coast, but my experience with WD40 was uniformly bad. Every time I used it by the following day there would be surface rust inside and out, even when lubed with Break Free or some other rust preventive. Ouch.

After a few times doing that, a friend recommended cleaning with straight hot water only, followed by generous amounts of Bore Butter. Still, there was the problem of residual water in the barrel and what to do about it until one day when dear ol' Dad suggested using compressed air to blow the residual water out of the barrel. Ever since then, my cleaning regimen is to remove the nipple (and clean it separately), remove the barrel, and scrub the BP residue off all external metal parts with a bronze brush. While all that is going on I heat the water and charge up the air compressor. I use water as nearly boiling as possible, submerge the breech, and pump the barrel repeatedly with a tight fitting patch. I repeat the process after changing the water two or three times until water coming out of the barrel is completely clear. Next is swabbing the barrel with three or four dry patches to get most of the water out, then blow out the remaining water with compressed air. Something that helps is to wrap the air nozzle with electrical tape to form a seal with the muzzle and prevent damage to the crown. Since the barrel is still very warm, any remaining water dries in about thirty seconds or so. After that I bathe the barrel inside and out with Bore Butter and let it cool completely before re-assembling the gun. Using this method, I have had no problems with rust and once cleaned the gun can be put away with no worries.

The variation for flint guns is to plug the flash hole with a plug carved out of hardwood and use a measuring cup to pour the water into the barrel, the rest of the process being pretty much the same. Keep the vent hole side of the gun facing down so any water leaking from the vent doesn't run inside the stock.

Haven't bought any WD40 in a very long time.

[nhrifle]

Thats the procedure I use for my T/C Renegade and my Sharps after I shoot them, and I also havn't had any rust.

[JIMinPHX]

I submerge the barrel in HOT soapy water & then scrub it with a snug fitting patch. After that, I rinse quickly with warm water, then run a paper towel through the (still hot) bore. I follow this with a coat of bore butter on a patch. I've had good results.

[GARD72977]

I had Muzzleloaders years ago and did not have good results with my cleaning methods. Im thinking of ordering a gun from TMV and found this on there website. Looks interesting but never thought of Transmission fluid. Not sure whats so good about ford transmission fluid!

TVM Rifle Cleaning Steps
Supplies needed: Fouling scraper, patches, Type F Transmission Fluid, Minwax finishing wax, a quality gun oil, and toothpick.
1. Apply minwax to stock. Do not wipe off at this time.
2. Run fouling scraper down barrel and turn to the right a couple of times. Empty fouling from barrel.
3. Place toothpick in vent liner. Pour warm soapy water down barrel and let sit about 5 minutes.
4. Empty water from barrel. Remove toothpick and start running patches down barrel. When the patches come out clean and dry, then run a patch with a good gun oil down the barrel.
5. Remove the 2 lock bolts and gently work the lock from the stock. Wipe both sides of the lock and replace.
6. Now buff the wax from the stock.
7. Apply the Type F Transmission Fluid to all outside surfaces (wood and metal), but not inside the barrel or back of lock.

[P.K.]

I submerge the barrel in HOT soapy water & then scrub it with a snug fitting patch. After that, I rinse quickly with warm water, then run a paper towel through the (still hot) bore. I follow this with a coat of bore butter on a patch. I've had good results.

In the same boat there, hot soapy water. I use the TC Bore scrubber too, let the foam do it's work then do the steps above. If I have any ( If I think real or imagined) residual H2O after the cleaning out comes the Brake cleaner, it will displace any residual moisture then lube the bore.

[Nobade]

If you make Ed's Red bore cleaner, it has transmission oil in it and works great for keeping rust away on the outside of your rifle.

As for the inside, I have taken to using a propane torch on my barrels in the winter to warm them up and dry out the water. I can watch little pockets of water boil off and then I know I got it hot enough. Don't go overboard with it and get things too hot. Do this out of the stock of course.

In the summer I just put the metal out in the sun and in a few minutes it gets too hot to touch. You guys up North might have varying results with this though...

[Pb2au]

Same here. Uber hot soapy water, scrub, uber hot rinse water, scrub, patch patch patch patch, it is dry.
Bore butter or whatever your favorite grease is to coat the bore, oil the outside, eat dinner.

[tomme boy]

I use alcohol to clean mine. Never had any rust. I used to used water, but it was just warm. If I used HOT water, I always ended up getting a little brown color on the patches when I ran a patch down the bore a day later. I was told it is called flash rust. The alcohol I use is the 98% if I remember right. It evaporates right off.

I have always cleaned my ML over a 2 week time. Clean it when I am done using it, Run a clean patch down the barrel the next day to see what comes out. Then one patch with what ever oil on hand. The next day I do the same thing as day 2. I wait a week and check with a dry patch. Then another oiled patch. Wait another week an a dry patch an then an oiled patch. Always store the gun with the muzzle down.

Rust is usually from not cleaning properly.

[dominicfortune00]

Years ago when I had a ML, I was taught to fill a five gallon bucket with the hottest water i could get out of the tap, add isopropyl alcohol, put the breech end of the barrel in the bucket and pump the water in and out of the barrel with a tight fitting patch on the ramrod. The alcohol in the hot water helped it to evaporate from the hot barrel and clean all the BP residue out of the barrel.

Worked for me and never got any rust in the barrel.

[gnoahhh]

I use denatured alcohol as a final solvent after cleaning with the method du jour and a good drying out with patches and some quality time spent next to the woodstove or radiator. After the denatured alcohol swabbing followed by a dry patch or two, a lightly saturated oily patch is applied and back into storage she goes. No need to get carried away with exotic rituals or products- perseverance is the best tool.

I knew a guy who swabbed the bejasus out of his bores with patches dripping with oil. Too many times he got first shot misfires even after running a dry patch down the bore first, and 'capping' off a couple times. I kept telling him that he probably had a ton of oil pooled at the bottom of his breech but he wouldn't listen. It took another buddy to join in before he relented with the über oily patches, and his misfire problem went away.

[John Allen]

If you have an air compressor get yourself a length of 1/4 copper or stainless pipe. You can slide it up the bore and make sure the breech plug area is totally dry. You can also buy long air guns like this one 57930

you can buy them on amazon for under $5.00
http://www.amazon.com/BR-Tools-Air-Blow-Long/dp/B000T8E8EW

[Hanshi]

I bought a $2 hair dryer from the Thrift Store and it flat out dries things FAST; even the bore.

[Maven]

No air compressor and just finished cleaning my Lyman GPR caplock by removing the nipple & clean out bolt and immersing the breech in warm, soapy H20. After pumping it with patches until I see no more fouling, I use clean patches to dry it, followed by a paper towel "patch" (4 layers of toweling), followed by a generous amount of WD-40. I'll apply more WD-40 the next day (tomorrow) and then use ATF or ATF + Marvel Mystery Oil to preserve it. I get no rust here in the humid Hudson Valley...and the rifle is a tack driver. Btw, I clean my FL's at the range, but when I return home, they also get the WD-40, ATF treatment with 0 ill effects.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

I pull the nipple , submerge the breech in a bucket of hot soapy water , then scrub

when done scrubing i flush the barrel by pouring hot just short of boiling water down the barrel and letting it drain from the hole where the nipple screws in

it is so hot it drys very fast

then oil , I use eds red oil

yes it is petroleum but it works

when ready to load i fire a few caps run dry patches and one with friendship speed juice then powder and ball with patch lubed with speed juice

[pietro]

FWIW, I've been shooting, & ergo cleaning, my frontstuffers since the late 1960's with HOT soapy water, then rinsed with HOT clean water - so HOT that the barrel(s) become difficult to hold w/o gloves.

I've found that metal that hot evaporates ANY moisture faster than my wife can spend money .................

So dry, in fact, that the metal MUST be treated almost immediately with a rust inhibitor, or a sheen of thin rust will start to form.

When Bore Butter 1000+ was introduced (1980's ?), it was a blessing, since I then followed the manufacturer's instructions for seasoning/prepping the barrel.

Since I did that, I still have two sidehammer T/C's that I've never really "cleaned" , or had to, the old way, w/o any hint of rust.

Now, I just wipe out fouling with a patch wetted with Moose Milk (T/C #13 cleaner), then dry patches, until the patches come out clean. I follow up with a light swipe of a patch with BB 1000+ rubbed into it, and I'm done until the next shooting session or hunting trip, etc.


.

[Sergeant Earthworm]

No air compressor and just finished cleaning my Lyman GPR caplock by removing the nipple & clean out bolt and immersing the breech in warm, soapy H20. After pumping it with patches until I see no more fouling, I use clean patches to dry it, followed by a paper towel "patch" (4 layers of toweling), followed by a generous amount of WD-40. I'll apply more WD-40 the next day (tomorrow) and then use ATF or ATF + Marvel Mystery Oil to preserve it. I get no rust here in the humid Hudson Valley...and the rifle is a tack driver. Btw, I clean my FL's at the range, but when I return home, they also get the WD-40, ATF treatment with 0 ill effects.


Can't argue with success, I guess I just didn't manage to crack the code on WD40.

[Maven]

I generally store my WD-40 -ATF lubed guns muzzle down and dry patch them prior to firing to remove those lubricants. Btw, Winchester Sutler's "Moose Milk" does an excellent job for range clean-up (my 2 flintlocks, e.g.), as does 1 Ballistol : 6 H20. Friendship Speed juice, i.e., equal parts isopropyl alcohol, Murphy's Oil Soap, and 2% Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) works great too, but I'm thinking of substituting white vinegar for the H2O2 as it will neutralize BP salts better. These solutions also make excellent patch lubes for use in warmer (above freezing) temperatures.

[izzyjoe]

i do the same and use boiling water after the cleaning process, but while it's still warm i use 50/50 Ballistol, water to lube inside and out of the barrel, but you need to wear a pair of gloves! i've also used Olive Oil when i did'nt have Ballistol on hand.