bad surprise

[hiram]

I went to the range and shot what I had to.

A long time ago I read AND heard that windex with vinegar is great for cleaning bp.

I didn't have any so I mixed water and some vinegar in a spray bottle. I used maybe 3-3.5 oz of water and 1-1.5 oz of vinegar.

There I am cleaning away and lo and behold, it removed the blue off of the muzzle.

What an eye opener.

[mooman76]

I've heard Windex works well but never heard about mixing it with vinegar.

[hiram]

The regular windex is blue. Windex and vinegar is a clear solution. Its been out there a while.

I would think at least 3 yrs.

[725]

I run a class for BP at a kids camp. I clean the camp rifles daily with straight windex, dry and oil. No problems so far.

[405]

There are so many magic formulas for BP cleaning no telling the latest roll-yur-own. Some of the BP shooters do use the premix in the bottle as sold.... Windex w/ vinegar. As opposed to the standard premix in the bottle as sold Windex w/ammonia.

Maybe somewhere along the way folks wanting to concoct their own potion and hearing about Windex w/vinegar decided to mix regular Windex with some vinegar to save $.37. instead of buying the pre-mix

Have not heard of the pre-mix, sold as Windex w/ vinegar removing bluing. I just use Ballistol and water mix at the range, then hot soapy water for complete cleaning at home. No problems

[cajun shooter]

Windex and vinegar is used by myself and a lot of shooters to clean BP with. Are you sure you didn't use Windex with ammonia which is a BIG NO NO !!! The windex and vinegar cleans the plastic snake skin from the shotgun bbl in one pass with a brush. I've gotten that spray all over my 1887 several times with no ill effect. Was the vinegar that you used clear? Was it fresh, something is wrong and without seeing what you used it would be hard to figure out. Try buying a bottle of Windex at the store that is pre-mixed with the vinegar and use it on a hidden blue spot. It will not remove the blue. I use the moosemilk for most of my cleaning. But have found that windex with vinegar removes that snakeskin better than anything else.

[Lead Fred]

Guys your reinventing the wheel

You can use plain ole hot water, a bit of dishwashing soap if you must.

They been doing that way for 100s of years.

You can use amonia to clean the corrisive primer rezidue left by commie milsurp ammo.
Then use Hoppes #9 as normal.

Never use petrolium based cleaners with real BP. It turns to tar.

You all should be using T/C 1000+ products, its the best for bore stuffers.
I have not washed my bore in years. I use T/C products only.

[SharpsShooter]

Guys your reinventing the wheel

You can use plain ole hot water, a bit of dishwashing soap if you must.

They been doing that way for 100s of years.

Water to clean and oil to preserve......it ain't rocket science. All these magic elixirs and brand name snake oils are not going to do any more than H2O.....cept maybe look good in the shooting box.

SS

[Pepe Ray]

unless your a chemist with a mission.


READ THE @#$% LABLES!!!!

[freedom475]

I did the same thing to the muzzle of my Sharps and a drip ran down the side and left a big ugly streak of bare metal

.... after that I just wrapped the whole barrel with paper towels soaked in vinegar and in about 5/10 minuntes I just wiped all the blueing from the Sharps... this gave it the coolest patena I could have asked for.

Stipped it right down to the bare metal but kind of left it antiqued and it doesn't seem to rust like I thought it would.

[45-70marlin]

vinegar is a acid , might remove blueing if strong enough. I only used hot soapy water then dry and oil. no problems. done it for 34 years.

[hiram]

I didn't use windex and add vinegar to it.

I used plain water and vinegar.

The reason why I brought up the windex/vinegar product info was to see if anyone removed the blue with the off the shelf product.

After that, I emptied the water / vinegar and used diswashing soap and water.

[218bee]

Maybe your formula was too strong..3oz water to 1oz vinegar?? I uae the windex stuff bot maybe the ratio is like 1oz vinegar to 16oz of water...I dont know but just a thought, although I didnt think that much vinegar would harm your barrel

[Kuato]

Vinegar is an acid as stated above. If its strong enough it will etch steel. I've used it before for this purpose. DON'T use vinegar to clean BP. Hot water works just fine.

I fired my 3rd model Dragoon 150 rounds with real BP about a year ago. When done, I boiled the barrel & cylinder in water, Cleaned & lubed with Ballistol. The gun looks unfired to this day.
To avoid issues, remember: K.I.S.S.

[Lead Fred]

Water to clean and oil to preserve
SS

If your using real black powder, you want to avoid petrolium based oils where ever the BP is.

Dino oil and burnt BP turns into sludge.

There are many all natural lubes and oils that will not gun up the works.

[shdwlkr]

I have used dawn and very hot water for almost 40 years now and haven't lost any bluing yet. It also has been the best stuff I have found to clean a barrel.
In the Army we used just plain boiling water to clean our M16's then oiled them they always came out clean.
Why would you want to use an acid to clean your firearm?

[EOD3]

I use Windex with ammonia for a "range rinse" after shooting Milsurp ammo but ONLY TC products in my front stuffers. Works like a champ. YMMV