Lots of Questions

[EvilOmega]

I need to replenish my black powder supplies a bit and came to the realization that I needed to ask some questions. So here goes.

1. Where dose one get some good thick adsorbent cleaning patches?

2. Patch Lube
a. Do you use any?
b. What kind do you recommend?

3. Patches, I have been using pillow ticking and it works fine but I kind of hate
trimming at the barrel, I am considering using a speed loader but was
wondering if anyone could recommend a convenient way to precut patches
or a good but inexpensive precut patch?

4. What do you use for between shot cleaning? I am using something my
father gave me and it work well but I will run out eventually and can't
remember what it is, and there could always be something better.

5. What do you use for end of the day cleaning? I use Hoppes 9 but have
been considering getting Hoppes benchrest, what do you recommend? Has
anyone tried MPro7?

6. How do you clean at the end of the day? My process is to
1. Separate barrel from lock/stock
2. Place rear of barrel in container of hot water.
3. Use ramrod and patch to pump water in and out of the barrel through
nipple.
4. Swab barrel with Hoppes 9 on a patch until clean.
5. Wipe down lock nipple with Hoppes.
6. Reassemble.
a. Any recommendations on a brand of soap or similar cleaning product to
add to the water, I can't find a dish soap without weird additives.
b. Any comments on the process itself.

7. Do you know a good website to purchase black powder accessories?

8. Do you know of anywhere that sells goex in single cans by mail-order or via
the web? It is so very hard to find in central Ohio.

9. Have I asked too many questions?

10. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck
wood?

I would greatly appreciate any answers you could give.

 

[stevelyn]

I'll try and answer the questions that I can.

Regular flannel or twill cleaning patches work fine for cleaning a muzzleloader barrel. Using a cleaning jag helps.

Patch Lube. Yes I do use lube, specifically T/C Natural Lube 1000 Bore Butter. I have also used Crisco which was recommended by other BP shooters. Either one works.

Patches. I also use pillow ticking. I bought pre-cut patches from Midsouth Shooters Supply .016" and some Ox-Yoke Originals from the Sportsmans Warehouse they are .018" and a bit too tight for my barrel. As for patch cutters you can purchase them from places like Dixie Gunworks or Midsouth and others who sell BP/muzzleloader supplies. They also have bulk pillow ticking.

Between shot cleaning. I don't need to. I use Triple 7. It dosen't foul the barrel like BP and Pyrodex. Besides, I couldn't get black powder delivered to my grid coordinates if I wanted to.

End of the day cleaning. I fill the kitchen sink with hot water and dish soap. I remove the nipple and using a patch and jag I pump water up into the barrel forcing it in and out of the nipple orifice several time until I feel the barrel getting hot. I then drain and fill with hot water and use the same proceedure to rinse the bore. I then use patches to dry the bore and even run a patch down into the breech with a conventional rod to dry it out. Pipe cleaners through the nipple orifice. Let it sit for a few minutes to finish drying. I then coat the bore, breech and flash drum with Bore Butter or Crisco. No Hoppes or petroleum based products in the bore as they increase the crud factor with BP. I do wipe down the outside w/ Break-Free CLP. I also grease the threads on the nipple before replacing it.

I'm a big believer in MPro-7 and use it on all my other guns. BTW, Butch's Bore Shine for Black Powder is MPro-7 repackaged.

Dixie Gunworks, October Country, Track of the Wolf, The Possible Shop and Warren Muzzleloading specialize in BP/muzzleloading supplies. There are others I can't think of off hand right now.

Hope this helps.

 

[mcneill]

Basically what stevelyn said with the following additions -

Between shot cleaning - If needed I will use rubbing alcohol or a commercial bore cleaner (Thompson Center) on a patch. Bore must be dried out with dry patches before reloading.

I use pre-cut patches from TC or Traditions for cleaning.

Also use pre-cut/pre-lubed ticking patches from TC for loading. These are lubed with Bore Butter which greatly reduces the amount of fouling.

Cleaning - I also clean with hot soapy water (dish washing liquid) just like you do, but I never use any petroleum products, only natural stuff such as Bore Butter. I was taught that petroleum products will react with black powder and render it inert. Don't know if that's true or not, but it's what I heard.

I love Dixie Gun Works. Have heard good things about Track of the Wolf, but have not ordered from them.

Hope this helps.


Jim

 

[skip]

When I get back to the lodge, after shooting all day, I run a wet patch through the barrel to loosen up the fouling. Then I plug the nipple with a small plastic cap I found somewhere (or sacrifice a perfectly good cap) and set the hammer down on it to hold it in place. Then I fill the barrel with some magic juice and lean it against a tree for about a half hour. After that, I pour out the juice, unplug the nipple, and run a few patches through until everything's dry. It's clean as a whistle at this point. I also use a wet patch to wipe off the exterior. Then I oil up everything, inside and out, with Sheath oil.

My magic juice is made by adding an ounce or so of liquid detergent and about 3 ounces of soluble oil to a gallon of windshield washer fluid. An old plastic mustard jar (with the twist top) will hold enough to clean 2 or 3 barrels.

I used to use moose juice to clean with, but this stuff is easier and does a better job. I still use moose juice wetted patches to clean with out on the range. Since I shoot with "dry patches", I run a dry cleaning patch through after every shot. Sometimes, after 10 or 15 shots, I can feel the fouling start to build up. That's when I run a moose juice patch, followed by some dry patches, through the barrel.

Moose juice is made from equal parts of Murphy's oil, hydrogen peroxide, and rubbing alcohol. About 20 or 30 cleaning patches will fit into a skoal can (take the Skoal out first, or it'll taste terrible) and about 2 or 3 tablespoons of moose juice will dampen them all up.

This all takes much longer to describe than to actually do, and it makes things a lot easier. I'm a firm believer in that the easier you make something to do, the more likely you are to do it (and vice versa).