new to black powder guns

[belton-deer-hunter]

ok i am a complete newbie to black powder but got a hawkins .50 cal. yesterday how do i clean this gun and any other info will be nice thank you i have already made one mistake with it (like sticking paper towels down the barrel) and dont want to make anymore)
p.s. i was told it is okay to clean them with water? is this true? thanks

 

[Camp David]

ok i am a complete newbie to black powder but got a hawkins .50 cal. yesterday how do i clean this gun and any other info will be nice thank you i have already made one mistake with it (like sticking paper towels down the barrel) and dont want to make anymore)
p.s. i was told it is okay to clean them with water? is this true? thanks

Yes you can use water to clean barrel after firing provided you make effort to dry it completely, then oil & lubricate it later.... black powder is different than contemporary smokeless powder and needs different attention; i.e., cleaned immediately after EACH use, without question. Especially your Hawken! Muzzleloader can be cleaned with hot water and brass brissle brush to remove accumpulated (unspent) residual powder which acrues much faster in barrel than contempory smokeless powder... primer/nipple needs to be unseated and flash hole cleaned as a matter of course. There are numerous Blackpowder Solvents which make cleaning easier... some use water and soap and swear by it, and later heavily oil. See here:
http://www.atving.com/tmpl/features/outdoors/hunting/blackpowder/blackpowdercleaning.html

General article on cleaning blackpowder firearms:
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_6_48/ai_85472060

 

[Oldnamvet]

When you take that rifle to the range to sight in, make sure you take cleaning equipment with you. I normally take an old thermos bottle with hot water. About every third shot I run a bore brush through, followed by several patches with hot water, then clean patches until dry. This takes about 5 minutes so is not a total clean but just enough to make loading easier. POI sometimes changes quite a bit as the bore gets more fouled and the shot that really counts is going to be the first one anyway. Once finished shooting and home, IMMEDIATELY thoroughly clean it and dry it before putting it away. Besides cleaning the barrel, use water and a toothbrush (preferably an old one that you are not using ) to clean the hammer and other exposed metal parts. If you are going to be taking it hunting in a few days, a light coat of oil followed by dry patches is needed. If storing for a long time, a good coating of oil is desired and periodic checking to make sure rust isn't getting started anywhere. Seems like a lot of work compared to a modern rifle with stainless -- and it is -- but one deer or other game taken and it will all feel worth it.

 

[eastwood44mag]

Peroxide works remarkably well. But you must get your barrel BONE DRY, and grease it up immediately after.

 

[belton-deer-hunter]

some body told me about peroxide yesterday afternoon now i also heard aboput lubing the sabots with vasoline is this ok or if not what should i use to do this thank you