[WSPanic]

I hope everybody had a great hunting season, no matter your choice of weapon. I am new to the flint lock hunting. I have a TC PA Hunter and was looking for your suggestions on products, special techniques and anything you can suggest to insure a thorough cleaning for the long off season storage. I have been given some suggestions from others but I see there are a lot of veterans here with some great knowledge to pass on to a newby. Thanks a bunch.

 

[sch Co]

I am big fan of running a bunch of solvent down. Then let it sit for about 30 mins. Run dry patches down and then it gets dunked in scolding hot soapy water for a final scrubbing. When the patches out clean. I run some dry patches and then put it away.

 

[mauser06]

i am a fan of the bore butter treatment...most guys swear at it...i swear by it...i dont have any rust issues inside or out...

at the end of every season i run water hot off the stove through the bore till i cant touch the barrel with bare hands...scrub it good with solvent and a brush and patches and brushing more..i also run the brush down into the breech..my jag and patches down reach down in there..all the while flushing the water though like always..

pull it out and dry it..water is so hot most of it dries instantly...then i take a patch globbed with bore butter through the bore..it will melt..i keep the bore upside down so it doesnt collect in the breech...then i do the same on the outside...


then clean up the lock good and put her away...when i get it out to shoot again, i clean all the excess bore butter off...

my buddies have different cleaning methods and they struggle to reload...not me..and no issues with rust or anything..

 

[BerksCoflinter]

I've become a big fan of Ballistol for cleaning, patch lube, and even for wiping the stock. Pay especially close attention to your lock. Remove it, and if you are comfortable with what goes where, disassemble it for a special job of cleaning, polishing, and re-oiling the metal parts which rub against each other. Pay attention to any spots internally which seem to be too shiny because they've been rubbing against each other too firmly. Taking care of these spots will speed up your lock's action.

I run a patch with Ballistol down the barrel for storing, but once a month, I repeat the process. Spend plenty of range time with your flintlock in the off season. It is a great confidence builder for next season. Your goal is no mis-fires, no flashes-in-the-pan, and tight groups!

 

[Jester]

I try to stay away from petroleum products. I do however uses Gunscrubber or any similiar product to REMOVE all oils etc after a through end of season cleaning. Lots of patches, TC13 and wonderlube. I use gorilla grease and TC breech plug grease on lock surfaces (internal). I may overkill a bit on my cleaning as I dissaemble the lock as far as possible, shine and clean every piece with steel wool/dremel tool and anything else I can find. I'm in the market now to try or buy a "sonic" cleaner, sorta like one of those jewelry cleaners. Back when I worked for a living I saw guys drop thier entire semi auto pistols inside one of these and let it work overnight. They came out really clean. I'm thinking that would make lock cleaning a snap.

I'm all stocked up on Qtips, steel wool and fresh dental picks so.......dirt and gunk beware!!

 

[mus42tang]

I always took care of my muzzleloader. I've had it over 30 years, so I guess it worked.

I always cleaned the muzzleloader after shooting it that day. Didn't leave it corroded with fired powder. I would take the barrel and lock off the rifle and clean it with "moosemilk" along with the inside of the barrel.

After cleaning, I used WD 40 on the metal parts of the rifle, swab the inside the barrel, outside the barrel, and gun lock, to prevent any rust.

I'm sure there are new methods, but this continues to be my way. Since it worked, I don't change. Plus the homemade moosemilk made it inexpensive.

 

[crappie-hunter]

I am not a big fan of the boiling water treatment, as I have had flash rust occure using hot water, some barrels are prone to this and others are not, I don't know why must be the makeup of the steel used in the barrel making, so I just use tempered water. Then dry patch until one comes out with no dampness at all, next use ballistol, it mixes well with water so if there is dampness is left in the barrel it will be absorbed. Let sit overnight the dry patch again and re-apply ballistol.

Just a side note for those that don't like water cleaning ,white windex with vinegar is the best blackpowder solvent I have ever found, try it you'll be amazed. I use it to clean my locks using a cotton swab If I don't want to completely disassemble the lock. Also a good solvent to clean between shots at the range. Never tried it as a patch lube.

 

[Paflyfisher]

I've used the hot water, ivory liquid and bore butter method for about 35 years. It's always worked great for me.

 

[TedK]

What is the formula for "moosemilk"?

 

[Fleroo]

1 part moose. 3 parts milk.

 

[Mathews Man06]

I use TC Number 13 bore cleaner with bore brush. Then run patches until clean. I will then use hot water then run some more patches down until clean and dry, then use a bore swab to make sure its dry. Finally I run a patch with bore butter down it to keep it rust free. I will also put a light coat of it on the outside.

 

[good ole boy]

I use a bore brush on my Firestorm with a removable breech plug but how do you use a brush in a closed breech?Most brushes won,t fold back and reverse.Alot of guys got in jams because of that.

 

[brewyak]

Warm water soak rinse repeat a few times dry bbl out with patches then do a coat of pure mink oil and if I'm not shooting for a while give the bbl another coat of mink oil

 

[Bunky]

Warm sudsy water followed by windex then rubbing alcohol. Let dry and then oil with the thick Jim Chambers oil. My lock gets the thinner oil.

 

[huntinlandscaper]

i am a fan of the bore butter treatment...most guys swear at it...i swear by it...i dont have any rust issues inside or out...

at the end of every season i run water hot off the stove through the bore till i cant touch the barrel with bare hands...scrub it good with solvent and a brush and patches and brushing more..i also run the brush down into the breech..my jag and patches down reach down in there..all the while flushing the water though like always..

pull it out and dry it..water is so hot most of it dries instantly...then i take a patch globbed with bore butter through the bore..it will melt..i keep the bore upside down so it doesnt collect in the breech...then i do the same on the outside...


then clean up the lock good and put her away...when i get it out to shoot again, i clean all the excess bore butter off...

my buddies have different cleaning methods and they struggle to reload...not me..and no issues with rust or anything..

^^^^^This I do the same and have no issues with rust etc

 

[Twowithone]

Ive done the same also and later read with steaming hot water going down the barrel for the final rinse your asking for flash rusting with water that hot. Sorta makes sense.

 

[mauser06]

Ive never had a flash rust issue....but i dont really give it time...barrel gets grabbed with a towel and flipped bore down and dry patched and whipped off on the outside seconds...


If coating the outside bore butter or anything else i highly recommend taking the touch hole out till your done so it doesnt get in there...

Lots of ways to skin a coon...lots of ways to clean a flinter....i have a buddy that.uses WD-40...another regular 3-1 or gun oil....both shoot TCs like i do...both have fouling issues where i dont...i.think my cleaning has some to do with the difference...



I cant remember the moose milk recipe i made up...murphys oil soap and some other stuff....ive only ever tried it as patch lube....decided it was a lot easier and faster in the woods to use pre-cut and pre-lubed patches in a ball block...or conicals the last 2 years..

 

[Curly Maple]

All my flint barrels are pinned. I use cold water and a breach plug scraper in the 1st process. Slobber it up good with a few patches...dry patch..then go to a ballistol patch. Check it the next day for "color"...and then store it with a thin oil applied to the bore. Check it for color until I'm comfortable.

Everyone has their product and routine. All is good IMO. The important thing is to clean and protect.

Agree with Burks about the lock cleaning, tuning, and off season fun....er.... practice.

 

[Mathews Man06]

I use a bore brush on my Firestorm with a removable breech plug but how do you use a brush in a closed breech?Most brushes won,t fold back and reverse.Alot of guys got in jams because of that.

I use a shotgun bore brush, not sure what gauge, I'm thinking it's a 20ga brush.

 

[ICAREDOYOU]

simple green works great.