Cleaning your muzzleloader doesn't have to be hard | Cleaning my flintlock longrifle in 20 minutes

Learn more at ilovemuzzleloading.com
In this video, I wanted to show you how I clean my Kibler Southern Mountain rifle after the morning of the shooting. Throughout the week I receive a lot of emails and questions about cleaning a muzzleloader and how much a muzzleloader needs cleaned after shooting.
Cleaning is the #1 reason I hear people DON'T like shooting muzzleloaders. I wanted to make this video to show that you can add an extra 20 minutes to your range day and enjoy your muzzleloader. Cleaning your muzzleloader doesn't have to be a laborious task.
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[@kentgoldings]

Of all my rifles, the one that is easiest to clean is the traditional muzzleloader. It is easiest to disassemble. The large bore is easiest to access. There’s no complex action to disassemble. Washing the bore is straightforward. It occurs to me that traditional woodsman had to maintain a rifle in primitive conditions. Keeping the process simple would have been desirable.

[@Nick-wn1xw]

Exactly.

[@brianhoxworth3881]

​@Nick-wn1xw yeah..water is what dissolve salts. Hot water is best. Then a few clean patches, followed up with some kind of "bore butter" . That's really all you need.

[@GnohmPolaeon.B.OniShartz]

This is probably one of the bigger reasons I'm more interested in black powder. Its technically much, much, much easier to maintain and will last much longer under more difficulty. _If_ you do real basic upkeep. I play airsoft, different parts, same problems and the pistols are practically the same. Every moving part brakes, any part that moves another part breaks faster and everything is touching something is moving somewhere and its generally the most motion heavy parts that require softer metals! 😐 I'd rather not add expensive explosions and metal projectiles to that equation. 👌 Nor do I want to fix it every nine months with parts that get increasingly hard to find! Nah, HPA is the way. The Kythera is a Godsend. Farm-to-Table-to-Meat. No moving parts. Magazines, too! Its probably not something civilization can appreciate but, as someone whos run 100s of 10000s of 1000s of rounds, Albeit ridiculously dense biodegradable plastic nuggets, drums break almost immediately, you can't find a good belt for anything, and if I need to change one more jumping mag spring I'm going to go back to LAARP so I can at least make my own freaking crossbow limbs and recycle the stupid poofy bolts. Where was I going with this? Oh, right. "Simplicity is Boss".

[@paulregner5335]

I spent less than thirty minutes cleaning my Traditions Hawken percussion rifle after spending hours at the range working-up load data (90 rounds). I removed the barrel from the stock and put the breech end in a bucket of hot, hot, hot water and slowly ran patches up and down the bore, making sure to pull water up and force it back out with each stroke. Then a patch or two to dry the bore a little, and then a few patches with Ballistol followed by dry patches until they came out clean. A Ballistol soaked patch on the percussion hammer and the drum/nipple assembly and any other exposed steel, and the work is done. On a side note, I just recently learned that Ballistol is water soluble, non-toxic and actually makes my hands less like alligator skin.

[@Nick-wn1xw]

Careful suggesting water here as it will cause some to have convulsions but I used exactly the technique you described years ago when my ML's were T/C Hawken rifles. Literally took a minute to clean the bore. The hot water helped with drying too. Wipe completely dry, oil and done. Of course cleaning the lock as well which I usually just ran under hot water, dried and oiled.

[@paulregner5335]

@@Nick-wn1xw I clean all of my percussion revolvers the same way. I disassemble them and scrub them in my kitchen sink using the hottest water I can stand. Dry, oil, reassemble and done.

[@ReichenbachEsq]

Yes, hot, soapy water & Ballistol is the best method.

[@vicroc4]

​@Nick-wn1xw They can have their convulsions, it doesn't change chemistry. BP fouling is rich in water-soluble compounds, so hot water is a good way to remove it.

[@Lysergide]

@@vicroc4 Probably the only issue when using tap water would be the small amounts of dissolved chlorine which can greatly speed up rusting in already rusted spots. But as long as you give it a final wash with distilled water and then quickly dry it I don't see any problems really.

[@jackblackpowderprepper4940]

That's one of the first mistakes I made when priming, over priming. The build up on the maiting surface's, well you know. Also being over anxious I could only find 1/2" English flints but now have 5/8" French amber. I will say I am loving the learning experience and Blackpowder Maniac Shooter was right. Soon you will leave all your other rifles home, I'm there.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Yep, it's just too much fun! Thanks for sharing Jack!

[@Mosin33596]

Here’s a trick I found. Making sure the barrel is clean of all oil before shooting (like you mentioned) makes for less fouling when shooting, this is due to the modern petroleum based oils we use today not blending well with black powder. Especially if you use mink oil on your patches. So before each shooting session I soak a patch in rubbing alcohol and run it down the barrel, followed by 2 dry patches. Really cleans out the oil from previous cleaning.

[@uarbor70]

I use Windex it works fantastically

[@BR549-2]

Great video. I never mind cleaning my muzzleloaders, it's part of the experience!

[@Bayan1905]

Back when I first shot a muzzleloader, I was 11 and it was my Grandfather's CVA Kentucky rifle. When it was over he cleaned it and showed my how it was done and even then, I didn't think it was that hard of a chore (of course I grew up working on tractor trailers so getting dirty and cleaning things was second nature) but to this day, I can clean a muzzleloader in pretty short order. Usually if I have down time following a match and don't plan on shooting that gun again, I will at least run a few patches down it to help make the rest of the cleaning later easier if I can.

[@snappers_antique_firearms]

Great video Ethan. I see That cleaning is one of the most used reason people don't shoot there muzzleloaders that often. i even fall under this trap

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

It can be intimidating for sure! Don't feel bad about that!

[@robshipley7543]

After a day of blasting away I throughly enjoy cleaning my rifle just something about it calms my soul

[@camrynhinkson748]

Use a bore mop, soak the mop in hot water and run it through the bore then strain the mop out and repeat. It’s way better than patches and it gets down in the rifling and after the bore is clear of fouling, dry the mop and soak mop in oil then run it though the bore. Saves on buying patches too. Also helps to have 2 mops of same caliber 1 for fouling and 1 for oil, you can wash either and dry it so you have a dry mop to wipe away oil.

[@Red-Dog7]

10:43 most of us should be use to that by now haha

[@minigpracing3068]

With the hook breech and a wedge between stock and barrel, I'm pulling my barrel now. Pull the nipple (percussion lock) and stick it in hot soapy water. Insert patch and rod, push air out, and start moving the soapy water in and out to clean everything. Follow up with dry patches and petroleum cleaner like hoppes and finish with some oil.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks for sharing!

[@FB-pk9ob]

Great video! Takes me 30 minutes. But I am very meticulous and go into a lil more detail. But I don’t shoot as much as you. Thanks for posting!!!

[@johnshea2395]

Muzzle loader range rods usually do not have a rotating handle, unlike the cleaning rods sold for breach loaders. A rotating handle lets a tight patch follow rifling twist all the way through the barrel of a breech loader. However, for muzzle loaders, It is important to be able to use the handle for rotating the rod to scrape the breach plug face clean. It is also important for cleaning fouling from any smaller than bore diameter chamber cut into some breach plug faces requiring a smaller diameter brush or scraper. Lyman Trade Rifles have such a chamber.

[@Nick-wn1xw]

Good points. I have found that I can still get the rotation from my range rod with a tight patch though by letting it rotate under the palm of my hand. Really good points on the breech face.

[@Rumblestrip]

My rifles and my pistols i spend maybe, 20-30 minutes a gun tops after a long day of shooting.... Using the old army instructions, my fusil de chasse, maybe 15-20 minutes and shes clean. Anymore i look for methods that dont use a ton of water since i drive a truck. Got it down to a quarter gallon of water at most for any of my guns at this point, and usually loot warm, or hot straight from the tap when i have access to a sink. Lol With revolvers ive found the best way is a 5 gallon bucket of water deep enough to submerge the parts... As warm as the tap can get it and let em soak for 20 minutes or more. Often when im at my dads, ill feed critters before i take em out. A decent shake on removal takes most of it out. I've become a believer in seasoning a barrel as much as i do cast iron cookware. It helps a ton. I stopped using solvants all together a few years ago. Warm water and balistol is typically all i use now.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks for sharing Rumblestrip! This is some great feedback.

[@steveg8322]

What I like about the hooked breech of Hawkens is the barrel is easily removed to be cleaned.Time after time hunting in wet weather bright red rust on the bottom of the barrel forms which is then removed and oiled,a difficult procedure with pinned barrels.

[@raytribble8075]

I know are are getting bombarded with advice… but I have been shooting flintlocks for the past 47 years. As other have mentioned, you do have a significant barrel drop and flinch. I shoot a rifled .62 cal that I built with a 120 grain charge of 2F Swiss under a dry felt wad .125” thick, .015 pillow ticking wad lubed with my lamb tallow and bees wax mix around a .600 cast soft lead round ball. 80-100 grains of 2F Swiss works great with my Fowler and the same 1/8” felt wad under the same ball and patch. Try loading your charge and then use a vent pick to clean you vent before using a 4-6 grain priming charge in your pan of Swiss 0B or 4F to help speed up your ignition. Worth a try for you. Don’t get me wrong… I might hit a barn door with a hang or delayed fire myself… put what I mentioned above works really great for me. I keep those alcohol wipes like a doc or nurse may use before giving you an injection to wipe my hammer (frizzen) to make sure there is no oil on it, a good sharp flint and I also touch my flint with a Diamond file when shooting competitions every few shots to avoid excessive napping of your flint. It just takes practice and setting up good habits to help with your ignition speed. Thank you for your video.

[@blackpowdermaniacshooter]

Yep….keep it simple, that’s my motto too.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

That's the plan!

[@OutnBacker]

Bought a Dixie Tennessee Mountain Rifle in 1979 and a Lyman Great Plains Rifle in 1980. Still shoot them both. There is no rust, although the outside finish now resembles original guns. Almost no browing left on the TMR, and lots of handling bare spots on both guns - but no rust. What the video shows is my normal range cleaing to get the guns home, where I do a more thourough job. In camp, and at home, I do the following: The GPR has a simple hooked breech, so barrel removal is easy. Many "Hawken" style guns do. I remove the barrel and the nipple (caplock), and place the breech end in hot tap water wityh ordinary dishwashing detergent. Nothing else is needed. Then, I double a cleaning patch and run it up and down the bore like a piston. On the withdraw, it sucks hot soapy water into the bore and all the way to the muzzle. I change patches often til they come out white. It doesn't take long. With a long rifle, I keep wadded paper towels in my hand around the muzzle to catch most of the water as it floods out, rather than let it soak the wood. It won't be much, but I always try to keep the end wood clean and dry, although after 40+ years, it is getting a bit punky looking. No clean water rinse in needed, since BP only fouls so much, as it gets blown out at a certain level and does not continue to accumulate. The soap water never even gets very dirty. With the TMR, which has a pinned barrel, I push a clear plastic tube over the nipple and do the same procedure, placing the other end of the tube in a bucket of water heated over the campfire. No need to remove the barrel. The hot water heats the steel and the barrels will be dry faster than I can dry swab before oiling. Flintlocks are more of a challenge, and I just persevere with the ramming one patch at a time method.

[@TODinWY]

Good pic of you and your table at the CLA show. They sent it around yesterday.✌

[@jwellsntr]

Great video! I have an old CVA Mountaineer (20+ years old). The inside of the barrel was really rusty and dirty. I've cleaned it a thousand times and used a metal refinishing pad several times down the barrel. The barrel is still REALLY tight and my jags get stuck whenever I use a dry patch. I was able to shoot it one time and it worked fine. (Beautiful rifle!!!) But after that one shot I tried to run a cleaning patch through it and it got stuck. I had to come home from the range to get it out. So back to the drawing board, I started cleaning it a thousand more times, ran the brillo pad (metal refinisher) down the barrel a few times and now it's ready to go again. My question is...I can't seem to get the barrel where it will let me run dry patches through without getting stuck. Loading it is almost as easy as how it looks in your video. But after one shot... I'm so afraid to run anything down the barrel at the range. Any ideas or tips on what I can try next? Maybe the inside of the barrel is just too pitted.

[@brucelewis1017]

I use steamy hot water dump it down the barrel and dry it with patches and while the barrel is hot I use trappers pure mink oil on a patch and run it down the barrel and let barrel cool good to go

[@james_lessick892]

I clean the same way, Great Video. Thanks

[@alifr4088]

As my pops said, 1 hour of shooting followed by 3 hours of cleaning!

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Hahah!

[@mathewweeks9069]

Your awesome

[@Hidetannerslife]

Very helpful.

[@flintymcduff5417]

Yeah it doen't take a long time at all to do it right. You're basically just cleaning soot. 15-20 minutes is about right. I follow up in a couple days with a dry patch or two then another weypt one with more oil.

[@michaelwhite9199]

The fear of improper cleaning has always been a reason I don’t shoot my muzzle loaders very often. Thanks for clarifying that.

[@uarbor70]

Cleaning is part of the ritual for me. Crack a beer disassemble the rifle completely put the breach end in a bucket of hot soapy water and start pumping the water up and down the barrel with a patch. I like this method because it flushes out a touch hole area quite well. Then all you have to do is oil it up. I will soak a lock in the same bucket blow it out with an air gun

[@brandon7482]

I take about 5 minutes on my percussion Kentucky. I use a wet patch down the barrel once or twice, a dry patch once or twice. I then take off the Nipple, hit it and around the nip hole a few times with a wet Q tip, then a dry Q tip, and then I use a tiny tiny bit of olive oil on the tip of a Q tip around the nipple and the hole to keep away rust. Rub off and fouling around the stock and barrel and the done!!!

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

NICE!

[@rocklicker639]

Great idea for a video. That don't look so bad.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks David! you might like my other video on cleaning where I go into more detail: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hausdJ2Amqephq8

[@rocklicker639]

Have you done a video going over basics for getting started with a flintlock? I've done some inline Muzzleloader stuff but want to get a flintlock. Id love to see a video explaining the stuff you need to get started. Like real basic. Thanks

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

I’m the works! Finishing up the writing

[@williamnye478]

Muzzleloaders are no harder to clean than a modern rifle, you just need to be more thorough. People used to live with them every day, round the clock! Did they spend hours cleaning them? NO! They usually didn't have time. They needed the gun to be in service and ready to go. I don't know why people seem to think muzzleloaders are so hard to live with. Keep up the great videos!

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thank you William!

[@chrisfonden6431]

I used to clean mine with really hot water. This way the barrel drys after cleaning

[@backdraft916]

Great video. I have an unrelated question. What are the hearing protectors that you’re using. Looks like the perfect minimalist set-up I need. I’m deaf in one ear, marginal hearing, at best, in my other (Ménière’s). I just need something to keep the range officers happy.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

These are a pair of "Milwaukee" brand plugs I got at the local farm store for $15. Really nice for a light range day.

[@Codystader1234]

Nice hat lol.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Hey thanks!

[@MikaelREALE-Indeed]

Hello, I love your videos ! Thanks from France. Please, could you tell me what kind of sight (peep sight or varnier) I may install on my Hawken (Investarm 120B). I'm 60 and my 20 years eyes are fareway ... Thanks for any tip. Mikaël

[@doranmaxwell1755]

Ok.. just for your opinion or test. In the 1930's a formula came out for cleaning corrosive salts from firearms. It also encompassed the black powder era. It was called 'Ed's red' and cleaned and oiled and preserved firearms all at once. Today I use a version of it. one part kerosene... one part acetone.. one part mineral spirits and one part automatic transmission fluid.. to that I add real lanolin and a citrus solvent (for odor) at about a couple ounces each per quart. This is maybe similar to the gun cleaning kits of the 1800's which used coal oil and or kerosene and whale oil. anyway.. I use this on all my firearms. I can't make enough of it tho cause my friends all want it LOL... I wipe down firearms with a rag with this on it once every 6 months or so. For BP guns.... I have a muzzle loading shotgun and 4 revolvers and a Hawkin. I clean them all with this formula. Use toothbrushes to clean hard to get to areas and patches for the rest. I might use just wet patches at first to get the majority of the fouling but then go to my formula. So far.... after cleaning my BP guns.. I can check on em 6 months later and not a speck of rust. I believe this is closer to the way guns were originally cleaned but of course with better more modern solvents. Not sure what is in balistol but for sure it did not exist back in the day. I do use balistol on the shooting bench to run a patch through once in a while but might just try my formula instead next time.

[@joearledge1]

great video Sir. Just curious, any reason you didn't use brushes of any kind (bore brush or toothbrush)?

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

I find I don’t need em personally

[@joearledge1]

@@ILoveMuzzleloading oh ok, cool, just curious, thanks!

[@Nick-wn1xw]

Besides being unneeded more bore brushes and designed to be pushed all the way through, not reversed.

[@joearledge1]

@@Nick-wn1xw good point

[@vicroc4]

Huh. Definitely not as irritating as I thought it would be. It being less accessible than an in-line made me think it would be harder but it looks like it's really about the same amount of effort. Assuming you have the right tools, of course.

[@dunbar555]

What is that holds the patch and make sure it doesn’t get stick at the bottom ?

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

The jag on the ramrod

[@briansherrillruralliving9708]

Looks like the rod I got from Rice

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks! I made this one, but I love Rice Products.

[@1diggers1]

I like it! Nice and simple. One question, what's the difference between ballistol and the last oil you used in the bore?

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

The ballistic is more of a cleaner/scrubber in my opinion. The Clenzoil used at the end is thicker and sticks with the metal longer to prevent rust.

[@timothymitchell4261]

I have a Cabelas 54cal Plains Rifle that I bought 35 years ago. If I don't clean it once a month, it will rust. I have used standard Remington rifle oil, and CVA anti-rust patches, and nothing seems to keep it from rusting. What do you recommend? If I clean and reoil it once a month the rust stays relatively light.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Light surface rust like that can be normal in muzzleloading. I really like Clenzoil, my family has always used it and both my parents are better shots than me. Like in my cleaning videos, I liberally soak a patch in clenzoil, put it down, back up and then soak it again before pinching it in the muzzle. Works well enough for me! I hope this helps

[@SaltyJim]

Ethan it would have been helpful to see the patches as they came out and during the lock cleaning.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Great point, I should have set up better! Thank you!

[@jimf1964]

A bolt action rifle takes about the same amount of time, if you really want it to last. Thanks muzzle loading guy! 🙂. I’ve been toying with the idea for so long, but the more I watch, the more I see I really should build my own and just go for it. But is there a powder less Smokey? The only range near me would be pretty pissed if I used black powder on a regular basis

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Triple 7 or Pyrodex might have a bit less smoke, but for traditional muzzleloaders, real blackpowder is really the best.

[@jimf1964]

@@ILoveMuzzleloading Yeah, when I go, I go all the way, but I don’t know of any black powder ranges here. They'd shoot me if I started doing that…..literally! 😁

[@vicroc4]

It's certainly no worse than cleaning an AR. Maybe a bit faster, if anything.

[@jerrodladner3019]

Do you like the flintlocks better than the percussion now?

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

I’m in a flintlock mood lately. But I’ll be back into percussion soon enough

[@jerrodladner3019]

@ILoveMuzzleloading nothing wrong with that. I shoot a good bit percussion but have always wanted a flintlock. Gonna try and get a kibler in near future.

[@taylorharbin3948]

Is it normal to get brown residue inside the barrel even after cleaning? It looks like rust to my eyes but a gunsmith said there was no problem. I want to believe him but it just doesn’t look right.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Very common to have that. I call it “surface rust”, you can wipe the bore every few weeks to keep it away but I’m not worried about it. Very normal. I like Clenzoil, it does a good job at keeping the bore clean

[@brianpoor763]

may I ask what finish did you use on the metal parts like the barrel when building??

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

I used 2 coats of Brownells Oxpho Blue, scrubbed them back with water and a scotchbrite between coats.

[@brianpoor763]

@@ILoveMuzzleloading thanks buddy

[@markgoostree6334]

So.... am I just over thinking this? I spent an hour and still did not think it was clean enough to leave it. I now have two additional products to try. Maybe I'll go out tomorrow and shoot a while and see if one of those give me better results than what I've been seeing. I have been hesitant to shoot because the cleaning just seemed useless. I always comeback next day and again in a week with an oiled patch.... still doesn't look like I want it.

[@dc761]

You will never get a perfectly clean white batch out of a bore. The key is no Petroleum, no water, and keeping the Fouling soft so it's easy to get out.

[@flintymcduff5417]

Despite others opinion here there is NOTHING wrong with using petroleum products to clean and protect your bore. Nothing. Great advertising campaign by Thompson/Center to sell their Bore Butter. But for the actual cleaning process water is the simplest. A wet patch or better yet a wet patch of water/Ballistol mix works great. Keep doing it until the patch come out cleanish looking. Dry, thoroughly and then protect the bore with whatever you use for other guns. After a couple days I lije to run a dry patch to get any residue that may have been pulled out then re-protect it. I just would avoid a pure petroleum product as a patch lubricant. Water has been used for hundreds of years. Why? Because it was readily available and works great!

[@Caponicus]

It never will look 100% perfect with a 100% clean patch, but you can get it close. I usually just take my rifle apart (lock, stock, and barrel), and run hot soapy water down the bore of the barrel. The water is what neutralizes the salts in the fouling (which create rust), and it all dissolves in water very easily so it can all get flushed out. Or alternatively, a bit of dish soap on a patch wet with water, and ram it up and down, rinsing the patch every stroke, or getting a new one, until I see no more black. After that, maybe one more rinse of water down the bore, and then a dry patch or two to dry up most of the water (DOES NOT have to be perfectly dry!). The rest of the cleaning will be alternating patches of straight Ballistol and dry patches until all patches come out nearly clean. The great thing about Ballistol is that it emulsifies with water creating a suspension. So if any water remains in the bore, the Ballistol mixes with water, which allows it to stay coated while the water can freely evaporate. Honestly Ballistol is probably the best out there, especially for black powder, I dare say essential, but to each their own of course! As you can imagine, the lock is done much similarly, but is much quicker and easier. Take a standard nylon brush (with a bit of dish soap on it), just run warm/hot water over the entire lock, brushing with the soapy brush until all fouling is gone. Quick rinse, dry off (blast of compressed air helps, but a towel works just as well), and spray down the lock with Ballistol ensuring complete coverage. Let sit while you clean your barrel, come back, wipe of excess, and good to go. Honestly, there is more than one way one way to skin a cat, and that doesn't mean my method of cleaning is the right method. But it works great nevertheless. Especially considering all one needs is a good range/cleaning rod, a jag that fits the bore, a small brush, soap and water, Ballistol, and some standard patches. I'm usually done in about 35 minutes on average. But of course I'm way too detail oriented so naturally it takes me a while until I'm satisfied lol. Regardless, when I come back to any of my my muzzleloaders, even if it's a month later, I don't find really any rust at all. Only just trace amounts. This of course should be telling me to use an actual oil that can protect against rust, but Hoppes just wasn't doing it for me, so maybe one day I'll get a good quality gun oil for preservative/protective purposes. Hope this helps, good luck!

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

You might try switching up your cleaning patches. I like a nice thick patch so the fibers get into the rifling and there is a nice tight seal. I'll go through 20+ patches before getting them clean. I know it can feel like waste but if I use more patches for a cleaner bore I find I come back to less and less issues days or weeks later. To offset the waste, I can usually wash half my cleaning patches and re use them later.

[@brucelewis1017]

Question I have would blackhorn be safe to use in a flintlock and would the spark from the pan set it off

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Blackhorn's safety information says it's only for blackhorn rated muzzleloaders. I don't know of a flintlock that is rated for it so I'd steer clear of using it in any traditional muzzleloader. I don't know that the spark would be enough to set it off. Those 209 primers are pretty hot.

[@frontierpatriot]

i keep my stuff clean but i hate doing it with a passion :(

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Patience my friend, patience! LOL

[@AFpaleoCon]

I like to pour boiling water down the muzzle but I find no matter how I plug the flash hole it leaks out and then gets all into the stock and I feel it’s bad for it. Idk if it or isn’t but still.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

I’ve seen some folks do that and on lighter guns it can create a line of black on the stock.l, so I try to avoid it when I can. I don’t think it will cause any harm to the stock but this is such a light gun I try to keep it even colored

[@tommaddox1028]

Cleaning is not the problem. It what you leave in the barrel to keep it from rusting. Sperm oil I have some purchased years ago.the best modern products is balistol. I hear on it was developed in by the Germans in WW2 to be used in to Russia .

[@oldsnake7848]

So this is probably a very stupid question but how does the cleaning cloth get pulled back out of the rifle? I know with an AR you put the cloth through a hole on the cleaning rod and run it through. Appreciate it if someone could explain this to me. Please and thanks

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

This is a no stupid questions zone! Muzzleloading patches are typically thicker than modern rifle patches, the rifling grooves are deaper which makes use of the thicker patch. The ramrod end has several flutes cut horrizontally around the jag. Each of these flutes help grip the patch and hold onto it on the return journey. The thick patch, combined with a ramrod jag with the 'grippy' cleats pulls the patch out each time. Hope this helps! This is a great question and perhaps something I need to cover in a video.

[@oldsnake7848]

@@ILoveMuzzleloading thanks man I appreciate ya taking the time to answer

[@Numl0k]

@@oldsnake7848 To add on to what our fine host here said, it doesn't always work perfectly. Sometimes a patch has a mind of it's own and decides it wants to live down in your barrel, and you pull a bare jag out. In that case, we switch the tip over to a "patch worm". It looks like a couple little bent wires on a jag (Or I've seen one that looks like a tiny corkscrew). Push that down your barrel, give it a little twist, and it should tangle up with the missing patch so you can pull it out.

[@Ghost_2366]

I'm from Indiana also. What part of Indiana are you from?

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

I'm up in the northern half. I don't want to broadcast precisely. I'll be at few indiana muzzleloading events this year I hope to meet you at!

[@davefellhoelter1343]

I AM ALL EARS! I often DO Not Shoot what I Want as Much As I Would Like for pain of "My" cleaning regiment! If I can Lower the Bar of Work and still Have FUN while keeping my equipment "near" perfect? I am IN! And Ho Ya I like My Tools to be Well Used but Not Abused! Kinda the same way I do mine just a little different ingredients, just different words? Keep Your Smoke Poles SMOKING! Amen Brother! I hope to Shoot the "Rest of" My Days! Too. And I would Love to TEACH the Next Generation EVERYTHING I Can!

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thank you Dave! With enthusiasm like this the future is bright!

[@independentthinker8930]

I hope that's not petroleum based oil in the bore, It makes fowling hard

[@davidturner7590]

What I say is meant to be taken as good-natured raillery. "It makes fowling hard." So using petroleum based oil makes it hard to shoot birds?

[@BrandonBumgardner-dm7ek]

I use maxwell house coffee to clean my barrel. It's cheap and taste like shit anyways.

[@Strutingeagle]

The best way to clean one is to take the gun into the shower with you and a salt shaker. Pour salt down the barrel and let the salt crystals lightly abrade out the carbon and rust with a patch and rod. Put some salt back in the bore when you are done and let the gun drip dry outside for a few days. Return to cleaning it with water and the salt you put in it and you will be amazed at how much rust you will remove.

[@dc761]

I've found that the biggest 2 enemies are moisture and petroleum products. Here's why. Petroleum products, when combined with BP Fouling form a very hard tar like substance which is very difficult to remove. Moisture/water when combined with BP Fouling forms sulfuric acid which causes aggressive rusting. The key is to keep the Fouling soft by using a good, non Petroleum based patch/Bullet lube. This makes the Fouling easier to remove. Next use a good non Petroleum based bore cleaner that does not contain water. Then use a non Petroleum based oil or grease to coat the metal. If you must use water based products or formulas you must make absolutely sure that all moisture is removed after cleaning. Lastly, if storing the gun for a long period of time make sure it is stored in a relatively dry environment with a stable temperature and humidity so as to prevent condensation.

[@flintymcduff5417]

Wrong on both counts. But uou sound like you've memorized the T/C marketing material for Bore Butter! Water is cheap and has worked for hundreds of years because it WORKS! Of course it has to be dried. As far as the petroleum product nonsense it is just that--nonsense. Petroleum products provide a high level of cleaning and protection in one. I have thousands of traditional muzzle loader shots fired and use petroleum to protect every time I shoot. No "tar", no buildup, ever. Wipe dry, load, shoot, clean when done. Over and over.

[@johnshea2395]

Whatever method removes the fouling, removes corrosive salts, dries any residual water, and protects the metal from rust during storage is OK. There are many methods and opinions. I always use soapy water to clean black powder fouling. You are right about the hydroscopic black powder fouling forming a highly corrosive residue after it attracts moisture from the air. However, removing this residue with water before rusting can occur is effective as long as the firearm is dried well and protected by oiling after cleaning. The reason for using water is that black powder fouling is water soluble, but its corrosive salts do not dissolve in petroleum based cleaners. A bucket or bore full of water dissolves and dilutes away a lot of fouling. Petroleum based cleaners on a patch are OK for smokeless powder fouling because there are no corrosive salts residue produced. The water cleaning method resonated with me because my father was taught by the military not to use Hoppes 9 in place of water bore cleaning for his Garand rifle. Military ammunition used primers that left corrosive salt residues in the bore. The salts dissolved in water cleaner, but not in petroleum based cleaner. Hoppes 9 worked fine when shooting ammunition without corrosive primers. I shot a lot of cheap surplus 30-06 corrosive primer ammo and never had a rusting problem because I cleaned the bore using water. Ballistol was developed in 1904 for the German military to use for small arms cleaning and protection. It can be used on metal, wood, and leather and contains only non-toxic constituents. It is not a petroleum product and can be used with and without water. It is a component for making moose milk cleaner and patch lube for muzzleloaders. After cleaning and drying the muzzle loader, straight Ballistol can be used without water as a protective oil for both modern and black powder firearms before storage. The main component of Ballistol is medicinal grade mineral oil. Mineral oil is used as an equipment protectant and lubricant by the food industry. Unlike Hoppes 9, I hate the odor of Ballistol, but use it with black powder as it is effective. I stick with Hoppes 9 for cleaning smokeless powder firearms. Petroleum CLPs or oil will work on black powder arms after cleaning them with water based cleaner and a thorough drying. CLPs should be wiped from the barrel of stored firearms before loading and firing.

[@Nick-wn1xw]

@@johnshea2395 I totally disagree! I like the smell of Ballistol but yeah nothing beats the smell of Hoppes Number 9. Everything else you said is spot on.

[@Nick-wn1xw]

@@flintymcduff5417 Yep. Works for me and has for a lot of years.

[@davidturner7590]

Ah, yes, a Hoppes Number 9 aficionado! I too love the smell of it. Very nostalgic.

[@olskool3967]

Windex melts the BP and life is good, i am the 111th person to tell you how to clean it,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[@flintymcduff5417]

So does water.

[@olskool3967]

@@flintymcduff5417 no it doesn't, and i do not put water inside my guns, it rusts them eventually no matter how much you oil them.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks Olskool!

[@Nick-wn1xw]

@@olskool3967 Bullshit. Do what you want but I agree with him. I have been cleaning my blackpowder guns for over 50 years using water and NEVER, NOT ONCE, have I gotten rust. Why? Because I DRY them. You are arguing with history as water has been the primary cleaning agent for black powder for hundreds of years. I suppose if you don't dry them off they will rust. Imagine that. Same reason I dry my guns off if they get rained on. BTW water was, and is, the preferred cleaning solution for corrosive priming. Oh you might want to check the primary ingredient in Windex. It's WATER.

[@pbfirearms5388]

Don't use a stainless steel range rod or brush when cleaning the bore of any firearms because it will damage the inside of the barrel and muzzle causing accuracy problems and a bore that is harder to clean. Remove your barrel from the wood when cleaning you don't want to soak the wood in oil or cleaning solvent.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks for sharing how you clean your muzzleloader! I've used a stainless rod with a bore guide for years with no issues.

[@Nick-wn1xw]

Really? Weird because I have used stainless steel range rods to clean for years. No damage. Why? It's called a BORE GUIDE. Same thing I use when loading. Any rod, over time, if it contacts and rubs against the muzzle will cause wear. That's what bore guides are for. As for brushes I don't use them regardless of material. Don't need to.

[@pbfirearms5388]

@@ILoveMuzzleloading bore guides help if there is no flex in the rod but if there is flex and the rod is close to the bore size as you push the rod in the bore and it contacts fouling it will flex into the bore causing wearing. Most people won't notice the problem because they don't shoot that much and just think their shooting ability is getting worse. Ask anyone in precision shooting what stainless steel will do to the accuracy of a barrel. I'm not trying to be a backside just trying to keep anyone from ruining a firearm.

[@pbfirearms5388]

@@Nick-wn1xw I will give you the same answer as I love muzzleloading bore guides help if there is no flex in the rod but if there is flex and the rod is close to the bore size as you push the rod in the bore and it contacts fouling it will flex into the bore causing wearing. Most people won't notice the problem because they don't shoot that much and just think their shooting ability is getting worse. Ask anyone in precision shooting what stainless steel will do to the accuracy of a barrel.

[@jamesmccaw1211]

You can clean the barrel all you want but if you dont thke the nipple out for the cap to go off and clean that port it'll never fire the charge going to the powder. A cheaper way is to shave ahalf bar of soap in a 5v gallon bucket and fill it with ashot as possible water, remove the cap

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

This is a flintlock

[@Nick-wn1xw]

Flintlocks seldom have problems with nipple fouling.