How I clean my Kibler Southern Mountain Flintlock | No more rusty muzzleloaders

Learn more at ilovemuzzleloading.com
This is by no means the ONLY or BEST way to clean your flintlock, or any muzzleloader. This is how I clean MY flintlock long rifle.
In this video, I take you through my flintlock cleaning process in real-time to show you how I go from a nasty bore to a near perfectly clean muzzleloading barrel. I use three products for this in order. I start with Ballistol, then Shenandoah Valley Cleaner, and then some Moose Milk. This process takes time and patience, but it ensures our muzzleloader stays rust-free. In the end, cleaning patches and solutions are the cheapest way to keep your muzzleloader in good condition.
This process takes me about 1 hour to complete, so you are seeing about 50% of my time cleaning. The time I've cut is just running patches up and down the barrel.
After getting the bore and lock clean, I soak the boar with Clenzoil and run a light coat of clenzoil all over the stock and hardware to eliminate any black powder residue that may be lingering.
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VIDEO CHAPTERS
0:00 Introduction
0:30 The Products I Use & WHY
1:48 Soaking the flintlock
4:15 Removing the Flintlock
4:38 Cleaning the Lock
6:54 Cleaning the Touchhole
7:58 Cleaning the Barrel of my flintlock
8:55 The first cleaning patch - more bore cleaning
9:25 Patch Close up
10:10 Why we need to clean
10:37 Patch Progress
10:55 Why dry patches show us how clean the barrel is
11:29 Patch Soaking & Why
12:50 Just about half way to clean
14:00 Anatomy of a cleaning patch
19:33 The Breech Face
22:07 The cleaning patches I use
22:45 Oiling The Longrifle
27:08 Reassmbly
28:48 Start to Finish Patch Overview - Dirty to Clean
Muzzleloading, muzzleloader, muzzle loader, mountain man, longhunter, bushcraft, living history, longrifle, flintlock, blackpowder
#muzzleloader #muzzleloading #blackpowder

[@geneslodysko6150]

Great video Ethan! I used to hate cleaning, which caused me to hardly ever shoot. Now I view it as therapeutic. I rough clean it at the range. Swabbing the bore, wiping the outside of lock and barrel, getting the worst grime. Then I head home for the basement and a hockey game or something to watch while finishing. I actually view it as relaxing now. Never dreading it anymore.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks for watching Gene! I view it the same way. It's nice to slow down and enjoy it, even more fun if you have some friends around to chat with while you all clean.

[@matthewmshell9099]

@@ILoveMuzzleloading use some foaming bore cleaner it will do all the hard work for you and get all of that stuff out of there

[@lawrencemoran8123]

Something I found out which might save you a few swabs with the cleaning patches is to use (a brush that fits the size of your barrel) run it up and down first then tap the barrel pointing it down. It gets a lot of the loose stuff out and cleans up the groves quicker .

[@michaelmarks8954]

Cleaning! It’s my favorite ending to a day of shooting. 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇸

[@FrontierTradingCompany]

Great video as always and very timely as I put away my Kibler to head back to another semester of school! Appreciate all the effort you always put out in these videos.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks for watching Frontier Trading Company! I hope you can reunite with your rifle soon.

[@isaiahortman3806]

Late to this video but thought I’de offer my two cents. I’ve got a 34” barrel half stock hawken rifle by pedersoli. Because of the half stock I have the convenience of taking the barrel out, taking the nipple off and sticking it in a pale. When doing this I can use the suction of a back and forth motion to flush the bore out. I don’t have a flinter so this style of cleaning may not be possible (or practical) but I find that with hot water and dish soap it’s much less arduous than dry patching also I use old cotton shirts for cleaning patches. Sorry for the wordy comment.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

No need to be sorry Isaiah! Thanks for sharing your knowledge with me.

[@minigpracing3068]

@@ILoveMuzzleloading I was going to mention the bucket of hot soapy water method. If you download the old CVA kit instruction books from Deercreek, this is how they tell you to clean the barrel.

[@Diogenes425]

Cleaning your smokepole is part of the entertainment of owning & using it. You take care of it & it will take care of you.

[@averyturnage7679]

Are ways of cleaning a muzzleloader are very similar proud of you keep it simple.

[@raytribble8075]

I just used my TVM .54 caliber early Virginia rifle to take 2 white tail buck, a white tail doe and a 110 pound hog in south Texas. I did a basic cleaning after taking the hog and first buck, then the same on day two after taken the second buck and doe. When I made it home, I cleaned her from head to toe along the same lines as your video and she is squeaky clean. I always follow up every day after for 3-4 days with a patch soaked with Mr. Flintlock and chase with a patch soaked in 91% rubbing alcohol for storage. I like to use a light layer of Anti-Seize between the lock and barrel. It seems to stop and powder residue or hot gasses from getting into the lock area, barrel or under the stock at that point. I follow these steps with my .62 caliber transitional I build from scratch. I used slow rust bluing on my .62 and stopped after 7 applications and was rewarded with a sweet grey blue finish. So far after 3 years, that bluing has not faded and still maintains that aged look. The Shenandoah Lube you speak of is available at Midway USA… I just order a 6.7 oz. Bottle to try out. Thanks for you awesome videos

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks for sharing your methods!!

[@timothyfanney7260]

Couple tricks I use from years of cleaning...I buy and use the cheap brown cloth gloves that you find at all the stores. They are my oil gloves. After many uses, and they start getting holes, I just grab a new pair from the pack. Second, I keep a stack of soaked patches in a cleaned out glass jelly jar. Fill the jar up with new patches from what I used. The remained soaked patches usually wet the new ones. Screw down the lid, put on the shelf for next time. Great channel!

[@ericstefanelli3423]

Howdy from France ! Great video! Many thanks for this cleaning prossess !

[@barrygraber9776]

Good video. Thanks. One thing you said really rang a bell. “ if you ask 10 people how they clean there rifle you will get 12 different answers”. so true and all are right and none are wrong. If it works for you then so be it

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

That's how I approach it Barry. Thanks for watching!

[@jakegrubb7630]

Don't know about anyone else but I enjoy these types of videos and when you are working up a load video I use hoppys No 9 blackpowde cleaner and for my oil I use REM-OIL IN THE BORE AND BALLLISTOL ON EVERYTHING ELSE. 🍻

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks for watching Jake, I appreciate it. Gotta love Hoppes! Thanks for sharing your tips!

[@FolkFirearmsCollective]

Great tips here for me to try. A renowned muzzleloader years back taught me the benefits of windex mixed with warm-hot water as a bore soak. I plug the touch hole with a toothpick(wrapped with plumbers thread tape) and fill the bore with this solution. I let it sit while I clean the lock. I windex solution the lock well, then rinse off with hot water followed by 99% pure alcohol. The alcohol helps remove residual water. Sometimes I’ll use a blow dryer to heat the lock and then spray on Balistol into the workings and metal, followed by some good oil into those fine parts. When the locks done and clean and oiled, I go back to the barrel. I wrap the muzzle end in a cloth to prevent dripping into my nose cap etc and pour out the solution. Sometimes I’ll do this a second or third time depending how much I shot. I run patches until it’s done coming out too dirty and then move to 99% alcohol patches, again to remove moisture anywhere in the bore. When the bore is clean, I run ballistol patches through several times, followed by a patch of bore butter or again ballistol then dry patch then ballistol again. The next day or 48 hours later I’ll dry patch the bore, with another oil patch again. The wood - I tend to use danish oil with no tint or dye just plain watco danish, or I even use Tung oil light and buff into the wood. I was always advised to avoid most modern petroleum based solvents and modern gun cleaners (other than ballistol). Old mountain men used to piss down their bore and let that soak 😬 have not tried that yet. Make sure the flint is dry and there’s no oil on it. Again alcohol is great and dry patch to clean that flint. You want sparks! Also I dry and ensure the frizzen face is clean, dry and oil free. No spark no boom. Love this. Flintlocks are the life! Thanks for the conversation and tips here.

[@whatafukndick5660]

First piss of the day is the best, been my method for decades, glad you mentioned it.

[@mikebeddingfield2144]

Nice looking stock , the grain stands out

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Yes it does!

[@lewisward4359]

I learned to only use hot water and a little Murphy's Oil Soap. I also only use Ox Yoke patches to clean in between shots and between shooting sessions. I gave up on oil based products, but thinking of getting Ballistol because from I hear it's linseed oil. Good video,

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

That's a good way to do it! Can't go wrong with that. Let me know what you think of Ballistol - I'm a big fan.

[@TomMJH]

Nice video!! Love my muzzleloaders, even cleaning them!

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Amen!

[@Subdood04]

Love me some Ballistol! It’s great stuff. Use it on all my guns.

[@timothyhart7587]

A very informative video, Ethan. For me, this cleaning procedure is perfect for periodic cleaning. After I shoot, I completely disassemble and give my rifles a very thorough scrubbing. I usually leave them disassembled for a few days to let the lubricants soak in. (If I'm in the field during a hunt or reenactment, I do quick field cleaning.) As for my longrifles with full stocks. I give them a thorough cleaning once during the off-season because I agree with you that the thinner full stocks are too precious for disassembling for each cleaning. For my half stocks, like my prairie rifles and Hawkens, I disassemble every time I clean them simply because I love to disassemble and reassemble these guns. Disassembling, cleaning, and reassembling my rifles are as much fun as shooting them for me. Nothing like the fragrance of black powder rifle cleaning products!

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks for the kind words Timothy! Your process sounds like it gets the job done, thanks for sharing.

[@Nick-wn1xw]

Lubricants don't "soak in" to steel. They coat it. Once coated it's coated. Nothing is going to soak in.

[@J_C_Firelocks]

Nice video and you do a great job cleaning. I thought I was doing a great job cleaning my Muzzleloaders until I got a Teslong Borescope for Christmas this year! My routine: I use a magnetic flush tube on the touch hole and flush the bore with Hot tap water pulling water in and pushing it out several times changing the patches and the water several times. I finish by running patches soaked with Ballistol up and down the bore until they looked pretty clean, then I oil with Clenzoil. I thought I was good but when I put that Borescope down the the barrel I found rust which scared me. Luckily I didn't get any pitting "Yet". I never do this but I had to use a copper bore brush to scrub the rust out. I know that's not advisable because the brush can get stuck and I wouldn't make it a habit. If you have an opportunity to use a Borescope I highly recommend it. You might be surprised by what you see!

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks Jack! Lots of good insight in your comment. I'll have to invest in one of those cameras.

[@FolkFirearmsCollective]

Fine rifle. I want a Kibler Mountain Rifle in .45 so very badly. Beautiful gun!

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks so much!

[@joshuariddensdale2126]

For cleaning my muzzleloading revolvers, I've always used Thompson's #13 solvent, anti-seized the nipple threads, and lubed the cylinder pins with Bore Butter. Then run WD40 inside the barrel and chambers once they're dry. Then rub down in WD40.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Interesting process! Thanks for sharing Joshua!

[@ronrobertson59]

I rust brown all my steel parts. To clean it I pull the lock and use a piece of leather clamped over the touch hole using a small C-clamp to hold it in place. I pour hot water down the bore let it set dump it. I run patches repeatedly. I then take the leather off use Balistal then dry patches until they're clean then oll it. I clean the lock oil it and replace it. This is for long term storage.

[@jamescooper2618]

I enjoy cleaning my guns, be they black powder or modern. I have found that if you have the right equipment and have it close by, the cleaning process isn't difficult. I think it is a nice quiet time to think and reflect and to spend time with our guns. Not that many of us gets to spend enough time with our guns.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

I agree!

[@fredbowser7939]

I clean mine basically the same with a little less oil, wipe inside and out down with a clean rag with mink oil on it. When im done i put enough oil on a rag to penetrate the whole way through it and place it in the muzzle of barrel to restrict air from entering barrel. I do the same with a rag over my touch hole. The piece of rag in muzzle is big enough it wont easily get lost in the barrel.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Good idea on the piece of rag, easy to get in and out. Thanks for sharing!

[@allenjones4949]

Great video Ethan. Thanks

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Glad you liked it!

[@MrKmoconne]

Hello Ethan. Just found your channel. I clean a flintlock with a gizmo that looks like a C-Clamp and has a small rubber tube that comes off the side and you put in a coffee can full of your warm, bore cleaning solution. You remove the lock and clamp it over the touch hole. With your patch and cleaning jag, you pump the barrel like a giant syringe, flushing the crud out. Track of the Wolf sells one of these cleaning clamps. It makes cleaning a flintlock much easier. I like to use water soluble oil that machinists use to cool machine tools. It's cheap and does not rust the barrel and you can buy in large quantities. Hope this is helpful.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks John! I need to get me one of those I think. Lots of folks like to use them. Thanks for the tip on the machine oil!

[@ericlondon5731]

I get maybe two inline ( cheap ) muzzle loaders a year, in my gunsmith shop. Generally they are from new-be's that either do not know how or worse that it should be cleaned. Sometimes I get one that has the charge, ball and all still in it , and for over a year at that. Most are rusted beyond use with deep fowling . A couple of inlines where the otherwise removable breech plug is rusted solid to it's threads.

[@453421abcdefg12345]

Ha Ha! The best thing that could happen to an in line!

[@kurtappley4550]

I've always used hot soapy water and hot rinse water. Tooth pick in the touch hole and a measuring cup with a good pouring spout. Do it outside or in the shower stall. Takes some care but you can keep the water off the wood. WD 40 for lube when I'm done if the gun is going to be shot regularly or good gun oil if it is going to be stored for a while. Knap my own flints from agates or petrified wood.

[@Peter-od7op]

I use lps 3. Leaves nice film. Used it on planes were you need steel corrosion free. Every 2 years check on plane that was treated lps 3.

[@uwepolifka4583]

Best cleaning agent for blackpowder dirt is HOT water maybe with a little bit soap. Hot water can solve the fouling. Oil don´t solve it. I use Ballistol after cleaning.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks for the info!

[@dianasteward4530]

Great video

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thank you!

[@archeryanarchy2274]

Not sure if anyone mentioned this… when removing the lock use the lock bolt to drive out the lock with a few light taps. This will insure you do not chip any wood out of the lock mortise or enlarge the mortise over time.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Great tip!

[@robertwilson5575]

Ballistol may work best if you let it soak longer. Rubbing hard may remove the benefits of the products’ interaction with the metal itself. I use for metal, wood and leather although I do not know if this has any long term negative effects on wood and leather. I do know that in high humidity environments it will prevent leather from growing mildew on leather, something to do with a chemical interaction between the Ballistol and the leather. You do very good work in keeping your viewers up to date on the sport. Thanks again!

[@jreed10291974]

I spray moose milk down the bore and let it soak while I clean everything else. Usually only 4 to 6 patches and clean.

[@searchingfor6thgear44]

I'm converting... Back in the late 70s/early 80s we started flintlock hunting. Our Dad was "death" on oil. No oil! We used WonderLube as the last patch down the barrel and to cover the outside, too. I believe too many hunters were cleaning like they had a regular rifle and were leaving the oil in their guns (causing all kinds of problems). Run the clock forward to today... The guns all still work amazingly well, shoot straight, etc. I am thinking of shifting to oil, at the end of the season for long term storage. It's mopping the barrel and cleaning the oil off of the parts that black powder touches that's important, right? P.S. Did you engrave your barrel or have it done? Thinking of building Kibler kits for our sons and want to personalize each one (nothing like three boys fighting over whose gun is whose, lol).

[@lambertsaldi1550]

Great work 👍 👏 👍🗽🇺🇸 Keep up the shooting ! The Vermonter

[@Nick-wn1xw]

You are very correct in that there are lots of ways to clean BP firearms. What matters at the end is that the fouling is out, if water or a water mix was used the gun is dry, and then a rust preventative is applied. Don't stress if you use a petroleum product as a rust preventative. The bore should be swabbed out before shooting anyway. Good video and advice.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks for watching Nick!

[@denisdegamon8224]

I quit using petroleum based oils and cleaners decades ago. If you are using a product like bore butter or similar products that are all natural and with not petroleum base in them, you are actually seasoning the metal like a cast iron cook ware. You will get alot less fouling and you gun will clean up with half the number of patches. It gets into the microscopic pores of the metal and pushes any rust or minute fouling to the surface away from the metal. I have clean a rifle that way and came back 6-8 months later, no rust, and ran another patch of wonder lube and pulled out very little light brown surface streaks only, but the barrel was prestine.

[@Nick-wn1xw]

@@denisdegamon8224 Only problem with your repeating of T/C advertising is that barrel steel is NOT cast iron and does NOT "season" like cast iron. After several months of storage I get ZERO brown surface streaks. None. And using Ballistol or Mr Flintlock or Hoppes Black Powder cleaner/patch lubricant I can shoot all day long without cleaning.

[@IsaacsonSeth]

That bit at the beginning I just wrote nearly verbatim in an article about this the other day. Lol. The two of us are clearly on the mental wavelength this January for content. I do have a different cleaning regime though. I’m sure your methods work great too though.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

If I were smarter someone would say “great minds think alike” 😉

[@IsaacsonSeth]

@@ILoveMuzzleloading guess we both have to smarter for that ;)

[@stevenbowen2061]

Good video Ethan. I feel like I'm not an outlaw in that I use more solvents than water. My solvents are different but achieve the same results. I'm going to find a bottle of the Clenzoil. I've never tried it. I've been using Birchwood Casey Barricade. I'd like to see you post a video on cleaning a smoothbore. I just don't seem like I'm ever happy with my cleaning job and periodically go back and clean and oil again between shooting. Thanks for your videos.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks for watching Steven. I've not tried the barricade but it might be something to add to the shop, never know when you want to switch things up. I've got to find a smooth bore first, I'm a bit behind on the times and don't have one I feel comfortable getting out and shooting just yet.

[@sanfordswope6246]

Great video. Thanks. New to muzzle loading. Looking for a source for a 48" range rod. You hae a nice one.

[@henryofskalitz2228]

if I win a gunbroker bid on a Enfield rifle I'm going to order a kibler colonial rifle in 58cal because they seem like such nicely made gun kits

[@thomasozminkowski2589]

I love Deer Creek Products. They ship quickly to just about anywhere

[@lawson9102]

Good information Thank you God Bless

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

So nice of you

[@Rumblestrip]

Thanks for sharing. My cleaning regimen is similar, my aim is to season my barrels. Usually takes 200-500 rounds, but ive never gotten a rust issue even up to a week after shooting. Just clean with natural stuff, no soap. Lots of water, balistol, olive oil on occasion, and bore butter to finish. Ill also run a camera down my bore every 6 months just to keep an eye on things. Tallow or mink oil work well too btw. My dad raises lambs, is tallow is pretty easy for me. One thing i am trying, per TVM suggestion, is type f atf on the exterior of my TVM Tulle(aka Fusil de Chasse). Seems to do well conditioning the wood and exterior metal. Done it twice now and i can see why..the paraffin wax in the atf leaves behind a nice finish, and the min wax paste on the wood they recommended is now a staple every 6 months for my wood on all my guns now. It really brings the grain out, especially the tiger maple i have on my Fusil.

[@Peter-od7op]

I think bore butter is junk

[@Rumblestrip]

@@Peter-od7op i used to...

[@danclas5983]

@@Peter-od7op TC Bore Butter was popular in the 80's along with TC's Hawken guns. In my experience using it in the past it will foul up a barrel in short order. I always thought it was a crappy patch lube. That being said, my barrels never had any rusting issues running a patch with BB after cleaning. But in the end now I would rather not even have it in my barrels at all.

[@Rumblestrip]

@@danclas5983 i found the same shooting with BB, but i also dont have access to running water lol. I have found it to be a decent rust preventative. Only time i use it is after cleaning for storage.

[@DaleRaby]

@@Peter-od7op Been using the stuff for more than twenty years... probably closer to thirty and never had any real issues with it other than it can get liquid in warm weather and in cold weather it is hard to get out of the tube. It seasons the bore well and I haven't yet had any issues with rust. I guess that your mileage may vary though. Really, any non-petroleum product will work fine as a patch lube. I'm not sold on Balistol for that purpose as of yet.

[@kevinlorren7951]

I clean mine with warm water and patches. Patch the bore dry, then light coat of Remington oil

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

That's a good idea!

[@jamesschneider3828]

Take the barrel off and have a near boiling bucket of soapy water, set breech of barrel in water and run patches up and down several times, scrubbing the barrel. I then take new boiling water only and repeat proces. The heat from the water gets the barrel so hot that it dries the barrel. After it cools a few minutes I then run an oily patch through the barrel then a dry patch a couple of times. Doing this it leaves enough oil to protect the barrel but not enough to have it gum up while sitting for longer periods.

[@Kmcmichael1959]

That is a Longrifle with a pinned barrel. You don’t take the barrel off to clean.

[@JamesTennyson-ve4cj]

Hot, soapy water is the best thing there is to clean black powder residue. As you say, the heat causes the steel to dry quickly. I always actually use boiling water (with a good waterproof gauntlet glove ilon my left hand). I flush the barrel with boiling water after I get no black or grey after flushing through my barrel.

[@davidbeem184]

That is how I've done it for 50 years

[@victortuten4399]

Great video! Maybe I need some ballistol...I just use some dawn dish soap and hot water down the barrel and 3 in one oil to keep it from rusting. Every now and then some WD-40. It seems to be working OK< but the rifle is just 2 years old.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks! If it works for you, I won't knock it! I know many that use Dawn and WD-40. Both those solutions are kind of modern day miracle products I think. I use them all the time for many things. Keep me posted with how you like using them!

[@jacobwilbert1018]

Ethan, i know this is an old vid but the sulfur and salts that eat up your BP guns are water soluble. All you're doing is making goo n smearing it around until it oozes out. You dont have to put it in the bath tub but you dont need to add a bunch of oil n chemicals either. Im tellin you 8oz of hot water with a splash of ballistol will change your life.

[@rayc.1396]

I am a year or so late to this party, but, I have found that most of the fouling is an issue with your patch lube. I use 60% lanolin and 40% bees wax. The lanolin can be an issue to completely remove from the bar, but it will come out. Clean the bore till it shines from breach to muzzle and add oil, doesn't matter if I will be shooting tomorrow or next month. The rest of the process is the same as Ethan did.

[@bobboyer9440]

One thing that I do after cleaning my muzzle loader is store it barrel side down in my gun locker. Any oil that is in the barrel will run down to the muzzle and not collect in the breech. Another thing I do is use alcohol patches that a nurse would use to clean your arm prior to giving you a needle. They are dirt cheap. I run two of these to start the cleaning process and one just before I oil the bore.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks for sharing!

[@terryqueen3233]

I do one thing different than you and that is I run hot soapy water and let it sit for a about 15 to 20 minutes with a toothpick in my touch hole then once I pour the water out I start doing the same thing that you do. Let me tell you about the first time I got my traditions Hawken. I had had it about a week and thought I would go ahead and just check the barrel to see how clean it was because for some reason it kept calling me to do this. With my first patch down the barrel and when it came back out it was full of rushed. Luckily there were no rust chips so I was hoping that it did not pit it any. I almost used a whole box of cleaning patches to finally get that thing to where there was no rust and no color it was awful. At first it kind of scared me about it possibly being pitted and to be honest I haven't had the board looked at to see if it was pitted, I'm almost afraid to but one of these days I'll come across someone that has one of those bore cameras and have it checked out. I Also do about the same thing you do during the winter I'll pull all of my guns out at least once a month and just go through them cleaning. I have a cork that fits the barrel perfect on my Hawken and I put a string on it just in case it decided it wanted to go deeper and I couldn't reach it plus I tie the string to the ramrod. When I started using the Swiss black powder I didn't have to run hot soapy water down the barrel. Well this was a good video it really was and showed what most people should do to their black powder rifles. Thanks so much for the video and look forward to some new ones. Keep ye powder dry!

[@brianfeeney9493]

Thanks Much !!!!! ✨🎣💫

[@davidperdue960]

White vinegar for fouling, dry patches to dry, then bore butter. Oil the outside and your good.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks for sharing

[@kcstott]

One other thing for everyone out there. In my experience black powder cleans up far easier than substitutes. Subs may be easier to find, might be more powerful, but nothing cleans as easy as the real deal black powder

[@swamprat9018]

tea pot and a small funnel. I spray a squirt of ballistal in barrel then pour in the boiling water, let it sit for a minute, breaks things up real good. then do what you do in half the time and patches.

[@billmelater6470]

Do you get flash rusting using hot water? I started just using room temp water for that reason so I'm curious if it's common or not.

[@Rumblestrip]

@@billmelater6470 water breaks down the fowling... If it make you feel better.... US Army ordinance manuals circa 1864 said to use boiling water as well... Fill the barrel twice, let it sit 5 minutes, fill half way a third time and shake it for about a minute, dump it out, wipe down with patches, issued no more than 10 for drying and oiling with either mink oil or tallow

[@swamprat9018]

@@billmelater6470 i do a squirt of ballistal with the water so that may help the flash rusting you speak of. I don't have any flash rusting as soon as I dump I'm drying with patches and using ballistal oil.

[@billmelater6470]

@@swamprat9018 I might give that a try. Though for the last year I've done well with simple tap water followed up with moose milk then a swab with straight Ballistol.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Great idea, thanks for sharing.

[@chickensandwich1589]

A plus side to a large caliber military smoothbore, just pour water into the barrel, dry, and lube. Done.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Yep! Easy as it gets!

[@MrJohnsurgent]

Try 1/3 each of rubbing alcohol, ammonia, and Murphys oil soap. Used it for years

[@JamesHavens-sk2uw]

Recommendations for a first flintlock. All my experience is with percussion firearms

[@FokkerAce1917]

Thompson Center or Pedersoli. Personally I'd opt for a pedersoli. More authentic and more style options. I haven't heard anything bad about them so pick whatever style you like best

[@JamesHavens-sk2uw]

Thanks 🇺🇸

[@anthonyduca4554]

Wow! I’d watch how much oil and solvent your getting into that Lock mortise!

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Great point!

[@anthonyduca4554]

Seriously, take the lock out when you’re cleaning it. You went nuts with the ballistol… no need to get it all over your stock. You Took the lock out anyway.

[@mikeodonnell9199]

Good informative video. I am looking at the Kibler woodsrunner as my next project. i still have not fired my Investarms Hawken yet. I'm not happy with the repair I did on the miss-aligned nipple and hammer. problem I will remove all the wood putty I used in the lock indent and try the repair you suggested with a torch on the hammer. I was concerned about the way that the barrels of Kibler's rifles are held in place as opposed to the wedge used by Traditions and Investarm. That it would present a problem with cleaning Your video put that to rest.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Hey Mike, I hope you get to shooting that Hawken! I'm enjoying mine quite a bit. Reach out if you need some more tips, I'm happy to help!

[@jeffreyrobinson3555]

I use just warm water. Plug tge touch hole fill with water then dump. Repeat a few times then swab with damp, dry and oil. Thing is as long as it’s clean there is no wrong way. As ten old greasy buckskiners the best way and get a hundred answers 👍on good vid

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks!

[@garygabrielle1056]

Do you ever take barrel off stock to clean under the barrel? Pulling the pins over time i would think would get sloppy and cause movement. Even if only take apart once a year? Whats your thoughts on this? Thank you.

[@marktaylor8659]

Thanks for sharing your process for cleanup. In this video, around the 6 minute mark, you talk about the Brownellls Oxpho-Blue finish. Did you video that process on this rifle? Did you have any issues with any of the metals in the kit?

[@kevinroberson1985]

That's what I want to know something about for a long rifle I'm building. How good is the oxpho blue because what I have heard you don't even have to worry with getting all the oil off and it will still work great and you can keep applying it and get a really dark finish. I'm really thinking about buying some and trying it out. Hope it works the way it was advertised. And I have thought about cerakote finish and a few other types of finishes . I really don't want a shiny finish on the metal parts I just want a good matte finish. I had the thought of putting a military olive drab finish on my long rifle just the barrel and do the butt plate flat black and the nose cap flat or satin black and the pipeing flat or satin black and the trigger guard the same way with black hammer and side plate olive drab green. Just can't make my mind up and each one I have built they are all different finishes in color like browned barrel and blueing salts on one that turned so dark blue it's kinda got a purple tint to it and some of my others are hot blued black. I guess I have a addiction of building guns from all the black powder rifles and pistols to modern day firearms. I'm all alone here and no children and single my girlfriend got murdered 8 years ago and that's all I got now is building guns and inlaying the stocks and ingraveings on the barrels and trigger guards that's all I have now and my house and property and I guess building guns keeps me from loosen it. At least I don't drink alcohol or do drugs I'm have a firearm addiction and I'm 60 years old and all alone here I have friends I go and see some and we shoot our rifles and pistols and check out the property some and then I come back home and think and draw up plans for a new design for a long rifle or some other gun. Hey you take care and hope the best for you and prosperity. It gets pretty quiet around here all alone and I can't stand to listen to music anymore it brings back memories and those memories hurt .

[@YeshuaT-bm6ss]

Is there a pried Correct cleaning kit out there and or can make a video of what one should have in a 1700s cleaning kit

[@user-tv8bf5xd6u]

Hi Enjoy your videos. Question, though. I've never used ballistol but wouldn't it be a bad idea to let it soak in the wood when you spray all over the lock?

[@Utahflintlocks]

What solution do you use to clean it? You said it was an oil? Also, where did you get that cleaning rod and the attachment on it? Just finished putting SMR and I want to make sure I have the tools needed to clean it!

[@averyturnage7679]

If you want to make your own Lehigh valley cleaner. The recipes real simple six parts Murphy's oil soap one part rubbing alcohol. It even smells the same I always thought the man who marketed that was a genius. Just because it's so cheap and it's just made from plain old household products

[@JeffandLeslie]

helpful video Ethan. Yes a million ways to clean a flintlock. One thing I do to clean the lock a little different than you. When I'm home, I clean it in my utility sink with hot water and Dawn (any dish liquid will work). I heat the lock with the hot water (tap hot not boiling hot) squirt a few drops of dish liquid on the lock and then scrub it with an old toothbrush. After about 30 seconds of brushing, I hold it under the hot water to rinse off and get the lock hot which helps it to dry almost instantly. I dry it off with a towel and some cotton swabs then oil it and I'm done. Been doing it this way for 30 years never any rust on my lock.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks for sharing Jeff!

[@jackblackpowderprepper4940]

I to use Dawn and boiling water. I made jig out of wood about 12" long with a octagon cut out that fits over the barrel so me don't burn meself. But I'm cap and ball.

[@onewhotalks1943]

@@ILoveMuzzleloading I have a question for you. I see on your kibler that you have a permanently installed touch hole liner. I have a low end traditions mountain flintlock rifle that I have not fired yet that has touch hole liner that is slotted to fit a screw driver. I went on traditions web-sight to look for a replacement touch hole liner for when the touch hole liner will eventually wear out. I did not know which touch hole liner I needed so I called their sales rep at traditions and he said that if I removed the touch hole liner that the barrel was done and I needed to get a new barrel. Which in contradictory to the cleaning and maintenance section of the manual of their traditional side lock rifles. The manual says "remove the nipple and clean-out screw from the bolster/drum of a percussion gun of the touch hole liner from a flint lock." There is a warning in the manual about never remove the bolster/drum or breech plug from the barrel which I obviously know not to do that and that should only be done in the event that you can not get the rifle to shoot, or you have a stuck ball in the barrel that you can not move with less drastic measures such as a ramrod ball puller and hooking the ram rood onto something or using the co2 canister method by shooting the co2 through the touch hole to get the ball out. I believe that the sales rep was wrong but, I did not want to get into an argument with them on the phone. Your thoughts?

[@tnzayatz6579]

Sales rep has three possibilities- either he misunderstood what you were saying, he has never actually cleaned a muzzleloader, or he’s just plain full of sh*t. Back that liner out when you clean, use a Q tip to clean in there and then just a touch of grease and reinstall it after running a fine wire through the hole itself. Track of the Wolf had any number of replacements, the list them also by mfg.

[@JeffandLeslie]

@@onewhotalks1943 I think he was incorrect, touch hole liners are made to be replaceble. Even ones without a screw slot usually means the slot was filed off after instillation. An easy out will quickly remove them. What you would need to know is the thread size and pitch for your Traditions flintlock since there are different ones out there. Like someone said, Track of the Wolf probably has one I'm not sure what the person on the phone was referring to. With all that said, you do not need to remove the touch hole liner every time you clean the rifle. Remove the lock, stick a toothpick in the touch hole, fill the barrel with soap and water (blue windshield wiper fluid works great too), let it sit for an hour or so, dump it out and then run dry patches through the barrel until they come out dry and clean. Oil and you're done with the inside of the barrel. I always tie a shop towel around the stock wrist to keep anything that leaks out from dripping down the stock. If the barrel has a hooked breech you can just knock out the wedge and lift the barrel out of the stock. At a rate, cleaning a muzzleloader is not difficult and doesn't need some scientific method to accomplish. Hope this helps

[@GunsandRadios]

How do you feel about cleaning with warm water?

[@mrdinme.4768]

Well, I only have a few Hawkens, and a couple CVA type Kentucky rifles. So Hawkens I remove barrel, Traditions remove butt stocks, nipples, vent liners. Then put breech ends in bucket of warm water n Ballistol, start with brass brushes plunging, then switch to jags n patches, then dry patches, then Ballistol patch. If its going to be a bit, yes I go with an heavier/thicker oil. I always keep mine in siliconed gun socks. For a nicer slim long gun like your Kibler, Uncle Sasquatch has a video where he uses a clamp type thing with a hose, it clamps/seals over your touch hole, hose goes to your cleaner, (water?), I believe from TOW. I thought it rather clever, if I had a nicer rifle I would probably get one. I also use a grease on underside of my barrel that I leave pinned into fore stock. Take it down once a year. Same as you, but different. They get clean n oiled, right? Thanks for doing this one

[@jamesholt6032]

Tooth brushes work extremely well For me when cleaning lock..

[@mrdinme.4768]

@@jamesholt6032 yes,I too use them for nooks n crany’s. I get the bargain packs keep some dry, use some w/ solvent, some w/oil. Thanks for mentioning that.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks for sharing your info! I've seen those clamp deals too but never tried it, perhaps thats something I need to be doing.

[@michaelrobinson1945]

I think the breech face is most easily cleaned with Tow on a worm. It was always a challenge until I tried Tow.

[@hawkpilot6-actual]

What is a Tow?

[@michaelrobinson1945]

@@hawkpilot6-actual Tow is Flax fiber. The stuff Linen is made from. A hank of it looks like blond hair. Long ago, people used that instead of cleaning patches. You have a Tow Worm on you ramrod. It looks kinda like a cork screw. You separate some Tow and wrap it around the Tow Worm.Then swab your barrel with it. in some ways it's better than a cloth patch. The individual fibers get into crannies well. In my case, I have a hollow Breech Plug. It's recessed at least 1/4 inch so a patch doesn't clean the face of the Breech Plug. With the Tow, I have it extend well beyond the Worm, so it gets compressed into the hollow space and cleans the Breech very well. I tried doing the same thing with patches, but it never worked.

[@humpy936]

I keep my old toothbrushes to use on my guns, they’re perfect for cleaning locks, etc., I would also just pop the lock off before I started cleaning it, I don’t feel comfortable getting all that product into the stock, just my opinion.

[@bengriffin7112]

What kind of oil for surface rust

[@krockpotbroccoli65]

To add to this, if you want to save a bit of money, rip up your old t shirts into squares and use those as cleaning patches. I havent bought patches in years.

[@Nick-wn1xw]

Good, new cotton gun cleaning patches are dirt cheap and last a long time.

[@DaleRaby]

I use pieces of an old linen dress shirt for shooting patches, but usually buy cotton cleaning patches... not that synthetic crap.

[@marknading1866]

Use Birchwood Casey Barricade for final cleanup B4 putting away your flintlock as it has oil and a wax that hardens onto the surface warding off rust, and I'll even clean the bore with it the same_

[@RonOhio]

Thinking of getting a Woodsrunner, my first ML. How do your cleaning products and oils affect your inletting? Any softening of the wood?

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

None that I've seen. Wood is much tougher than the modern world gives it credit for. You'll be fine

[@jefforr9630]

​@@ILoveMuzzleloading I'm looking at getting my first flintlock, turkey and deer 75cal. Smooth bore, shorter barrel not a full size military style gun. Have you had much experience with that type of set up?

[@ltdan2809]

could you use dawn soap and water with your patches or is that a no no

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Yes, absolutely. Tons of folks love dawn dish soap in their patches.

[@minigpracing3068]

Nylon or bronze brush to help loosen the crud? Bronze might not be a good choice because the bristles will be forced to reverse direction, but nylon seems like a good idea.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Yeah, a nylon brush would be fine. So far I've not found any need for it on this rifle. Now if I was shooting triple 7, yes that brush is super useful.

[@minigpracing3068]

@@ILoveMuzzleloading I'm using 777, about the only thing I can find around here. Greased patches or greased Lee REAL rounds so far, but the grease isn't helping with the crud ring. I will say that I'm not real impressed with the quality of my Traditions kit so far. Not even up to the level of the CVA kit I built several decades ago.

[@danpatton3891]

Since the breech plug and tang are one piece, it isn't designed to be removed every time it's cleaned. How do you prevent cleaning agents like ballistol, from seeping under the barrel? Ballistol or any other cleaner will leak and take with it the corrosive black powder residue and other contaminants, and leave them under the barrel. How do you prevent this from occurring? Any ideas? I have a Pedersoli "Traditional Hunter Hawken." I was very surprised to find Pedersoli designed their rifle that way. I took mine apart before I took it to the range and left the underside wet with WD-40 Corrosion Inhibitor. Hopefully, that will slow down the corrosion. I remember back in the early 1980s, I saw a one piece barrel (I don't remember the manufacturer), which had been pulled from the stock. The underside was a rust bucket. The top was corrosion free and looked pristine. That was the main reason my first muzzleloaderI was a Thompson Center Renegade Flintlock with a hooked breech plug.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Great eye and question! Traditionally, we see these pinned barrels like this one left, and possibly taken our yearly or by yearly in contemporary muzzleloading. I'm trying to find some of the historic record to advise on barrel channel cleaning pre-1890 but it's been hard to find outside the military record. For many, myself included, a tight barrel inlet is key to helping stop any detrimental rust. In my experience, and family experience, any rust on the underside of the barrel is easily cleaned, oiled and back into good shape in no time. I'll pop this apart sometime on video to document what might be under there. The hooked breeches are great for keeping something in tip top shape.

[@thwackTX]

I've actually been wondering about this lately. I'm new to traditional muzzleloaders and looking forward to getting into it. What cleaning/loading rod do you use? Apologies if you've answered this a dozen times already

[@billmelater6470]

For the sake of getting you an answer; I use an all brass rod with a muzzle protector for my range rod and cleaning rod (ordered from Log Cabin Shop). Steel is fine too but, be sure to get a brass muzzle protector either way. I like my T handled rod for the rare occasion I need to break out the ball puller. I don't trust wooden ram rods. Be sure to get a good range rod. From there it's just a matter of getting the proper jag with a cup for round ball or conical, depending on what you plan to shoot.

[@thwackTX]

@@billmelater6470 thanks very much Bill.

[@billmelater6470]

@@thwackTX I almost forgot. Check out a channel called "dualist1954". He's got quite a few videos that cover the basics with REALLY helped me out when I started.

[@thwackTX]

@@billmelater6470 awesome, will do. I inherited a .45 Hawken full stock from my late father that I am really looking forward to shooting and hunting with this fall. Been slowly collecting the things I need so hopefully I'll be at the range soon.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Hey sorry for the delay Robert! I made this range rod in my shop but you can get some from the Log Cabin Shop, Flintlocks LLC, Deer Creek Products, or many of the other muzzleloading supply shops out there. Just be sure you get the right length for your barrel.

[@johnd7215]

Can you apply the oil like you did to an inline and dry patch it before the next use? I was always told to keep oil away from the barrel. I shoot pellets if that matters and while I clean the crap out of my CVA I struggle with rust in the barrel over time between hunting seasons. I use CVS cleaners and solvents and run two CVA rust preventor patches at the end. I still get light surface rust.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

I don't see why not. In my experience, the oil is removed from the barrel with a dry patch and a primer pop before loading and shooting so the oil can't hamper ignition. Light surface rust is pretty common in muzzleloaders. I get some even if I oil the bore and it sits for 6 months or so. I like to oil now and then, that's the only way I've found to keep them clean.

[@johnd7215]

@@ILoveMuzzleloading Appreciate the response. I will check mine more often.

[@wish2fish37]

I do have another question. My touch hole on my TC Renegade/with Green Mountain barrel was forward in relation to the pan and seemed low so it was suggested by a another flintlock so called expert to take a small grinding stone and shape it deeper. Have you heard of this?I did this mod. and added a touch hole liner that used a Allen wrench to remove.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

I suppose you could do that, can't say I ever have though myself

[@johnndavis7647]

Most flintlocks have enough meat around the pan that you can grind a little on one side or the other to get the touch-hole centered on the flash.

[@jerryobrien]

Tell me. I see the color and look of the stock. What kind of word is that one and how did you finish it?

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

This is a cherry stock, the only finish I applied was Danish Oil. I wanted a natural finish and have let the stock take in some natural sunlight to slowly darken it over time.

[@scotthunter1556]

I heard there are issues running patches down your barrel if you match the caliber of the barrel with a same caliber jag. Have you heard of this and if so is there a rule of thumb to use?

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

I'd say if you got the calipers out, you don't want a jag that is the same size or larger than your bore, but every jag I've gotten for different calibers has been slightly undersized as it comes so it doesn't bind. I think the manufacturers have made it hard to mess up.

[@stevereiter6777]

Hot water is the best at removing fouling. Get the barrel so hot you can’t hold it for long. Follow with dry patches then oil it. Run a patch the next day to check for rust.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks for sharing Steve.

[@tnzayatz6579]

Your methods almost duplicate mine for the past 30 years. I have found that a breech scraper is worth its weight in patches as I found that the residue at the breech would color a wet patch forever. I do plug the touch hole and after I’ve run all my patches I use hot water and fill the barrel, let it soak, and then run a patch or two to confirm all is clean and to dry the barrel. Then oil the barrel while still warm.

[@nicktrueman224]

Does anyone have tips to get fowling on the underside of the barrel? I don't want to take barrels off. But I cannot get to that area with lock removed. I am using the same method of cleaning as shown. I have question about browned barrels, are they less prone to corrode over blued barrels? I don't own one nor know anyone who does. Thanks in advance.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

The only way to truly clean under the barrel is to remove the barrel from the stock unfortunately. I feel this kind of cleaning is only needed once a year if you are shooting often.

[@dort7402]

Eathen question what did the men use back in the 1700s on , im pretty sure they didnt have all the products of today, yet they did just fine, i know some used, bear grease, pork fat, deer fat, ect. There muzzleloaders / Flint locks had of been pretty rusty and pitted? I mean some pitting ect is not gonna hurt to much is it? Thanks

[@DaleRaby]

I use hot soapy water with a cap full of Murphy's Oil Soap. I never use a bore brush unless I have a gun that has been neglected. When I am finished with the soapy patches, I take the barrel off and rinse it under hot water in the shower.... taking time to fill the bore completely. Take the barrel out of the shower with a towel because it will be very hot. Couple of dry patches, then blow air down the bore to get the last drops of water out of the breech and you are ready for oil/grease. The oiled patch on the nipple trick works well with caplocks, so I would suppose it will work well with a fllintlock.... something I will now go and do with my T/C Renegade flintlock. Most of my guns are T/C hook breach guns. Usually I clean the hammer/cock with a toothbrush and the Murphy's Oil Soap solution followed by a dry rag wipe down. I coat the bore with T/C or other brand of bore butter/Natural Lube 1000. I finish up by lubing barrel external surfaces, sights, lock parts, etc. with whatever gun oil I have and an old shaving brush. I've also been known to use Johnson's Paste Wax on external surfaces. It protects well and doesn't gather dust during the winter. You seem to have more patience than I do.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks for sharing Dale!

[@kcstott]

You could just buy a teslong bore scope and KNOW how clean you are getting your rifle. Zero guesswork

[@wish2fish37]

Where can I get that rod your using.?I just use my fiberglass ramrod for loading and cleaning.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Log Cabin Shop, Dixie Gun works or Track of the wolf all have them

[@wish2fish37]

Thanks

[@tommaddox1028]

I have been shooting BP for over 50 yrs. Do not use fiberglass ram rods. Use aluminum brass Wood. Balistol good finish oil. Hot sopa and water. As hot as you can take. It will dry itself to clean. I just wonder what to do with all this gear I have collected over 50 yrs

[@markfair7648]

Ethan my girlfriend say's I spend to much time with my muzzleloaders . I think she is jealous 🤣😂. I have to clean them up in the basement. Kitchen is definitely off limits. 😂

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Sounds right! That's okay though, we all share our spouses with our muzzleloaders ;)

[@markfair7648]

@@ILoveMuzzleloading 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂.

[@garyruxton5226]

You removed the lock. That is when you should spray it, not spraying all over the metal and wood where it can soak into the wood between metal and wood, causing permanent damage. Sorry, I don't see the logic of that.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

What kind of permanent damage was caused? I'm always looking to learn, thank you for sharing!

[@garyruxton5226]

Untreated wood repeatedly absorbing liquid is OK?

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

@@garyruxton5226 In my experience, and those I've talked to/learn from it rarely causes harm. In all of the original pieces I've handled, none of the inelts were treated in any way and they exist today in great condition. Not in any way saying you are wrong, It's something I'll continue to watch and update if I see an issue.

[@garyruxton5226]

@ILoveMuzzleloading Apologies. Must just be my paranoia of liquid and wood. Oops on stirring up dust. You're a valuable channel. Appreciate your work and lucky you that gets to handle a lot of cool guns.

[@joshuashope5488]

​@@garyruxton5226I'm a little late to the party but muzzleloader stocks were historically finished with Linseed oil which fills the pores and hardens. With enough applications you get a very strong, waterproof finish on the wood that can easily withstand incidental water from cleaning!

[@StevenMMan]

Of course I clean differently than you do, however the only truly wrong way I have ever seen is neglect. Nothing hurts my heart more than a needlessly rusted pile of crap that was once a beautiful work of rifle artistry. These pawn shop catastrophes really popped up with the so called non corrosive BP substitutes. Non corrosive my butt! So after all that said I'm still of the old school with real blackpowder of hot water and dish soap. Old warn out wash clothes and bath towels cut to size with there porous fabric does it for me. Wedge pin barrels are just way to convenaint not to drop in the tub. I must admit I kind of enjoy stirring up the pot with the wife over the beautiful essence of cleaning blackpowder. Back in the early 70's when I started shooting the oil of choice was my mother's sewing machine oil, and to this day 2n1 is my go too. Now here's my one oddity is were. I like towel dry everything, then a light coat of oil then prop the rifle upside down over or near a warm source( example furnace register) 24-48 hours. For my mind assurance of no left over moisture. Recoat with light oil before storing away. Please keep in mind this is my madness for cleaning real blackpowder only. Substitutes for me is another story. I LIKE that you plug the end of your barrel with an oil rag. Side note the process of running a dry patch through my barrel than turning it upside down near a heat source is what I like to do as part of my prep before ever pouring powder down the barrel for either a day at the range or a hunt

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Amen, neglect is the worst. Good idea on prep before you go on a hunt or to the range!

[@markjohnson5718]

No brush down the barrel?

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Nope, I never have

[@billmelater6470]

I have also never needed a brush. My regiment is different than his, but I've still never had a need.

[@Nick-wn1xw]

Brush for what? There's no leading, BP fouling is pretty much soot and brushes are meant to go all the way through, not reversed in the bore.

[@DaleRaby]

Only used it when I had a badly rusted/neglected bore to deal with. You have to be careful in that case as the brush can get stuck in the bore. Those guns I cleaned up and kept never needed bore brushing again and the ones I put back on the rack for sale didn't come back with complaints. Only suggestion I got is NEVER to use a wooden ramrod with a bore brush. The end of the rod can come off if the brush gets stuck and it is very difficult to get that mess out of your bore.

[@daleweller5193]

More than one way to skin a cat.

[@tommaddox1028]

Of you can find sperm oil never rust on any thing you put it on. But I like some tusi I don't like nice smooth color I like it to look used.

[@DaleRaby]

Sperm oil has been off the market for many years now, though it was an excellent product.