Getting muzzleloaders clean

[Gil Martin]

I shoot mostly flintlocks, blackpowder and patched balls. The cleaning process I prefer is pleanty of hot soapy water, hot water, dry patches and oil patches. That is a good way to go, but I suspect it does not get the bore as clean as I would like it to be.

I use a snug fitting brush after the hot water cleaning process and Shooters Choice patches. The stuff that comes out of the bore of my muzzleloaders is a caution. At first I thought it was coming from a dirty brush. Not so. I used a new brush and it soon became black with crud. I went the next step and put a piece of lead wiping cloth on a brush, it too came out black. I am confident the bores are now cleaner than ever. All the best...
Gil

[Adam Helmer]

Gil,

I use hot soapy water, dry patches and oil after a session of patched ball shooting in rifles. If I shoot conicals, I add a few passes of "Wipe Away" to remove the lead buildup. For my C&B Remingtons, I shoot all afternoon to justify the detail strip and hot soapy water bath, dry and oil.

At my local club, there are as many cleaning concoctions as shooters for muzzleloaders. I see Windex, peroxide, alcohol, anti-freeze and a mixture of most items listed. I keep it simple with hot soapy water.

Adam

[quigleysharps4570]

Hot soapy water, brush, patch, dry patch, then oil.

[Leadbutt]

Inlines I just clean like a regular rifle and scrub the bejesus out of it, my TRUE frontstuffers I clean like the rest,, but stop short of remove all the seasoning from the bbl,, I know some don't think its needed, but mine have shoot better for years like that, after cleaning I store the rifles muzzel down so no oil runs into the locks.

["yote"]

Use one of the "Wonder Lube 1000" type prods. I use it in all 4
of my ML's. When you use it, the stuff seasons the bore like a
cast iron fry pan. The result is longer shooting strings without
swabbing and clean up is a breeze with hot soapy water. I can
shoot a load of 70gr FFFG in my 54 Great Plains about 75 times
before loading gets tough. Use it liberally on patches and for
after clean-up lube. There is one caution; you CANNOT use ANY
type of petroleum products with it. Not for lube or anything. The
petrol products destroy the seasoning effect and you have to start over.
At first I was skeptical, after seeing the results, I am
sold!! Especially in my 32 & 36 cal ML's. I also use it as over the
ball grease in my cap & ball revolvers.