Cleaning after 50+ black powder shells

[Mike Koneski]

Whether I shoot my 12g black powder shells in my Parkers or Foxes, the clean up is brutal. 50+ bp shells makes a mess of my barrels. I shoot a few smokeless rounds through them and it clears SOME residue out. I use hot water and soap, but I hate having to put a fine set of vintage barrels into water. Always afraid there will be some leakage into the ribs or the extractors won't get cleaned/lubed properly and will rust. Anyone have a better way to clean the barrels? I heard some guys use a swab with windex. Does that work? After shooting the BP Event at the Spring Southern, I cleaned my barrels in the hotel bathtub!!!:rotf: Ya should have seen that crime scene!!!! I had to get housekeeping to scrub the tub. Wound up looking brand new, but it looked like I dumped drain oil into the tub!!!! I thought it was funny. Wound up giving the housekeeper a nice tip. :whistle:

[edgarspencer]

I pour boiling water, right from the tea kettle, down each tube. They dry right out from the heat. I don't use any detergent. Lastly, a light squirt of spray oil down the extractor guide hole. I've never had a spec of rust and they shine when I'm done.

[Mike Koneski]

Thanks Edgar. Does it matter how much time has elapsed after shooting until you clean them? It was probably 3 hours from the time we had the BP competition until I was able to clean the barrels. I wouldn't think it matters, but I've been wrong once before. :cool:

[wayne goerres]

You can use Windex but it has to be Windex with vinager not Windex with ammonia. Edgers way works well also. Use a thermos and take some hot water with you.

[Dave Suponski]

Mike, Back during my muzzleloader day's I discovered Ballistol on a cotton patch. Absolutley amazing results and never any rust or corrosion. I have been using it ever since.

[charlie cleveland]

i m like you i always had a time cleaning up black powder s mess...charlie

[Mike Koneski]

Dave, when I clean by ML, I take the barrel in the shower with me. It's also only a couple shots at the most. Easy to clean. Besides, the barrel is stainless. The SxS after 50+ does get messy!!

[Jerry Harlow]

Edgar is correct, boiling water dissolves the black powder, which causes the barrels to be so hot the water evaporates immediately.

If you are worried that water has gotten somewhere it is not supposed to be, get a piece of 3" PVC from the hardware store/building supply and cut to 40", glue a cap on one end, buy the removable cap for the other end, buy a gallon of WD40 and nearly fill the pipe, and put your barrels with a wire attached in there. Leave a while, pull out, wipe, and let them drip. All water is displaced by the WD40 (water displacing oil). Water settles to the bottom of the pvc pipe. If the barrels have weep holes (like a Fox), you'll need air to force it all out otherwise it will drip a long time.

[edgarspencer]

I just use a funnel. When I say hot, I mean right off the boil. The barrels will get too hot to hold.

[William Davis]

BP best to get what you can out soon as you can.

I use a spray bottle half Anti Freeze half water with a little bit of Balistol before putting the gun in my car. Back home boiling hot water, then Balistol. Compressed air in holes and places gunk can hide Next day wipe it again with Balistol. If some time before I am home, muzzle in a bucket with hot water. You can get a suction going with a tight patch, pump the water in and out.

Bill

[Ed Blake]

I'll second the anti-freeze and water. A few squirts down the barrels, wait a couple minutes, and then push out the residue with a paper towel on a jag. Residue comes out in ribbons. Clean up from there is easy.

[William Davis]

I ought to add looking at my BP guns again after a few days. Shot my Parker Lifter with BP Friday cleaned same day wiped it down again Sat. Stood it up against my desk. Monday went to put it away tiny little bit of surface rust around the muzzles were I handled the gun. It has almost no finish on the outside of the barrels to protect it.

Wiped down again came clean. Then I de-oiled the outside with lighter fluid let it dry and waxed the barrels. Plain old paste wax. Paste Wax is what many museums used to preserve metal objects. As a rule Blued barrels don't need this step.

Bill

[Mike Koneski]

Thanks for the tip on the light film of paste wax.

[charlie cleveland]

yes this is a very good tip...thank you...charlie