cleaning a new ACCURA MR-X barrel

[Ode1891]

I have not started out with a brand new MZLDR since 2003. I shot black powder and used a detergent to swab. I used several powders before going to blackhorn granular when I started using my rifle solvents. After 21 years it still shot well even after wire brushing to get all the sabot plastic out with acetone. What have you found works best for newer barrels using only blackhorn? Im sure there's a variety out there unknown to me. Thanks

 

[MrTom]

I use Hoppes. I don't use a wire brush, just a dampened patch and jag. Three of those up/down twice, then clean patches until one comes out clean yet. Then a patch dampened with a corrosion preventer. Never have plastic in my barrels and I use sabots.

 

[Ode1891]

regular gun oil? Or is there something other out there?

 

[GM54-120]

All i use is Hoppes or a Milspec CLP without teflon. Hoppes cut 50/50 with 90% isopropyl is popular too if you like to swab between shots.

WD Corrosion Inhibitor. Its in a spray can for about $15. Just swab it out good before firing. Its just as good as anything ive seen. Plus you can get it at Lowes/HomeCheapo.
https://www.wd40.com/products/corrosion-inhibitor/

 

[ronlaughlin]

To clean my muzzle loaders shooting Blackhorn powder two different solvents are used. First a water-based solvent on a wet patch, then a dry patch. Then a second wet patch, and another dry patch. This removes virtually all the burnt Blackhorn.









Then a switch is made to an oil-based solvent on a wet patch This patch comes out of the barrel quite clean. The barrel is left wet for an hour or so; the job is finished with a dry patch.

 

[Ode1891]

To clean my muzzle loaders shooting Blackhorn powder two different solvents are used. First a water-based solvent on a wet patch, then a dry patch. Then a second wet patch, and another dry patch. This removes virtually all the burnt Blackhorn.



View attachment 42969





Then a switch is made to an oil-based solvent on a wet patch This patch comes out of the barrel quite clean. The barrel is left wet for an hour or so; the job is finished with a dry patch.


View attachment 42970

Curious, any reason for using the water based cleaner ? I read that you do a second clean with bore scrubber.

 

[Ode1891]

General question. If you clean or swab in between shots, do you remove the breach plug?

 

[ronlaughlin]

Curious, any reason for using the water based cleaner ?

Yes, there is a reason. It removes the burnt Blackhorn completely with fewer patches than an oil based cleaner.

 

[ronlaughlin]

General question. If you clean or swab in between shots, do you remove the breach plug?

No way.

 

[Ode1891]

Dumping out unburnt powder vs swabbing out burnt remnants

looking at the details on cleaning solutions and varieties of powder , I’m remembering when I tried power belts with pellet powders. I used several types of pellets for a few years until I got tired of dumping unburned powder out of the barrel after every shot. It was the power belts, not the pellets I guess. Looking at videos recently I saw a Barnes video that showed the blow by allowed by power belts. That explained it. Since using BH there is never anything left in my barrel to bang out.

 

[Ode1891]

All i use is Hoppes or a Milspec CLP without teflon. Hoppes cut 50/50 with 90% isopropyl is popular too if you like to swab between shots.

WD Corrosion Inhibitor. Its in a spray can for about $15. Just swab it out good before firing. Its just as good as anything ive seen. Plus you can get it at Lowes/HomeCheapo.
https://www.wd40.com/products/corrosion-inhibitor/

Really like this idea of alcohol hoppes 50% blend. Makes sense and I’ll make a small bottle of this mix for the range.

 

[ElDiablo]

Dumping out unburnt powder vs swabbing out burnt remnants

looking at the details on cleaning solutions and varieties of powder , I’m remembering when I tried power belts with pellet powders. I used several types of pellets for a few years until I got tired of dumping unburned powder out of the barrel after every shot. It was the power belts, not the pellets I guess. Looking at videos recently I saw a Barnes video that showed the blow by allowed by power belts. That explained it. Since using BH there is never anything left in my barrel to bang out.

Unburnt powder? Hmmm, never seen that with any of my rifles. Could it have just been fouling? (There would certainly be a lot more of that with anything but Bh209.)

 

[Ode1891]

Unburnt powder? Hmmm, never seen that with any of my rifles. Could it have just been fouling? (There would certainly be a lot more of that with anything but Bh209.)

Nope, unburnt . It was using 2 pellets, can’t remember which ones, and power belts.

 

[ElDiablo]

Nope, unburnt . It was using 2 pellets, can’t remember which ones, and power belts.

Interesting.

 

[brad502a]

90+% isopropyl alcohol on patches until clean. Use ISO HEAT to save money. Then a bore brush with Hoppes to get into the nooks and crannies. Finally a patch to check for cleanliness and some oil for rust prevention,

 

[Ode1891]

I really like the idea of 50-50 alcohol/hoppes solvent for range cleaning. Without removing the breech plug, seems like I’m ’going Against the grain’ by swabbing down from the muzzle. In any event, anybody see a problem with this technique? I guess whatever fouling I’d push into the breech would explode with the powder? What about removing the plug and yanking a bore snake through ?

Not arguing or debating anyone’s method, just asking questions for discussion. Many of you have years of regular muzzle loader experience , I’m a once and done sight in and hunt guy.

 

[ElDiablo]

I’ve never removed a plug when swabbing at the range (or when hunting) - but I don’t buy rifles with QR plugs. The idea is not to get the bore “clean” - just to knock down the fouling to a lower and consistent level.

 

[Ode1891]

I’ve never removed a plug when swabbing at the range (or when hunting) - but I don’t buy rifles with QR plugs. The idea is not to get the bore “clean” - just to knock down the fouling to a lower and consistent level.

QR plugs?

 

[michiganmuzzy]

QR plugs?