Newbie Cleaning Mistake with Triple 7

Had my T/C Impact out hunting over my Thanksgiving vacation, after being loaded for over a week (which I have done plenty of times) I discharged it and brought it home to clean it. I have always used Thompson T17 cleaner and barrel lube, of which I had run out of both. I have to order all my muzzleloading supply's, our of muzzleloading supply's is skimpy at best (and best is only during our 1 week season in October) in my part of GA and the closest I have found is about an hour drive. So I cleaned my rifle with warm soapy water and Dawn, brushed the barrel as always with a copper brush and washed agian with warm water only till I got a clean patch, I then run a dry patch through it repeatedly till it was dry and clean. An alcohol patch was run though to remove any possible moisture and a dry patch run through agian. I was out of anything to coat my barrel so I run a patch of Rem oil through it. When I went to load my rifle a little over a week later, I run a dry patch through it as always before popping a cap through it, Good Grief at the Rust!!!! I have only been shooting this rifle for 3 years (over 300 shots is a guess thinking about bullets I have bought), I have never fouled a barrel like this. What did I do wrong? The rust was like a soft brown wet rust, I cleaned on it for over 3 hours and I still have some rust it appears down the first 3 inches or so at the muzzle. But the rust that is there is not brushing out even with when I use pieces of a Copper chore boy pad in my brush. It is almost like I have browned the first 3" of my barrel. What did I do wrong and any advice on getting it out is appreciated. It still shots spot on as it is now, but seeing rust is driving me nuts.

 

Kroil penetrating oil or equivalent should remove the rust. Wet it real good and let it set for a day or two.


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I hate rust.

After I clean a gun I allow it to sit for a couple hours before I put the final patch with any protectant thru it. I usually use a wD-40 product that's higher grade than the usual WD-40 stuff. I'd get the label for you but I need to get more myself and haven't got the old can for a picture. Often times a barrel will appear dry after running a dry patch thru just before one would run the finish coat patch thru, but metal can be tricky and hold moisture in microscopic pores and rust will grab hold right there because the moisture is UNDER the oil or whatever. Allowing some air time after cleaning but before oiling will allow that hidden moisture time to evaporate out of those pores and rust can't get started. This works super well for me.

Another thing I do is store my muzzle loading guns with the breech plug out if the plug is removable. Free air flow goes a long way in preventing rust. I like to come back a week or so after having put the cleaned gun away and running a patch dampened with the WD-40 inhibitor I use thru the barrel as a visual check to be certain things are not heading down hill with me not knowing. Where I live here in Minnesota we have humidity swings that marvel the tropics. Rust is something that can plague us so I have a routine developed that has me messing with the guns to be certain rust and I are not getting cozy and maybe this is something you need to get in the habit of doing until you know the rust issue in your gun is a part of history....as in gone.

 

Sabotloader I actually saved that picture as a screen shot, thanks. Thanks to all for the advice, I have got some bore scrubber on the way to push through and get the last rust out I hope. Mr. Tom, I agree I despise rust.

 

The first mistake was using 777. I used it for about 5 years, before discovering BH209. I cannot describe the change and joy I feel, since I started with BH209.

 

BH209 IS BY FAR A BETTER PROPELLANT FOR MY MONEY.

 

I've been using the Copper Remover for years on all my firearms. Only problem, got to use it when the wife isn't home because it smells BAD.

Does a great job.

Jerry

 

Great tips!
I have been using 777 FFF for years and yes cleaning isn't always the best part of range day. I have been using Thompson cleaner for a couple of years. Noticed this last year that it wasn't doing it's job, so I ran a spit patch and wow! All kinds of black! I kept running a spit patch until all was clean and shiny. I did use the Thompsons during this to see if I was imagining things. Nope! Never seen the barrel cleaner! Those old timers were on to something. Saliva has a natural lube in it so you get a good clean and lube.

 

HOT soapy water was all I ever used to use to clean my Renegade and then protect with Rem oil and have never had any issue with rust.

Got away from the soapy water and still use T/C #13 solvent (looks like skim milk) for cleaning. Still using 777 ffg in it.

 

Triple 7 cleans up very easily with a citrus household cleaner. I just pour small amount in plastic container put the breechplug in to soak and usually takes only a few patches to wipe out the bore/breech. I also use a clean patch to wipe off the underside of the scope (plunger style Whites) an brush out the breech area again. Clean up the plug with a wire brush an pipe cleaner an reinstall. I use small amount of teflon grease on plug threads then send a patch of Lucas gun oil (red) down the bore an your done. Total time is about 15 minutes tops. This has worked for many years an no rust or other issues!
Triple 7 is a great powder you just have to learn how to use an clean it...

 

Just curious, what citrus cleaner are u using? I use the t/c cleaner but looking for a cheaper alternative...

 

I tried an expensive can of BH209 in my Encore. No difference in performance, just way more expensive. Yes, you don't have to swab between shots, but at $1 a shot, it should shoot 1 hole groups. I found it harder to clean than 777. And then you have to use expensive gun cleaners. I have a hand lapped barrel, so 777 cleans up with a couple of patches. I drilled out a nipple and attach a hose to it, which sits in the hot soapy water. A few strokes with a patch, followed by a brass brush to clean out any plastic fouling,another wet patch, and then two dry patches followed by Kroil, and I'm done. Rust? What is that? I live in NM where we don't have much humidity.

 

I use Fantastic Household cleaner, Arm & Hammer, but have used others, the citrus is the key element.

 

For my .54 Hawken I shoot T7 and patched round balls. For cleaning, I remove the nipple and clean-out screw. Put the removed barrel breech end down into HOT HOT HOT water. Using my rod, I run a swab thru the barrel which "pumps" hot water in and out of the barrel via the nipple hole. Do that till water runs clear. Get clean water and repeat. This gets all the power residue out and the barrel so hot you can barely hold it. Then I run dry pathes (actually paper towel) in and out of the bore till they're dry. Then I lay the barrel down on the work bench and put a blow dryer at the bore, you can feel a little air blowing out the nipple and clean out holes. Have a seat for a bit (1/2 hour). Then run Rem Oil or any other oil thru it on a different "oily swab".

Never had any rust doing the above. However, lately I've started using a foaming cleaner after the drying and before the oiling. Just seems like a good idea.

ON my in-line I shoot BH209. Totally different cleaning method. I treat it just like a regular rifle and use Hoppes. Works great. But their many other methods that work, also.