Soap & water or bore cleaner question.

[toad]

I'm a newbee to muzzle loading. Someday I want to build and shoot a flintlock Kentucky rifle; but for now it's hard enough to get a deer with a modern rifle. After shooting 5-7 shots at the range I notice my Traditions rifle is full of crud. If I let it sit a day or so it just makes it worse. Using Pyrodex FFG & a bottle of Jim Shokeys Gold FFG.

Should I take everything apart including breech plug trigger assemply, etc for every cleaning? Am I supposed to use soap and water, or can I use the same bore cleaner used on a shotgun?

I know this sounds like a lot of questions, but are some guns easier to clean than others? Do the silver barrels get less gunked up than the blue or black barrels?

Everytime I touch this thing, my respect for the early setllers who tamed this country with knives and black powder guns grows.

 

[Anonymous]

Toad:

FIRST off (PYRODEX IS VERY CORROSIVE) I would never let my gun sit uncleaned more than 3-4 hrs after shooting much less a day or more!
And the longer you let it set the more damage it can cause!!!!!

AS far as cleaning YES your breechplug & trigger Mec. should also be cleaned as good as the scrubbing your barrle gets, and give your trigger a light oil job & use ANTISEZE GREASE on the threds of your breechplug this may save you from a sezedup plug one day!

( I HAD TO LEARN THIS THE HARD WAY ABOUT 20YRS AGO )

VERY hot soappy water or a commer. bore cleanner will do fine but make sure you give the barrle a lite oil job inside and out afterwards.

When shooting try swabbing after every shot 1 damp patch folloewd by 2 dry ones I think you will find loading much easyer and just before you leave the range run a damp patch and dry ones down the barrle you will find once you get home the cleanup will be a lot less pain in the butt.

I HOPE THIS WILL HELP YOU OUT A LITTLE

LUNGBUSTER1
laconia IN

 

[toad]

Thanks, I will try that. Just to clarify, the damp patch between rounds, is that bore cleaner on that patch? AFter the dry patch would yoiu recommend firing a couple of primers to clear the barrel or is that overkill?

You make it sound like Pyrodex is really bad. Is there another option?

 

[Critter]

Try 777, I have a lot better luck with that than Pyrodex. APP Shockys Gold and Goex Pinnacle are supposed to be good too but I have not tried them.
The patch between shots I just use spit. It's cheap and easy to get. :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Swabbing: POP 1 patch in your mouth and dampen with spit, you don't want the patch to wet.

NO need to pop any more caps between shots!

PYRODEX is a good powder it is just more carrosive than 777 and leaves more fowling in the barrle also.

I shoot the 777 with great results, BUT when useing 777 you have to reduce your charge by 15% to adcheave the same results as pyrodex or any other powder. (ALSO) 777 produces less smoke!

EXAMPLE::: IF you normally shoot 100gr of PYRODEX RS OR PYRODEX SELECT then you would only use 85gr of 777

I just bought a Traditions Tracker 209 at basspro and found that I get the best results with 85gr of 777 and a 250gr Shockwave with superglide sabot loads easy and shoots great 1/2" group at 75yds. very very pleased with the little tracker.

LUNGBUSTER1