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Thread: Cleaning B.P. Guns

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    As BBS rules, my nearest town. Colne
    Posts
    2,961

    Cleaning B.P. Guns

    There has been a fair amount of differing opinions, among the forum members, as to the pro's and con's of black powder and modern substitutes.
    Most advocates of the modern alternatives cite the ease of cleaning when using these powders.

    I have no wish to use modern substitutes, I bought a 130 year old rifle with the intentions of shooting B.P.

    I have had all the quips from all the knowledgeable Nitro shooters on the range.
    'You want to pour boiling water down that mate, cleans it a treat'. Thanks for that Sir, have you a kettle in your bag, and can you show me where I can plug it in?
    'Don't know what you're messing about at mate? you just want to P*** down the barrel'. I won't repeat my reply to that one.

    At first I tried black powder solvent. Works a treat, but a tad expensive and strips the finish from your woodwork faster than nitromores.
    I soon found out that B.P. solvent is little more than ethylene glycol (anti freeze). I tried it, it works as well as B.P. solvent, it's far cheaper, but still pulls the varnish from your stock. Even if there is a residue on your fingers, your fingers melt the varnish, and stick to your stock.

    I started to carry a canister of 'Builders Wonder Wipes' to clean my hands before handling my rifle. Marvellous things they are, they remove paint, silicon, solvents and dirt. They also remove black powder and ethylene glycol from your fingers.
    It wasn't long before I began to wonder what the effect might be on a dirty rifle barrel. I put one in my pull through, and dragged it down my barrel, it came out filthy. I pulled another one down which came out clean. I dismantled my action and peered down the barrel, it was clean and bright and ready to go again.

    I now use these wonder wipes between each detail, on the range. My rifle is ready to shoot immediately, and a pull through before leaving the range, leaves me very little to do when I get home.

    Black Powder, messy? not for me.
    Robin

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Bristol
    Posts
    693
    'You want to pour boiling water down that mate, cleans it a treat'. Thanks for that Sir, have you a kettle in your bag, and can you show me where I can plug it in?
    you can take the hot water in a thermos to the range.
    'Gun control is like trying to reduce drink driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars'

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Hereford
    Posts
    689
    I use windscreen washer fluid as a blackpowder solvent. It works as well as anthing else and dries very quickly.
    Daz

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Bristol
    Posts
    8
    I was interested to read peoples opinions on cleaning black powder guns. Here is something NOT to use.

    A couple of years ago I was working at a casual job and found out that one of the others working there was a shooter. Naturally at any spare moment we had we talked about shooting. I raised the subject of cleaning black powder guns and the time it took. He suggested Mr Muscle Bathroom Cleaner.

    The next time I shot black powder I used my beloved Le Page .44 percussion pistol. On getting home I used the Mr Muscle and yes it was good at removing black powder, but it was also very good at removing the beautiful browning from the barrel.

    To say I was upset was an understatement! I have come to the conclusion that this person must have shot a stainless steel pistol, and I feel he must have meant well.

    A very good friend of mine, who has been a gunsmith for countless years, tried to re-brown the pistol, but the solution wouldn't take. Eventually he managed it but it has never been quite the same. Maybe Pedersoli use a special process when they brown their guns.

    I would always advise black powder shooters to only use proprietory black powder cleaners such as Henry Kranks or Napiers.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2000
    Location
    Portsmouth,Hants. U.K
    Posts
    633

    Cleaning

    My favourite cleaner for BP during almost 25 years has always been Commercial car anti freeze 50:50 with yellow decorators Sugar Soap.
    Totally harmless in my experiance to 200 year old guns on both wood and metal finish and age patina. You will not be dissapointed.
    The currency for Wisdom is Respect. So please do not enter a transaction if you do not have the means to pay

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    As BBS rules, my nearest town. Colne
    Posts
    2,961
    Leadhead. I would be very wary if I used your mixture, due to the problems I have stated, if the anti freeze comes in contact with the woodwork.
    Robin

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