Any Tips for TOW Flintlock Cleaning Tube/Clamp?

[C. Cash]

Hello to the forum.

Anyone have any advice to get a good flow going with TOW barrel cleaning tube/clamp?  When I try to clean it reminds me of trying to suck a cold milkshake through a small straw, and I'm pretty sure I'm doing something wrong.  Flow is very slow and I would like to get things wooshing through the flash channel as fast as possible to get the junk out of the breech end.   Thanks for any input.

[Daryl]

I found with mine, I had to be very careful to get the hole lined up with the vent hole. Just a bit off and it would 'suck hard'.  If lined up well, it worked very well through my .070" vent.  On pulling the rod up, then pushing the rod down hard a few times, you can get a good 'head' of water above the patch, and this helps draw water right up to the muzzle, then another hard shove and blasts the fouliing off the breech as well as cleaning out the Chamber's vent's 'cavity'.

Daryl

[C. Cash]

I think you may have nailed it, as I was having trouble lining up in the beginning(had to clean ballistol/water out the lock mortice with a Q-tip a few times), and just assumed I was on it when I was having trouble getting a good flow.  I will try and line it up more carefully.  Might be as simple as that for sure.....Thanks Daryl.

[famouseagle]

Be careful after you remove the clamp.  The next time you push the cleaning rod down the barrel you'll get a shot of fluid that'll go across a room.  It's a great cleaning tool but, as Daryl said, the key is to get the hole lined up.

I drop the tube into a jar of Murphy's/alcohol.  After cleaning, the residue settles to the bottom of the jar.

[C. Cash]

Be careful after you remove the clamp.  The next time you push the cleaning rod down the barrel you'll get a shot of fluid that'll go across a room.  It's a great cleaning tool but, as Daryl said, the key is to get the hole lined up.

I drop the tube into a jar of Murphy's/alcohol.  After cleaning, the residue settles to the bottom of the jar.

Will do!  I am trying water with a good dollop of Ballistol in there, in the hopes that I won't get flash rust with the mixture.  With my Renegade, I would get flash rust even when using cold water.

[Daryl]

C.Cash- I get the hint you may not be taking the lock off to clean  - I remove mine, as without removing the lock, notonly can't you get the lock perfectly clean in the frizzen hinge but the tool's flusherhole can't fit against the vent properly - in most locks. Flash-rust with cold water cleaning? - that's interesting, I've never seen that happen.  'd be thinking there's something in the steel's pores that hasn't been removed yet, that is causing this flashrust.  Has this barrel ben fired with pyrodex or T-7?

[hanshi]

Daryl's correct about removing the lock for cleaning.  It's easier to clean and a lot of fouling gets into the lock mechanism.  I don't use a tube, just wet & dry patches.  I have a real phobia of rust and keep my flinters well oiled.  Never had a problem with "flash rust" but I also have never used anything but black powder even in capguns.

[C. Cash]

Hey Fellas,

Yes definitely I'm taking the lock off.  I had poor light though and don't think I was lining up the flash hole with the tube properly as suggested.  I don't own the T/C Renegade anymore(sold it to finance another gun project), but wish I still had it.  It was supposedly unfired when I got it.  I would submerge the breech in a coffee can of cold water and just pump it for about 15 min...no trace of powder left on the patch, and I was using LHV lube and got very little fowling overall.  Then, when I would do the drying patches, they would immediately start coming out orange.  I was going to try the ballistol dollop in the Coffee can to see if it eliminated the flash rust but sold it before I could try it out.

[Daryl]

Strange- but back when I had a TC- it used to flash rust every time too but I was using hot water, almost boiling hot. I merely attributed it to the heat with flash drying = flash rusting.  I switched to cold water with the next barrels I used, and have never had flash rusting since. 

[C. Cash]

I was shocked too.  I was using good old Goex 2F and LHV lube, and cleaning with cold water after shooting, low humidity....taking the barrel off and submerging the breech.   I think the Ballistol would have cured the problem as it dilutes well in the water and has always worked(short term at least) as a rust preventative.