Keeping it simple

[thecapgunkid]

Smylee Grouch...
I agree with the keep it simple idea thats why I only use water to clean and WD 40 after I'm done. If you live in a more humid climate you might need some other bore oil after cleaning if you plan on storing the gun for extended times.
 

Yup.  Works all the time and I have not yet had a rusty bore.

Don't shoot yore eye out, kid

The Capgun Kid

[JCKelly]

Grandfather told me he used cold water to clean his rifle.

My work/association with P&G guys told me that soap/detergent has salt (table salt, sodium chloride, whatever you call it) in it. Their soap corroded @#%$!! out of common stainless process vessels & piping. Good business for my employer. We sold Stainless on Steroids. P&G happy.

Salt rusts iron.

Hot salt water rusts iron faster than does cold.

In the '60's always had a flash of rust near the muzzle of my musket. No idea why, after all I had cleaned it well with hot water & soap. Had not the sense to spray it with WD40, which I believe would have helped.

Now I use tap water. Finally listened to Grampa.
And whatever oil or grease.

[Daryl]

Back in the late 70's a friend of mine got a letter back from England, straight from Holland & Holland (not the NEW-ISH US barrel company).

Will had sent a 6 bore ball and shot gun, a SxS cap lock with 36" tubes for re-furbishing and to have a case made.  H&H re-bored the gun to 5 bore and sent a letter back telling Will how to clean ALL of his antique SxS's used with black powder, rifles and the shotguns.

They instructed - use tap water - cold tap. Do not EVER use hot water due to the flash rusting caused by a very hot barrel drying too quickly.  Also, if there is built up fouling in the breech area, hot water can 'glaze' the surface of the fouling, instead of dissolving it.  They instructed to dry the bore with patches, flannel best, then to use a water displacing lubricant flush, like WD40 to CHASE the remaining moisture, if there in the breech, from the barrel. Flush does not mean a damp patch.  Flush means flush.  If the WD40 does not blast from the nipple seat or vent, it is not flushing anything.  If this seems extravagant, buy it by the gallon can - lasts a long time (over a year of weekly shooting) for the price of about 3 regular aerosol cans. A plastic spritz bottle comes in handy from the Dollar Store.

Cold water - 1 doubled patch to clean, 4 or 5 doubled flannel patches to dry - flush - wipe down, re-assemble and finished in 10-15 minutes. Takes over 30 minutes (sometimes over an hour) to properly clean a modern rifle's barrel depending on the copper fouling.

[Standing Bear]

Thanks, Daryl, nothing like info from such a knowledgeable source
as H&H to confirm what we've been doing for years.

One caution, though:  IF you have a water softener that uses salt, avoid using that tap water to clean your guns.  Buy a couple of gallons of drinking water at the store.  When the first is empty, refill it at your daughter's (friend's, mother's, wherever) in town.
TC