black powder solvent

[Dphariss]

I don't use a cleaning jag. I cut an oval hole near the end of a hickory rod and pull a large patch thru it. I pull the patch around the end of the rod and twist it so it will fit down the bore in front of the rod. This cleans the breech face better than a jag. I use cold water with a little dish washing detergent. I then oil the bore with any kind of gun oil that is a rust preventative. I make sure the patch is large enough to fit pretty tight in the bore.

I do the same thing but use a "worm" on a metal or wood rod.
But if flushed properly there is little to clean in this manner if breeched tight.
I use a shotgun mop with the wire trimmed to get into non-hooked patent breeches. But if well flushed this does not seem to find a lot of fouling either.

Dan

[Pvt. Lon Grifle]

It sounds reasonable to me that if you tight patch to clean  and use something that really gets the grease/oil/wax/smut out when cleaning, and you dance with the possibility of flash rusting if you dither doing that, then you must have a good rust preventative ready to apply effectively to all the surfaces involved.   Lon

[Daryl]

Lon - I've not had any flash rusting since I stopped using hot water. I use cold water only. After flushing the bore, I lean the barrel against the wall muzzle down to drain, then toothbrush the lock clean in the bucket of water. After the lock is clean, I set it down, pick up the barrel and run patches into it until dry, then spray liberally with WD40, then patch that up and down a few times, then wipe the outside with that oiled patch.  I then pickup the lock, wipe it with a dry rag of towel, blow in the 'innards' and between cock and plate to push out moisture, re-wipe, then spray hard with WD40, and set it down.  If inside, I spray it over the garbage can as the WW40 flows off the lock in a stream pushing the moisture with it - I use a lot of it and have never had any rust at any time during cleaning or afterwards.

I have seen guys lightly dribble some 'oil' on a patch after cleaning and drying their guns at Hefley Creek Rondy - not me - if it isn't flowing freely, it isn't removing the moisture.  It's gotta run.

[Dancy]

What are the negatives or dangers of using rubbing alcohol? Does it deteriorate the metal, induce rusting, not clean well, damage wood finish or just not necessary? I am using cold water as advised by you more experienced shooters, but just wondering.

Also, do you have a preference as to what brand or style of jags to use? Are some better than others? I am getting ready to order some to get that tight fit suggested for cleaning.

Thanks,

James

[bigbat]

How about cheap windshield washer??? Sure has served me well for years.

[SCLoyalist]

Rubbing alcohol in the drugstores nowadays contains 10 to 30 pct water, so attention to detail in drying the bore is still important.  And, I would expect alcohol to pose more of a risk to the wood finish than plain water.    At least, I've noticed less streaking near the tang and wrist area since I started paying more attention to stopping up the vent, wrapping a paper towel around the lock area to catch drips, and using plain water instead of windshield washer fluid/alcohol/murphyoilperoxidealcohol/etc.

I'm going to file a minority opinion on the tight-fitting-cleaning-jag debate.  If the patch & jag are really really tight going down, you're going to push all the fouling down to the breech as the jag goes down.  I like the idea of a loose patch/jag going down that catches and bunches up the patch as you withdraw it and pulls the fouling out towards the muzzle.   Also, if the patch and jag is very tight, seems like that means the patch fabric would be so compressed it's absorbency would be greatly reduced.   That said, I know several folks who aren't happy unless there's a loud vacuum 'POP' when the jag and patch clear the muzzle.  Maybe I just got tired of having the patch sucked off the jag and back down the bore where I had to retrieve it with a worm.

Anybody ever tried a 'Spin Jag'  (www.spinjag.com)?  Looks like it might work, but they're about $20 a pop.

SCL

[Daryl]

The only time a patch got sucked of the jag and pulled back into the bore or slipped off the jag in the bore at the bottom was when the patch was too thin.  Also, I don't pull it out of the bore quickly, as then one has to get it lined back up again to push back down.  I pull the rod up until 1/2 the cleaning patch shows, with the main part of the jag still in the bore, then push it hard, down to the bottom, up, down, up, down pulling water in to the top of the stroke, you can feel a bump when it hits the jag, then flush it back down, forceing all the $#@* out the vent.

[Brian Jordan]

With the solvent I use most of the fouling is dumped out after the first short soaking. It is amazing all the little black chunks that come out that the solvent breaks up. The most impressive way to see how this solvent works is when you pour the formula on your lock. It only takes seconds and you see the fouling lift off in little sheets. Read the ingredients again, they are not telling you to use any item full strength. All parts are diluted by one another. If you would try it you would like it! 

[hanshi]

Don't know how many do this but I use a hair dryer on my guns and locks after dry patching to get them bone dry.  When my 35 year old hair dryer died I went to the Salvation Army Thrift Store and picked up another for $3.  Works!