Cleaning with starter fluid

[bones92]

I have tried this a few times, and each time I have been able to clean a bore in less than 5 minutes.  I spray a good bit of starter fluid down the barrel, push it down with a patched jag quickly to blow fouling out of the vent hole.  Then keep using patches soaked in it, alternating with dry patches.   I finish by drying the bore with several dry patches, then lube with an oil-soaked patch.

Bottom line... after shooting a .40 flintlock all afternoon, I was able to clean it in about 5 minutes.  After a few hours, I just ran a clean dry patch down and it came out white.

I also took the lock off and sprayed it with starter fluid, wiped it down, and lubed with a suitable oil (Ballistol, Lehigh, etc).

Just thought I'd share this with you all, as it seems to be a very effective alternative.   I know... everyone has their method they like, but I'm just throwing this out there, for those who may want an easy alternative to running water down the bore.

[EC121]

Starting fluid is ether which is an explosive gas.  Could burn the whole shop down.  I'll pass on that.

[bones92]

 For that matter, black powder is an explosive.


I figured most people had a can of starting fluid around,  for when a mower or other small engine needs coaxing.

[bob in the woods]

If water isn't good enough, a couple patches soaked with windsheild washer fluid will do the job quickly. Only takes me about 5 min.to clean my rifle with these, so don't see the need for anything else.

[g2608671@verizon.net]

I have tried this a few times, and each time I have been able to clean a bore in less than 5 minutes.  I spray a good bit of starter fluid down the barrel, push it down with a patched jag quickly to blow fouling out of the vent hole.  Then keep using patches soaked in it, alternating with dry patches.   I finish by drying the bore with several dry patches, then lube with an oil-soaked patch.

Bottom line... after shooting a .40 flintlock all afternoon, I was able to clean it in about 5 minutes.  After a few hours, I just ran a clean dry patch down and it came out white.

I also took the lock off and sprayed it with starter fluid, wiped it down, and lubed with a suitable oil (Ballistol, Lehigh, etc).

Just thought I'd share this with you all, as it seems to be a very effective alternative.   I know... everyone has their method they like, but I'm just throwing this out there, for those who may want an easy alternative to running water down the bore.

Thanks for the cleaning tip.  Semper Fi.

[bob in the woods]

Just a cautionary word re: the comment that black powder is an " explosive " etc....all that is true, however;  gasoline is also an explosive, and moreover it is volatile .  "Starter fluid"  works as an assist for gasoline because it is even more volatile. A spark across the room won't set off black powder, but could be catastrophic when using starter fluid to clean any thing.

[Hungry Horse]

Water, water, water, water, water, water,water,water,water. So, what part of this is unclear to you?

   Hungry Horse

[little joe]

Safety first. starting fluid is an excellent degreaser and have used it with no problems however as pointed out it is dangerous. HH as to water I find WW fluid superior at least in my mind.

[bones92]

Yes, I understand.  I am not advocating pouring it down the barrel. 

I find just spraying some onto cleaning patches does the trick.   I may squirt some down the bore first (i.e., about 1 or 2 seconds of spray).   And this is only done in the garage with plenty of ventilation.   Not much different than using bore solvent (actually, I may try using aerosol bore solvent, as it likely does the same thing).   Common sense applies, in any case.

I understand... warm water works great, too.  I clean that way when I have time.  But sometimes I have very little time to do an initial cleaning after a range trip, and I have found that this works, and it works very well.

Anyway, I'm just throwing it out there.  Not looking to challenge anyone's modus operandi.  Just thought I'd share it.

[bones92]

If water isn't good enough, a couple patches soaked with windsheild washer fluid will do the job quickly. Only takes me about 5 min.to clean my rifle with these, so don't see the need for anything else.

Actually, that is an option I would like to try.    If it works just as well, I will ditch the starter fluid and use WW fluid instead.   

Do you use a water-soaked patch to dissolve and remove any WW fluid residue? 

[Hungry Horse]

If you use the water soaked patch to start with, you can forget the other junk. Really, this is mind numbingly simple.
 Plug the touch hole with a round toothpick.
  Fill the bore with cold water.
  Let sit about 15, or 20, minutes.
  Pour the sludge out.
  Run a couple of good wet patches through the bore.
  Run two or three dry patches through the bore.
   Run an oiled patch or two through the bore.
   And your done.

   Hungry Horse

[deepcreekdale]

Hungry Horse is right. Water is all you need, anything else just gums up the works. I use hot water instead of cold (we have had that discussion before) but I do it exactly the same way. Not much work at all. If I am not going to be shooting that gun for a while, I might run a patch with some RIG grease down the bore also. A dry patch or two before shooting again will take care of that before shooting again. I have barrels that have not been shot for years that are still perfect.

[JCKelly]

That is about what Grandfather told me, Mr. Horse but then both of you were/are from the 19th century.

Isn't it really necessary to add Clorox or some other great Household Product to get that barrel really clean?

[bones92]

HH, I will try that.   

The good thing is that I typically spray a good bit of Lehigh or Ballistol down the bore and pull out a good bit of powder fouling while still at the range, and leave the bore fairly wet with lube on the drive home.   It seems to help soften things up for a thorough cleaning in the garage.

[EC121]

I do almost the same thing.  Since I mostly shoot in my backyard, I run a patch wet with Lehigh down the bore when I'm quitting and leave it while I am putting things in the truck.  Then when I get to the shop the bottom fouling is soaked soft and usually just needs a few patches and a breechplug brush to finish up.  I have never cleaned a barrel down to bare metal white patches.  Just down to gray patches.  A little G96 on things, grease the lock works, and back in the closet.  Never had one rust.  Even after 6mos. or so.

[little joe]

If you use the water soaked patch to start with, you can forget the other junk. Really, this is mind numbingly simple.
 Plug the touch hole with a round toothpick.
  Fill the bore with cold water.
  Let sit about 15, or 20, minutes.
  Pour the sludge out.
  Run a couple of good wet patches through the bore.
  Run two or three dry patches through the bore.
   Run an oiled patch or two through the bore.
   And your done.

   Hungry Horse

Hh That is what I do except I use WW fluid with a water soluble oil, however being open minded will try it with  plain water.

[smylee grouch]

I think it was the Holland and Holland firm , and I'm sure many others that recomended  room temp. water in their high grade and expensive guns back in the day and it hold true even today. As has been said here many times before, water will get rid of every thing in black powder as you clean and flush. Dry and use something like WD 40. Simple fast and it works.

[hanshi]

Back in high school I had a friend who was killed in an explosion in his home.  He was doing something to the hardwood floor - possibly trying to get the finish off - and was using gasoline.  The fumes drifting through the house were ignited by some source, electrical outlet, water heater, etc.  The shock of his death couldn't dispel the understanding, of his friends, of how careless and yes, stupid, his decision to use gasoline had been.

[Hungry Horse]

I will tell ya'll that back in my dim, dark, past I manufacture a black powder solvent. It sold  pretty good too, but as with most things now days, the warning label outgrew the bottle.
 In my search for the ultimate cleaning solvent I eventually talked with my grandfather, who about laughed himself to death. He told me how he, and his brothers, cleaned the family muzzleloaders when he was a boy, back in Missouri. It seemed way to simple to actually work. But, it was simpler times, when nobody wanted to buy anything they didn't have to. Turns out it's the best way to clean a muzzleloader I've found.

  Hungry Horse

[Daryl]

That is about what Grandfather told me, Mr. Horse but then both of you were/are from the 19th century.

Isn't it really necessary to add Clorox or some other great Household Product to get that barrel really clean?

LOL- Please forget Mr.Kelly mentioned Clorox!  He was JOKING!

[Jack Romanchock]

 Greetings, I have been an avid BP shooter/long hunter style since my uncle started me down the path in 1969. I have used most every thing recommended for patch lube and cleaning. The best to date is for patching , water-soluble machine oil mixed 40% oil to 60% water. For cleaning 50% murphy oil soap, 50% peroxide and 5% denatured alcohol. Finish with a good synthetic light oil of your choice. The machine oil mix allows continuous shooting with minimal fouling, also it keeps the residue soft for up to a week. The cleaning solution works very well without having to dismantle the rifle. best regards.

[Marcruger]

I would add a "first" and "last" to the cleaning discussion.  First, use a scraper on a flat breech to scrape loose what's on the breechface BEFORE cleaning.  Tip the barrel muzzle down and let the powder run out.  Why clean it out with liquid cleaner when it will literally fall out with a scraper??  Second, after cleaning and oiling the bore, go back the next day and oil it again before storing.  Many times I find some light rust in the bore that wipes right out.  My experienced target shooting friend says he always does that too.  He postulates that there is moisture in the cleaning products that doesn't get completely displaced by the bore oiling.  It evaporates overnight, but leaves a light rust film.  Hence, hitting it with oil again the next day.  Your mileage may very, and I am no expert.  God Bless,  Marc

[oldtravler61]

  After reading all this it reminded me of my neighbor's idea for cleaning his T.C Renegade rifle.  PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS!! He thought that if he poured a little gasoline (yep that's right) down the barrel. The flash from the cap going off would clean it super fast...!!  It severely burned his face an hand...Personally I'll just stick with water an a little oil .   Oldtravler

[JCKelly]

Daryl - Heh, heh - Are you sure?

Mr. Horse - Your Grandfather & mine both knew how to clean a rifle. My Grandfather never shot a breechloader until he was 18. Then took aim at a hawk he knew he couldn't hit & was surprised at the result. Don't know if that hawk had time to be surprised.

For all of you - "soap" contains salt. Sodium chloride. Table salt.  Salt.

The salt addition helps it flow better through piping when being manufactured.

Kinda like how salt helps garden slugs flow better.

The excess caustic (lye, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide) in the "soap" is neutralized with hydrochloric acid. Otherwise it would be like Grandma's (OK, Great-Great Grandma's, to some . . .) Lye Soap.

No, I never worked for Proctor & Gamble. I did have a good working relationship with their engineers.
I worked for the company that supplied a lot of the high-horsepower (juiced-up is the term these days?) "stainless" that P&G needed so their equipment didn't corrode away.

From the salt.

And from that little bit of hydrochloric acid

Chat with your high school chemistry teacher about this.

I think I know what the reaction to this will be. But it is just in me, to keep on trying anyway.

[hanshi]

I've found what is probably the best solution, so far, for cleaning muzzleloaders that I've ever come across.  Haven't read any warning labels yet so it must be pretty safe for the user.  Cheap, too.  Easy to find; just turn on the kitchen tap and the solution pours right out.  What could be simpler or cheaper?