Cleaning a flintlock rifle.

[fdf]

I see advantages to removing a vent liner for cleaning and see some not to remove the liner.

The more you remove it, the more you have a chance of ruining the threads in the barrel or cross threading it when putting it back.  If you do not remove the liner, how do you know if it's not frozen in the rifle?

What grease/choke tube grease do you use on the liner to "ensure" that it will come out when needed?  Knowing your mileage may vary, how many shots is the life expectacy of a liner before replacement is needed? 

To me, the number of shots, might be the factor of when to remove.

fdf
 

[LynnC]

Quote - " Toothpicks are always (well...almost always) the same size and swell to seal any weeping leaks. "


I gotta change brands of toothpicks.  EVERY toothpick I ever used leaked or weeped.  Maybe I should try plastic picks.............................Lynn

[hanshi]

Quote - " Toothpicks are always (well...almost always) the same size and swell to seal any weeping leaks. "


I gotta change brands of toothpicks.  EVERY toothpick I ever used leaked or weeped.  Maybe I should try plastic picks.............................Lynn

Hmmm...I've had leaks develop even with toothpicks but not so bad as to make me weep!

[Daryl]

I use the 'round-picks'. They fit the vent well, turned as inserted and seal perfectly in a White Lightening liner.  I suspect in a slotted liner (don't undeerstand why anyone would use one of those) might weep and not seal as the sharp edges of the slot might grab the wood and not let it insert far enough.

[Roger Fisher]

I use the 'round-picks'. They fit the vent well, turned as inserted and seal perfectly in a White Lightening liner.  I suspect in a slotted liner (don't undeerstand why anyone would use one of those) might weep and not seal as the sharp edges of the slot might grab the wood and not let it insert far enough.

I would say that a slotted liner is fine if you are going to a combo cussion and flinter.  Wrap that plumber's teflon tape round the thingee and you can then easily back her out to go back to the cussion/cussin mode.   

BTW the combo idea really did not fly too well for me.  PITA

[Daryl]

The combo would have been easier, if one made a steel cap blaster that fit the flinter's jaws.  Then, one would only have to change the vent to a drum.

[Burgess_rudy]

I normally take the lock and the barrel off and take the lock frizzen off and clean everything. First with hot soapy water than with Ballistol then with WD -40. Then CLP Break-free for final lube.

Two months ago I decided to give the tooth pick method a try for the first time with my Brown Bess while out at the range which is about 1.5 hours from home. When I got home I went to "final" clean the Brown Bess and I could not remove the ramrod out of the ramrod channel. After much pulling and straining my back muscles the ram rod came out all nice and rusted. Apparently some water must have flowed down the Pedersoli ram-rod channel which must not have been completely sealed and it caused the wood to swell up.

It only took 1.5 hours for the ram rod to get a thick coat of rust. I sanded the ram rod back to bright and let Tru-Oil sealant run down the ramrod channel a few days later to seal off the wood. The ram rod goes in and out of the channel fine now. Next time I will either use my old method or remember not to stick the ramrod back in the channel until I know it is dry.

[Daryl]

A little more care when pouring the water into the bore will prevent another episode of stuck and rusted rods.  I use this method only when back at camp.  It is not my normal cleaning regime. My normal regime is to remove the barrel for dunking in a can of cold water, then flushing/pumping water into and out of the vent and up to the muzzle- using force to blast the fouling out of the breech - or by using the clamp and hose I bought from Track to do the same thing with the barrel still on the rifle.  If too lazy to clean 'properly', I use the toothpick method. The gun is not moved while the 'soaking' period is done and no water is allowed outside the bore- ie: into the stock or rod hole.  It's a quick, easy method of cleaning while fixing supper or having a cold one "in camp" after shooting.  Soaked twice, then wiped with 3 or 4 patches, then sprayed with WD40 until THAT runs out the went, then wiped with a dry, clean patch.  I wad a piece of paper towel into the lock mortise to prevent any water or WD 40 from soaking the wood there. The lock is cleaned with a brush in water then wiped, then flushed/sprayed with a pressurized can of WD40. I do not 'hold back' on the use of WD40 - it may seem a waste, but I figure a good blast helps flush off residual moisture.  At home, I use WD40 in a hand spray bottle, filled from a gallon can of it. Again, lots is used over the garbage can. When the patch us run down the barrel the first couple times, there is a blast of WD40 spray out the vent or nipple seat. This tells me 'everything' is lubed and cleaned.  The patches come out white after this treatment - tells me the bore is clean.  The solvents in WD40 would raise most 'greases' not cleaned by the cold water - 'course, I don't use those anyway. ie: bore butter or whatever.
I'm pretty much stuck on Windshield washer fluid (-35 / -40-type) with a squirt of soap for a patch lube for targets and trails.  Works for me at this time. Doesn't matter what the humidity is - never has with liquid lubes like Hoppe's 9Plus or LHV - or current stuff.  I can't tell the difference in loading, no matter what the humidity is , from 25% to 100%, 5th shot or 100th.

[Pete G.]

A feather won't "weep".

[George F.]

Removing the barrel for cleaning is to me the best method of thoughly cleaning the barrel. However most of us have our barrels secured with pins. Frequent pin removale polishes both the pin, and pin holes, making eventually, loose pins(in my opinion any way). Keys make it easier to remove the barrel. I would add that keepers installed in the stock to prevent the keys from either falling out, or getting lost is a big plus. I built my sons rifle with keys, but no keepers. He lost one while we were at a shoot in Kentucky in the grass, about 4-6" but stepped on and matted down from a bunch of shooters walking on it. We dropped back from the 25yd line to the 50yd line, so we couldn't look for it any more until the match was over. He walked over looked down, and bam!, he found it, pure luck. I've tried, and still use the tooth pick option. I no longer use solvents cleaning the barrels anymore due to damage to the stock's finish. I now use dawn dish washing detergent, water, baking soda. No alcohol, no peroxide, no Murphys Oil Soap.  I do realize the detergent if used in large amounts can also present a problem, so I don't add that much. I started using baking soda, after looking at the damage on certain parts after a few hours at the range, figured it could hurt. I'll keep an eye on how's it working out.  ...Geo.     P.S.----  I still can't believe he found that @!*% key!