This is how I clean my Flintlock:
Many people would be upset by this procedure, but I have rifles that are 20 and 30 years old that look like they could have been made last week. I am lucky enough to have outside running hot water. I’ll show you this way first and then a way if you do not have outside running water.
With Hot Running Water:
First I hang the gun by the trigger guard on a peg near the hot water faucet. Then, I put dish detergent on a tooth brush.
Brush around the lock area and breech with the wet soapy toothbrush and then squirt lock area with hot water to rinse.
Next squirt hot water up the barrel until it comes out of the touch hole. Then let drain. Do this several times until the water looks clean.
Now pull off a piece of linen tow. You will soon learn how much you need for a fairly tight fit in the barrel.
Don’t wear your best clothes when you are doing this!!!
Now fold the ends of the tow in and put the worm on the middle and twist to put tow on worm.
Put some detergent on the linen tow ball.
Wet the tow ball and pump it up and down inside the barrel.
Rinse tow ball and leave it on the ramrod. Put more soap on it and pump it again.
This time it should be coming out pretty clean. Rinse tow ball and ram it a few more times without soap. Rinse tow ball and squirt hot water up the barrel until it comes out clear. Let barrel drip dry for a few minutes.
Now run a few dry tow balls in the barrel to be sure it is completely dry.
Wet a clean tow ball with your favorite gun cleaner- lubricant- protector and lubricate inside of barrel. If you get any blackness on the tow, keep doing it with fresh tow and lube until it comes out clean. Run your last oily tow ball over all metal parts of the gun to protect from rust. Some cleaners that I have used and like are Ballistol and G 96 Gun Treatment. But there are many others. Please note that WD 40 is a water displacer not a lubricant and it tends to leave a film on the metal. I don’t use it.
Without Hot Running Water Outside:
If you do not have the luxury of outside running hot water, you can plug the touch hole with a feather or a toothpick. Close the pan on the feather to keep it in place.
Pour hot water down the barrel about half full. Place your thumb over the muzzle and shake and pour it out. Do this until it comes out clean. Then use the soapy tow balls as described previously. Now rinse well and dry and oil as previously explained.
There is a gadget made like a C-clamp with a hose on it that you can put over the touch hole and put the end in a bucket of water and pump it up and down after you remove the lock. I have heard this gadget works OK, but I have never used one.
Every several times you do this you should remove the lock, clean behind it, and re-oil it.
Another good cleaning product, especially for range cleaning every 4 or 5 shots, is Simple Green Cleaner (available in Grocery stores). It comes in green and pink. I have used the green and like it, but I have never used the pink. I mix this about 50% with water and use it on the tow ball between shots and then dry with another tow ball. Then wet the dry one and use it the next time.
All linen tow can be cleaned in hot soapy water, dried out, combed, and used again.
THE END!
