Cleaning up after shooting with Black Powder and the subs.

[Texas Jack Black]

  What is your best method.

 

I thank you

 

 JB

[Turkey Flats Jack]

The "best" is a matter of opinion. I personally have a deep sink and a hose on the hot water nozzle. For pistols and shotgun I run hot water through the barrel, put a couple drops of dawn on the bore brush and scrub the barrel. Then rinse with hot water. Run a couple patches through to dry it. Then a mop with bore butter to treat the bore. The rifle is basically the same but I put a spent case in the chamber and use a funnel to fill the bore with hot water. I do that a couple times before scrubbing it with dawn and a bore brush. Then rinse it a few times till there's no more bubbles. I keep a can of wd 40 handy in case I accidentally splash water into the action. If that happens I spray the insides with the wd.  Now that's for my 44/40s. When I shot 45s I'd have to pull the side panels and scrub all the blowby out also. I'd pull the furniture off to do that in the deep sink. 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Windex multi-surface with vinegar is the best BP solvent made.

[Texas Jack Black]

Will the vinegar damage Case hardening colors ?

[T-Square]

I've tried a variety of methods, and I have decided to use a Gun Valet. 

Like a caddie in Golf, I'm going to get a Gun Valet, so I don't have to spend all that time in the garage cleaning.

Now I can spend more time taking my wife to run errands and spend money.

[PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L]

1 hour ago, john brown said:

Will the vinegar damage Case hardening colors ?

 

Yes, it can...and it will also remove bluing if left on the surface too long.
(Lesson learned, but I still use it for bore & cylinder cleaning, followed by Ballistol wipedown)

 

 

[Cholla]

2 hours ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Windex multi-surface with vinegar is the best BP solvent made.

Do you use this on your Sharps?

[Cholla]

48 minutes ago, PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L said:

 

Yes, it can...and it will also remove bluing if left on the surface too long.
(Lesson learned, but I still use it for bore & cylinder cleaning, followed by Ballistol wipedown)

Please define "too long".

How does it impact a browned barrel?

[Rafe Conager SASS #56958]

Windex in shotgun barrels to get the plastic snake out, rest of guns get pam, peroxide alcohol & Murphys oil soap mixture 

Rafe 

[Cholla]

A guy I know uses cold water, not hot. He feels that hot water causes flash rust as the water quickly evaporates. I have not tired cold water yet, but I will.

[PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L]

14 minutes ago, Cholla said:

Please define "too long".

How does it impact a browned barrel?

 

I've never timed it, but I usually let blued firearms sit to soak for 10-15 minutes max ... don't recall how long that Colt sat before being wiped down.
No "browned barrel" experience. 

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

PAM - equal parts hydrogen Peroxide, rubbing Alcohol and Murphy's oil soap.  The alcohol ensures quick drying, the oil soap leaves a natural oil layer on the metal.  Never have had a rust problem.   The BP fouling dissolves in water, which the hydrogen peroxide and the rubbing alcohol both contribute.   Never affects bluing.   Safe on wood - in fact, it cleans and shines the wood.  Smells good.  All natural, and one could even drink it with no harm other than loosening up your intestines.  No, don't drink rubbing alcohol, in case you didn't know it. And cheap, too.  I usually cut down the oil soap amount to make a cheaper mix.   Store in a hydrogen peroxide bottle with a new label.

 

Cleans kitchen grease as well as 409, too.

 

good luck, GJ

[Sedalia Dave]

There is no 1 best method. Ask 100 people and you will get 150 answers.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

11 hours ago, john brown said:

Will the vinegar damage Case hardening colors ?

Never had an issue

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

9 hours ago, Cholla said:

Do you use this on your Sharps?

Soak the patch to run through the bore.

Wipe the grease 'cookie' from the muzzle and wipe the breech face off.

Finish with oily rag on everydangthing.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

11 hours ago, john brown said:

Will the vinegar damage Case hardening colors ?

Pure, YES....

[Cusz M. Dutch SASS Life 55326]

vinegar is a weak acid.  

[Bailey Creek,5759]

I know someone that put their stainless Revolvers in the dishwasher. 

After they take the grips off.

[Black Angus McPherson]

On 5/29/2022 at 10:22 PM, Cholla said:

Please define "too long".

How does it impact a browned barrel?

 

I got a couple drops of Windex on my shotgun barrels once.  It was there for about 30 seconds before I wiped it off.  I now have two or three gray spots on the barrels where the Windex hit.

 

I have no experience with Windex on browned barrels.

 

Angus

[Eyesa Horg]

Apparently I've been lucky. I've wiped my Stoeger down with Windex while cleaning BP  and not had an issue. I do follow up with a wipe of Record afterwards however. Stoeger blue appears to be pretty thin as since new there were some spots with little blueing.

[Rafe Conager SASS #56958]

I stay away from windex with vinegar and stick with regular windex/window cleaner for inside barrels of shotgun,  I have heard vinegar can remove bluing.

Rafe 

[Kid Rich]

On 5/29/2022 at 9:26 PM, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

PAM - equal parts hydrogen Peroxide, rubbing Alcohol and Murphy's oil soap.  The alcohol ensures quick drying, the oil soap leaves a natural oil layer on the metal.  Never have had a rust problem.   The BP fouling dissolves in water, which the hydrogen peroxide and the rubbing alcohol both contribute.   Never affects bluing.   Safe on wood - in fact, it cleans and shines the wood.  Smells good.  All natural, and one could even drink it with no harm other than loosening up your intestines.  And cheap, too.  I usually cut down the oil soap amount to make a cheaper mix.   Store in a hydrogen peroxide bottle with a new label.

 

Cleans kitchen grease as well as 409, too.

 

good luck, GJ

I would never advise drinking rubbing alcohol or any kind of soap.

 The best method is usually the most simple one that will get it clean without damaging the firearm or the person cleaning it.

kR

[Slapshot]

I use plain old water to clean up after shooting APP loaded cartridges. Afterwards I dry everything up and use a oily rag to wipe everything down and then run a patch threw the barrel.

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

1 hour ago, Rafe Conager SASS #56958 said:

I stay away from windex with vinegar and stick with regular windex/window cleaner for inside barrels of shotgun,  I have heard vinegar can remove bluing.

Rafe 

A lot of those have ammonia in them.  Probably not too good for bluing either?

[Slapshot]

On 5/29/2022 at 9:32 PM, PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L said:

 

Yes, it can...and it will also remove bluing if left on the surface too long.
(Lesson learned, but I still use it for bore & cylinder cleaning, followed by Ballistol wipedown)

 

 

Those give you the appearance of authentic used cowboy guns.

[Warden Callaway]

Handguns get brushed out in kitchen sink. Just water. Rifles and shotgun outside by pouring water through the bores.  Let dry. Go over with swab and brush. Give a coat of Bore Butter. 

 

[Bart Slade]

On 5/29/2022 at 7:32 PM, PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L said:

 

Yes, it can...and it will also remove bluing if left on the surface too long.
(Lesson learned, but I still use it for bore & cylinder cleaning, followed by Ballistol wipedown)

 

 

 

I really appreciate you posting this - I soaked one of my 1872 open tops in Windex once for 20 or so minutes thinking I was being smart, and was just sickened when I pulled it out and wiped it off.

 

Nice to see I'm not the only guy who made this mistake.

[DeaconKC]

Ammonia generally won't affect bluing, but it is bad for nickel plated guns. It will attack the copper base that the nickel is applied over, causing bubbling.

[Wallaby Damned]

Since it hasn’t been mentioned; I use hot soapy water, followed by Ballistol 1:10 in water (moose milk I believe it’s called), followed by Ballistol straight or Remington gun oil, whichever I land a hand on first. Has worked for years and no mars on any finish whatsoever. 

[The Blarney Kid]

I run hot water and dish soap in a bucket, toss my cartridge cylinders and CB cylinders and CB and Open Top barrels in the bucket to soak. Then I run hot water thru my shotgun barrels and scrub them with a brush to get the snot out, run a wad of paper towel through the barrels, lightly oil everything and clean 5he breech face. Then I scrub the barrels and frames of my cartridge pistols and frames of my CB pistols, dry them and wipe down with an oily cloth. Then I scrub the barrels and cylinders that have been soaking and dry and oil them. Reassemble.

[watab kid]

2 hours ago, Bart Slade said:

 

I really appreciate you posting this - I soaked one of my 1872 open tops in Windex once for 20 or so minutes thinking I was being smart, and was just sickened when I pulled it out and wiped it off.

 

Nice to see I'm not the only guy who made this mistake.

while ive not had this issue - i agree they look like well used cowboy guns , i have a friend that spent a lot of time getting that look , i have a 2colt 22 that has it and i love that little gun , 

[Major Art Tillery]

I use to use this Hornady One Shot Muzzle loader cleaner... It worked great.  Then of course it got discontinued.   

 

Heard that Simple Green All purpose cleaner works great too.

 

 

[Lawdog Dago Dom]

I've used a variety of methods, but recently found a drop or two of Blue Dawn in shotgun barrels with hot water gets that plastic residue out really fast. Also good on a brush for rifle and pistol, followed by a blast of Bally.

I figured if the use Blue Dawn to clean oil off baby ducks from an oil spill, should be pretty safe on wood, gun finishes, etc.

So far, so good.

[Griff]

On 5/29/2022 at 10:25 PM, Cholla said:

A guy I know uses cold water, not hot. He feels that hot water causes flash rust as the water quickly evaporates. I have not tired cold water yet, but I will.

If your water ain't scalding hot... just be ready to wipe and dry immediately...   It does require a quick application of a preservative that will protect the metal from said flash rust... Or he's confusing the effects of Pyrodex to hot water.   Ever since I quit using Pyrodex (abt. 1987), I haven't had an issue of rust after cleaning with plain old HOT water.   If you can stand it running over your hands, it ain't hot enough...

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

On 5/31/2022 at 3:52 PM, Rafe Conager SASS #56958 said:

I stay away from windex with vinegar and stick with regular windex/window cleaner for inside barrels of shotgun,  I have heard vinegar can remove bluing.

Rafe 

Make sure there's no ammonia