Got a question for you who are experienced
12-28-2008, 05:17 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Oregon
Posts: 4,405
Got a question for you who are experienced
Ok So Im just getting into Muzzle Loading....Just got a Hawkins, Ive got the rifle its self at a shop getting checked up on and cleaned up and stuff since it has not been shot or really even touched in 25 years. The guy said it will be fine and should have it back in the next couple days. SO...Ive got what I need to shoot but my big "worry" I guess you could say is that I feel that I dont properly know how to clean the gun. Im a little confused on the whole using water to clean it but other than that I swabbing and oiling and stuff but I have no experience in cleaning a Black powder rifle, I have only bowhunted and rifle hunted before. So ive hung around here and tried to pick up what I can and feel like I CAN clean it but I want to KNOW I can so that I do it right, and continue to do it right. So Im kind of looking for any pointers and advice and I also have a link to a "youtube" video from a guy that by the looks of it, knows what hes doing but if you go to about halfway through the video he begins to clean the gun and If you could please watch it and tell me if he does a good job it would be much much appreciated!
heres the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m38s2MXoOY4&feature=channel_page
Thank you Very much!
heres the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m38s2MXoOY4&feature=channel_page
Thank you Very much!
12-28-2008, 05:33 PM
#2
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Boncarbo,Colorado
Posts: 9,186
RE: Got a question for you who are experienced
good video but the cleaning process is not my style. Its a lot easier to pull the wedge pin and put the end of the barrel into a bucket of soapy water. Not to mention that the guy cleaning in the video isnt cleaning the fouling that gets blown between the barrel and lock.
12-28-2008, 05:46 PM
#4
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
RE: Got a question for you who are experienced
Traditional rifles method of proper cleaning[/b]
Insure that the rifle you are about to clean is UNLOADED!! I can not stress the importance of this. I had an incident where a friend claimed he could not get his rifle clean. When I checked it, it was loaded. So if you did not hear that rifle go off and know 100% that the rifle is unloaded, check it. Put the ramrod in the barrel. The ramrod will all but disappear in an unloaded rifle.
Cock the hammer to the half cock position. Now knock the wedge pin(s) out of the stock to release the barrel. And remove the barrel from the rifle. This is a good time to wipe all the fowling off the outside of the barrel with Windex or some other kind of cleaner, and a cloth in the nipple/bolster breech area of the barrel. It is not necessary to remove the nipple from the rifle just yet.
Have your water source ready. I use a plastic coffee can as they do not rust. I fill that ¾ of the way to the top with VERY HOT (to even boiling if necessary and you can wear gloves to do this) water and then give it a squirt of your favorite dish soap, or cleaning product that will be water soluble. Now immerse the breech end of the rifle barrel under that water level so the nipple is covered. Dip a cloth patch of appropriate size into the water to saturate it. And with a tight fitting cleaning jag, work that wet patch down the bore of the rifle in short strokes. Working to the bottom or breech of the barrel. Bring the patch back up and out of the barrel
Let the water run out the nipple of the barrel, and if you can remove the bolster clean out screw do so. You have actually cleaned the fowling now out of the nipple since you left it in for the first of the water patches.
Repeat this step #3 with a second and third patch. NO MATTER HOW CLEAN THEY LOOK. You should also not that with the removal of the nipple and in some cases the bolster clean out screw, an increased of volume water is moving out the openings and you pump those other patches through. This is cleaning out the bolster for you.
Now pull the barrel and make sure all the water has drained out of the barrel as possible. I now like to dip a fussy pipe cleaner in solvent and push that into and past the nipple port threads as deep as I can get it to go into the breech. Then work that back and fourth to insure that there is no fowling in that area of the rifle. If the bolster clean out screw is out, so the same thing with the pipe cleaner in that area. You should be able to force that pipe cleaner all the way into the breech. Simple check the depth you have moved that pipe cleaner into the breech and then hold that against the outside of the barrel. It might surprise you how deep you have moved into that area.
With a strong solvent patch, I now like to swab the bore of the rifle. Pay special attention to the breech area. Turn the tight fitting patch in a clockwise direction once, being careful not to unscrew the jag head. Some rifles have a cone shaped breech design. It may be necessary to put a breech/cone scraper attachment on the ramrod and reach in there and physically scrape that cone clean. Often times this can be done with a 30 caliber cleaning brush on your favorite rifle ramrod. All you want to do is clean that cone. Normally it is clean.
Another strong solvent swab is now worked down the barrel. Pay attention to any signs of fowling on that swab. If there is any, then another patch with solvent is put down. If the patch comes out clean (as normally they do) put some isopropyl alcohol on a patch and swab the bore.
If you have access to a air compressor, I like to blow forced air through the nipple port and bolster clean out screw area.
Now start to dry patch the bore of the rifle. Do not stop until you can check that patch and note there is no moisture on it. Also the patch should show no signs of fowling.
Swab the bore of your rifle now with a patch saturated with your favorite gun oil. You want a good coat on that. Set the barrel off to the side, to cool. As it cools it will draw the oils into the pores of the metal.
Now is when I clean the lock. Check the nose of the hammer for old caps. Remove any stuck cap pieces from the nose of the hammer. Fill that with solvent and let it sit a few seconds. Now with Q-tips wipe its nose. Keep cleaning until the nose of the thing is clean.
Solvent a patch and slide that behind the hammer and clean all the lock area you can get to. Pay special attention to the inside of the bolster where the nipple goes back to. Make sure that is nice and clean.
Wipe out the stock of the rifle.
Wipe down the outside of the rifle with the oil patch you used to swab the bore. Pay special attention to the bottom of the barrel. People often forget this area only to find rust at a later time.
Replace the nipple and bolster clean out screw. Wipe your rifle prints off the barrel and replace it in your stock. Now while gripping only the stock put the rifle away. Your rifle is clean.[/ol]
Insure that the rifle you are about to clean is UNLOADED!! I can not stress the importance of this. I had an incident where a friend claimed he could not get his rifle clean. When I checked it, it was loaded. So if you did not hear that rifle go off and know 100% that the rifle is unloaded, check it. Put the ramrod in the barrel. The ramrod will all but disappear in an unloaded rifle.
Cock the hammer to the half cock position. Now knock the wedge pin(s) out of the stock to release the barrel. And remove the barrel from the rifle. This is a good time to wipe all the fowling off the outside of the barrel with Windex or some other kind of cleaner, and a cloth in the nipple/bolster breech area of the barrel. It is not necessary to remove the nipple from the rifle just yet.
Have your water source ready. I use a plastic coffee can as they do not rust. I fill that ¾ of the way to the top with VERY HOT (to even boiling if necessary and you can wear gloves to do this) water and then give it a squirt of your favorite dish soap, or cleaning product that will be water soluble. Now immerse the breech end of the rifle barrel under that water level so the nipple is covered. Dip a cloth patch of appropriate size into the water to saturate it. And with a tight fitting cleaning jag, work that wet patch down the bore of the rifle in short strokes. Working to the bottom or breech of the barrel. Bring the patch back up and out of the barrel
Let the water run out the nipple of the barrel, and if you can remove the bolster clean out screw do so. You have actually cleaned the fowling now out of the nipple since you left it in for the first of the water patches.
Repeat this step #3 with a second and third patch. NO MATTER HOW CLEAN THEY LOOK. You should also not that with the removal of the nipple and in some cases the bolster clean out screw, an increased of volume water is moving out the openings and you pump those other patches through. This is cleaning out the bolster for you.
Now pull the barrel and make sure all the water has drained out of the barrel as possible. I now like to dip a fussy pipe cleaner in solvent and push that into and past the nipple port threads as deep as I can get it to go into the breech. Then work that back and fourth to insure that there is no fowling in that area of the rifle. If the bolster clean out screw is out, so the same thing with the pipe cleaner in that area. You should be able to force that pipe cleaner all the way into the breech. Simple check the depth you have moved that pipe cleaner into the breech and then hold that against the outside of the barrel. It might surprise you how deep you have moved into that area.
With a strong solvent patch, I now like to swab the bore of the rifle. Pay special attention to the breech area. Turn the tight fitting patch in a clockwise direction once, being careful not to unscrew the jag head. Some rifles have a cone shaped breech design. It may be necessary to put a breech/cone scraper attachment on the ramrod and reach in there and physically scrape that cone clean. Often times this can be done with a 30 caliber cleaning brush on your favorite rifle ramrod. All you want to do is clean that cone. Normally it is clean.
Another strong solvent swab is now worked down the barrel. Pay attention to any signs of fowling on that swab. If there is any, then another patch with solvent is put down. If the patch comes out clean (as normally they do) put some isopropyl alcohol on a patch and swab the bore.
If you have access to a air compressor, I like to blow forced air through the nipple port and bolster clean out screw area.
Now start to dry patch the bore of the rifle. Do not stop until you can check that patch and note there is no moisture on it. Also the patch should show no signs of fowling.
Swab the bore of your rifle now with a patch saturated with your favorite gun oil. You want a good coat on that. Set the barrel off to the side, to cool. As it cools it will draw the oils into the pores of the metal.
Now is when I clean the lock. Check the nose of the hammer for old caps. Remove any stuck cap pieces from the nose of the hammer. Fill that with solvent and let it sit a few seconds. Now with Q-tips wipe its nose. Keep cleaning until the nose of the thing is clean.
Solvent a patch and slide that behind the hammer and clean all the lock area you can get to. Pay special attention to the inside of the bolster where the nipple goes back to. Make sure that is nice and clean.
Wipe out the stock of the rifle.
Wipe down the outside of the rifle with the oil patch you used to swab the bore. Pay special attention to the bottom of the barrel. People often forget this area only to find rust at a later time.
Replace the nipple and bolster clean out screw. Wipe your rifle prints off the barrel and replace it in your stock. Now while gripping only the stock put the rifle away. Your rifle is clean.[/ol]
12-28-2008, 07:29 PM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location:
Posts: 3,246
RE: Got a question for you who are experienced
ORIGINAL: Bullet Hole Bailey
Ok So Im just getting into Muzzle Loading....Just got a Hawkins, Ive got the rifle its self at a shop getting checked up on and cleaned up and stuff since it has not been shot or really even touched in 25 years. The guy said it will be fine and should have it back in the next couple days. SO...Ive got what I need to shoot but my big "worry" I guess you could say is that I feel that I dont properly know how to clean the gun. Im a little confused on the whole using water to clean it but other than that I swabbing and oiling and stuff but I have no experience in cleaning a Black powder rifle, I have only bowhunted and rifle hunted before. So ive hung around here and tried to pick up what I can and feel like I CAN clean it but I want to KNOW I can so that I do it right, and continue to do it right. So Im kind of looking for any pointers and advice and I also have a link to a "youtube" video from a guy that by the looks of it, knows what hes doing but if you go to about halfway through the video he begins to clean the gun and If you could please watch it and tell me if he does a good job it would be much much appreciated!
heres the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m38s2MXoOY4&feature=channel_page
Thank you Very much!
Ok So Im just getting into Muzzle Loading....Just got a Hawkins, Ive got the rifle its self at a shop getting checked up on and cleaned up and stuff since it has not been shot or really even touched in 25 years. The guy said it will be fine and should have it back in the next couple days. SO...Ive got what I need to shoot but my big "worry" I guess you could say is that I feel that I dont properly know how to clean the gun. Im a little confused on the whole using water to clean it but other than that I swabbing and oiling and stuff but I have no experience in cleaning a Black powder rifle, I have only bowhunted and rifle hunted before. So ive hung around here and tried to pick up what I can and feel like I CAN clean it but I want to KNOW I can so that I do it right, and continue to do it right. So Im kind of looking for any pointers and advice and I also have a link to a "youtube" video from a guy that by the looks of it, knows what hes doing but if you go to about halfway through the video he begins to clean the gun and If you could please watch it and tell me if he does a good job it would be much much appreciated!
heres the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m38s2MXoOY4&feature=channel_page
Thank you Very much!
http://www.tcarms.com/assets/manuals/current/Shooting_TC_Side_Lock_Black_Powder_Guns.pdf
on page 59 has how to clean them. Chap
12-28-2008, 08:33 PM
#8
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
RE: Got a question for you who are experienced
WhereI disagree with the Thompson Center philosophy of gun care is they promote the use of bore butter and all natural cleaners. Now I have no problem with all natural cleaners. After all, what's soap and water. But that bore butter is something that I used to depend on, and all it did was cause me grief. Give me a high quality gun oil like Birchwood Casey Sheath any day for barrel protection.
12-29-2008, 05:40 AM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location:
Posts: 1,408
RE: Got a question for you who are experienced
ORIGINAL: cayugad
Where I disagree with the Thompson Center philosophy of gun care is they promote the use of bore butter and all natural cleaners. Now I have no problem with all natural cleaners. After all, what's soap and water. But that bore butter is something that I used to depend on, and all it did was cause me grief. Give me a high quality gun oil like Birchwood Casey Sheath any day for barrel protection.
Where I disagree with the Thompson Center philosophy of gun care is they promote the use of bore butter and all natural cleaners. Now I have no problem with all natural cleaners. After all, what's soap and water. But that bore butter is something that I used to depend on, and all it did was cause me grief. Give me a high quality gun oil like Birchwood Casey Sheath any day for barrel protection.
12-29-2008, 09:26 AM
#10
Typical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Mesa, Arizona
Posts: 986
RE: Got a question for you who are experienced
One little comment. The small screw that Dave mentions is usually difficult or impossible to remove; especially if the previous owner did not remove it often. I have a .54 Hawken that the screw will not come out although the rifle is imaculate for clean. I talked with T/C about sending it in to have the screw replaced and they said they do not recommend removing the screw and on newer rifles they do not even make it removable. It is actually the machining access hole that they just thread and plug. I think on some newer rifles they plug it with a solid plug that does not have access for removal. If you can get it out (it usually has a slot for screwdriver) it should be replaced with a screw that has better tool access like a hex head set screw, just check to make sure the one you are using is either high quality or stainless and the correct thread.