I read somewhere that white vinegar and windex made a superior cleaning fluid for barrel cleaning and a gave a short process for using it, but they did not mention the formula for making it (ratio?). As I am fairly new at black powder shooting (both rifle and pistols) I was wondering what some of you veterans thought and if you had a formula that was equal or better? Water works for sure but as I said I'm a ( 75 yr old) greenhorn!
Water is about all I ever use. If I'm at a rondy and won't be home for a couple days I swab my barrels with T/C Number 13 black powder solvent. But I only clean with water.
'shok' Hey hipirn . I only use either plain water or a solution of 1part Ballistol and 9 parts water to clean all my guns. I would stay away from the vinegar as i think it would attack the bluing if ya got it too strong.
I know what your talking about though it is Windex with vinegar and NO ammonia . Mike Venturino swears by itI have tried it and it works about as good as anything else. But it has only a small amount of vinegar in it.
I have tried bout every new cleaning method there is and keep going back to plain water or mabe a little Ivory or Castille soap in the water.
whatever ya do stay away from the windex with ammonia in it does not play well with bp
I don't know if my fathers barrel cleaning method is the best but i still clean them the way he taught me when I was a kid.
Squirt dish soap in the toilet , then put the breech end in the bowl an scrub it with copper brush on a rod.
The pumping action draws the soapy water up the barrel.
When your satisfied its clean , go over to the tub and rinse it with hot water.
Then let it stand in the corner a couple of minutes before running a few dry patches down and an oiled one last
That works as good as any of the new fangled formulas, so you get permission to clean them in the house? I get a bucket and have to clean my guns (and hers) on the back porch, or Bulldog lady (my wife) gets a mite upset, then I have to duck cast iron frying pans for a few minutes. Amazing what these ladies can learn at Rendezous. pnic
Actually now that we moved I use the large utility sink in the laundry room instead of the toilet.
But still rinse them in the bathtub.
I have found that porcelain bowls ie water closets and basins do not do well with hard metal objects as in rifle barrels,plastic buckets and soapy water work the best.Its likely just me but I have never understood paying for something to clean gun barrels when water is almost free and along with the small amount of soap the cost is insignificant.I realize there are some who don't want water anywhere near their gun barrels and use chemicals of some kind,Bill Large was one,I like water and dish detergent.
ROFL ROFL Whooo Hoooooo i can her it now..... Moooooom Whisky broke the pooper wif his riflegun........... ;D
pnic pnic pnic cuch
They may run and tell mom but you know who would have to fix it, yours truly.
;D
I use "409" cleaner on my muzzleoaders and for end of the day cleaning I use "409" and hot water. It works great also for my Sharps breachloaders.
Quote from: singletree45 on August 01, 2014, 08:25:40 PM
I use "409" cleaner on my muzzleoaders and for end of the day cleaning I use "409" and hot water. It works great also for my Sharps breachloaders.
I've been using this method for about 3 years and it works well.
I don't use an acid (vinegar) in or on any gun.
Alcohol and a little dish soap in a bucket and the pumping action already described. Alcohol dries quick. I just use it over and over. Also I don't remove the nipple since there's no water to get in there and rust the threads.
I use water, room temperature, no soap unless it is a crudded up smoothbore. I always remove the nipple after a few pumping strokes because water WILL get in there (no production threads are water-tight) and because I like to clean the area below the nipple. My guns are mostly patent breaches and have nooks and crannies that are hard to reach with the nipple in the way. You will see many used rifles with corrosion in the area around the nipple for this reason. Finish with generous WD40 on patch and Q-tip around nipple seat. Couple of dry patches. One patch lightly oiled if going to storage. Clean with alcohol swab, then dry patch, pop a couple caps before next use.
I use windshield washer fluid in a spray bottle. Followed by W-D40(w-d stands for water displacement),,wiped dry,then I use auto trans fluid as my final oiling.