Clean up

[Will Pluggum]

Never shot black powder.  Is is a chore to clean up your guns after a shoot? 

[Cuts Crooked]

I don't think it's much of a chore. Fact is, I think that Crazy Woman up on the northern plains just takes off the grips on her pistols 'n chucks em in the dishwasher!

I take my grips off and take the cylinders out, then spay the gun with window washing fluid, wipe down the outside, and then clean the bore with Ballistol/Water mix, followed by dry patches and then saturate it WD-40 to drive out any moisture. I then clean the cylinders with the Ballistol/water mix, dry em' spray em with WD, 'n put em back int heguns and put the grips back on.

My lever guns I clean sorta like frontstuffer, put an empty cartridge case in the chamber, 'n wipe the bore with wet patches till clean, wipe down the outside of the gun, sometimes some detail work in the action area, oil & put away. (don't try this trick iffin yer shootin a bottle necked ca'tridge though, you'll end up with a trapped cleaning jag!   )

Scatter gun, barrels go into a bucket of soapy water, and patches run up and down in them until they's clean, then dry patches, then oil, then put back t'gether and put away.

A couple of times a year I detail strip alla my gunz and git in to alla the nooks 'n crannys. I don' have no problems wif corrosion yet! 

That all sounds more complicated than it really is. In truth it's no more complicated or time consuming than cleaning smokeless. The perception that it's a hassle, in my opinion, stems from the fact that you must clean em after every shoot which a lot, if not most, smokeless shooters don't bother with.

I hope some other pards will jump in here give examples of their cleaning regiemens!

[Paper Chaser]

Not a real problem at all.  I use a mixture of Windex All-Purpose clear (contains vinegar); some hot soapy water with Murphy's Oil Soap; a hair dryer to DRY 'em; run some patches though the barrel and cylinder; then good gun oil.  Works good for me and no rust here in high humidity Mississippi.

[Qball]

I'll use hot water and a'brassbrush for the barrel, then i blowdry them and spray some WD-40. Never had any problem.

[Big Bear Johnson]

What do you all use to clean up your brass?

I used to use a vinegar and something else solution, can't remember the "something else" though.

any ideas?

[Shiloh Sharpie]

What do you all use to clean up your brass?

I used to use a vinegar and something else solution, can't remember the "something else" though.

any ideas?

A bit late but...........A soak of Mr. Clean and water, 1:20 or so.  Rinse well with cold water.  At this point the brass is not too stained and could be polished easily, but I soak it in a solution of 50/50 vinegar and water for 10 minutesto make sure all is neutralized.  Rinse again and throw into vibrator or tumbler and clean/polish to desired point.

[Will Ketchum]

My lever guns I clean sorta like frontstuffer, put an empty cartridge case in the chamber, 'n wipe the bore with wet patches till clean, wipe down the outside of the gun, sometimes some detail work in the action area, oil & put away. (don't try this trick iffin yer shootin a bottle necked ca'tridge though, you'll end up with a trapped cleaning jag!   )

Cuts, what if you took a dedicated case and put a cork or dowel in it so the jag wouldn't go in?   I have found some rubber stoppers I am going to try. 

Will Ketchum

[Cuts Crooked]

Howdy Will,

No reason that wouldn't werk! The idea is to keep the crud from entering the action and a fireformed & "plugged" cartridge should do the same thing as my method!

[Dick Dastardly]

Now, for the simple, easy and fast way.

Spritz of Moosemilk (Ballistol & water 1:7) from my spritz bottle, and a pull of the Boresnake.  Yer done.

Wipe down gun with Ballistol damp rag and put it away.

I've done it for years and not a spot of rust and never a bobble at the firein' line.  Emule me for complete details.

Keep the steel ringn'.

DD-DLoS