Quick cleaning question

[joec]

I have a problem with using water based cleaning on my black powder guns though I've been doing it.. I was wondering if any had tried this mix in place of the moose milk or soap and water methods.

Equal parts of Murphy's Oil Soap, Hydrogen Peroxide and Rubbing alcohol followed by either straight ballistol or bore butter. Now I know rubbing alcohol is a great degreaser and have used it for years on brand new guns to clean the factory packing grease. However was wondering how this would work with pyrodex or black powder. It was also suggested for very corrosive ammo and to add a bit of vinegar if jacketed bullets though not a problem for these guns.

[Dick Dastardly]

Whut powder you burnin' joec ?

Moosemilk does my work with Holy Black.  Never shot no kiss your sister subs tho. . .

DD-MDA

[joec]

Whut powder you burnin' joec ?

Moosemilk does my work with Holy Black.  Never shot no kiss your sister subs tho. . .

DD-MDA

I still have about 800 rounds of pyrodex I want to shoot up before I go to loading with the real thing. I will be picking up the following tomorrow at the JCR NCOWS meet. First # is pound/pounds.

1   Kik 2f
1   Goex 2f
2   Schuetzen 2f
2   Swiss 2f

[Advertising]

[G.W. Strong]

I have used that 3 part mixture on one of my Martini-Henrys which has a failry rough bore. It is good because it get into the pits. However I prefer cleaning with regular old moose milk. I find it simple to use and very safe on all surfaces. The same cannot be said for the 3 part mixture. It will strip the finish off any wood it touches. (Don't ask me how I know!)

[joec]

I have used that 3 part mixture on one of my Martini-Henrys which has a failry rough bore. It is good because it get into the pits. However I prefer cleaning with regular old moose milk. I find it simple to use and very safe on all surfaces. The same cannot be said for the 3 part mixture. It will strip the finish off any wood it touches. (Don't ask me how I know!)

Now based on the 3 ingredients I would have never thought of that at all. I've used the Murphy's soap to clean wood floors, Peroxide to clean a number of things from cuts to stains on clothing and alcohol which by far is the single best natural solvents, I've ever found.

[G.W. Strong]

I believe the Hydrogen Peroxide is the culprit but it may have to do with the combo. I am not a chemist nor do I play one on TV. Mine is purely the voice of experience.

[August]

I have eliminated hydrogen peroxide from my cleaner.  Potentially corrosive.

Ballistol has three different kinds of alcohol in it.  So, I wouldn't hesitate to use alcohol.

I'd add mineral oil to the mix if were mine.  Murphy's does provide some protection, however.

[joec]

I have eliminated hydrogen peroxide from my cleaner.  Potentially corrosive.

Ballistol has three different kinds of alcohol in it.  So, I wouldn't hesitate to use alcohol.

I'd add mineral oil to the mix if were mine.  Murphy's does provide some protection, however.

Thanks for the input guys and I was going to use this for cleaning the barrel and cylinders. At that point I would patch, dry then apply ballistol as the lube. I will still use Tetra grease on moving parts. I will use up the current small amount I've made up then eliminate the peroxide with the next batch. I just trying to get away from using water but might simply go back to the simple green I used prior to finally getting some Ballistol. I have at least 10 gun related stores within a couple of miles of me not counting WalMart, Dicks etc and no body has Ballistol in stock many of which sell it normally but have gotten any in months. I actually had to buy what I have now from the net.

[Buffler Razz]

I  use the 3 part mix and Ballistol afterwards without issue. Been using it on my CAS toys as well as a 58 cal flintlock and an old TC Hawken. The wood on my guns is finished with Tung oil and I have not seen any degredation to it. I'm shooting BP and not any of the subs. I've been real happy with the cleaning results.

The peroxide is the low strength stuff available in the drug store or grocery store. The strong stuff ( 20 to 35%) is touchy to handle, but works great for bleaching skulls for wall mounts.

[August]

May I recommend Mobil 1 Wheel Bearing Grease to you?   It is fully synthetic. 

I've had problems with Tetra Grease.  I believe it is petroleum based.

[Jefro]

The main ingredient for whatever you use to clean BP is water, the alcohol and peroxide have plenty. Murphy's Mix has given me the best results using real BP. Spray, wipe, patch with Murphy's mix........then spray, wipe, patch with Ballistol. It's all I'll ever use, lube moving parts and base pin with Gun Butter (not bore butter,,,junk). Good Luck
Gun Butter


Jefro Relax-Enjoy

[joec]

Thanks guys and my mix seems to have cleaned real well followed by straight Ballistol. I will check it again in another day or so and see how it works.

[Deadeye Dick]

It's all I'll ever use, lube moving parts and base pin with Gun Butter (not bore butter,,,junk). Good Luck
Gun Butter
Jefro Relax-Enjoy

I wouldn't call Bore Butter junk. I use it to lube my base pins and as a patch lube for my muzzle loader. I like the stuff and have had no reason to try anything else. Works great.
Deadeye Dick

[G.W. Strong]

I wouldn't call Bore Butter junk. I use it to lube my base pins and as a patch lube for my muzzle loader. I like the stuff and have had no reason to try anything else. Works great.
Deadeye Dick

Like Dick I use Bore Butter in exactly the same way. It works great for me. I may try the Mobil 1 Wheel Bearing Grease sometime if i happen to run across it without making a special trip.

[john boy]

Plain water has been used to clean BP firearms since man immortal.  So why use anything else?  If one wants to go high tech - use a hand steam cleaner.
 212 degree steam that blasts the foul/lube off,  every time ya squeeze the trigger  

[Dick Dastardly]

Once again, it's the water that does the work.  Hydrogen peroxide is mostly water.  T Stoff is not.  It's concentrated hydrogen peroxide till it's unstable.  The Nazis used it in their rocket motors.  You don't want to go there.

A colloidal suspension of Ballistol in water is all you need or want to clean guns that have shot Holy Black.  If yer shootin some kiss yer sister sub/replica powder, read the can.  The instructions supplied by any responsible manufacturer will get yer guns clean enuf for them.

Welcome to the smokey side.

DD-MDA

[joec]

Once again, it's the water that does the work.  Hydrogen peroxide is mostly water.  T Stoff is not.  It's concentrated hydrogen peroxide till it's unstable.  The Nazis used it in their rocket motors.  You don't want to go there.

A colloidal suspension of Ballistol in water is all you need or want to clean guns that have shot Holy Black.  If yer shootin some kiss yer sister sub/replica powder, read the can.  The instructions supplied by any responsible manufacturer will get yer guns clean enuf for them.

Welcome to the smokey side.

DD-MDA

Thanks Dick and I will make up a batch of the Ballistol and water. My problem with Ballistol is how hard it seems to get lately. At any rate the mix I made up first of didn't effect the finish on my guns all case hardened/blued with wood or faux stag horn grips. It cleaned really quickly removing all of the powder and salts so their is water in the Hydrogen Peroxide and perhaps the rubbing alcohol. I left it over night to see un lubed and no rust at all was in the barrels of either gun. I then proceeded to run a patch soaked in Ballistol down the barrel and it came out clean also as did the several dry patches I ran down the barrels after letting the Ballistol sit for a while before dry patching.

Now prior to finally finding Ballistol (took awhile and was forced to buy off the net) I used simple green which also worked well but then again it also has water.

[Fairshake]

Ballistol is the product to use for cleaning your guns after firing any real BP. I use a 7-1 RATIO TO MAKE MY Moosemilk. 2 ounces of Ballistol to 14 ounces of water for a pint (16ounces) of Moose milk.
It was designed to not only work on the residue left on metal but also does not harm the wood or leather on your guns. This means that you may take a spray bottle of it and with out any fear just spray the gun down till it drips. If any goes into the internal parts , so much the better because after the water dries you are left with a very fine processed oil to coat the parts. It will also work on any small cuts or abrasions.
Shop around for your Ballistol as you can buy it for $8 a 16 oz can and not the $10 or more at several locations. The only problem is that it must be shipped via ground and that leaves out the Post Office rates. Look at some of the stores on Amazon.

[joec]

Ballistol is the product to use for cleaning your guns after firing any real BP. I use a 7-1 RATIO TO MAKE MY Moosemilk. 2 ounces of Ballistol to 14 ounces of water for a pint (16ounces) of Moose milk.
It was designed to not only work on the residue left on metal but also does not harm the wood or leather on your guns. This means that you may take a spray bottle of it and with out any fear just spray the gun down till it drips. If any goes into the internal parts , so much the better because after the water dries you are left with a very fine processed oil to coat the parts. It will also work on any small cuts or abrasions.
Shop around for your Ballistol as you can buy it for $8 a 16 oz can and not the $10 or more at several locations. The only problem is that it must be shipped via ground and that leaves out the Post Office rates. Look at some of the stores on Amazon.

I actually found the starter kit on ebay with free shipping from Key West Florida, my old home.