Cleaning BP firearms?

[44caliberkid]

Over on TFS NCOWS board, there was a thread goin' about the main stages at Nationals being Sat. & Sun., and wonderin' if they could change it to Fri & Sat.  I understand wanting the Sunday for travel, but several of the guys said, "I have to clean 2 or 3 BP guns Sunday then travel."  I don't find this to be true.
   We've discussed on the Darksiders board that having to clean BP guns right away is a wives tale.  As example, I shot Coyote Gulch shoot, using all BP, did'nt clean between days, then came home and put the guns away.  I did clean the C&B revolvers on Tues and Wed, one each day, but then went to Canada fishing for more than a week.  I just cleaned the rifle yesterday, my once a year complete break down, and it cleaned up easy and fine.  No sign of any corrosion at all.  And as people who live in Iowa can attest, it has been very humid and hot here.  I still haven't cleaned the shotgun yet, being somewhat slothful about gun cleanin'.
  Just sack those BP firearms and go home. Clean 'em when you have time.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Yep, I've waited many a time to clean my BP firearms.  Once, by accident, almost 6 months.   I've used Hoppe's #9 Plus as my BP cleaner and I just spray 'em down.  It stops the corrosion process.  It actually can make you a bit lazy about fussy cleaning methods.

[Grizzle Bear]

If you douse them well with Ballistol, they'll stay good for months.

GB

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[Will Ketchum]

That may very well be but after last years shoot I gave each gun a quick clean up.  When I checked the Henry and shotgun a week later they both had surface rust.  Now this might have been the result of using a formula that I got off TFS BP forum.  It contained peroxide.  I don't think that using peroxide on steel guns is a good idea unless followed by something else.  I did run a patch of Ballistol the barrels but maybe not enough.  The nickled S&Ws were fine.

As for the Sunday shooting, my biggest problem was that my wife would have to tare down the camp and pack everything up while I was shooting and then we would be faced with the long drive home.  I had rather not do that.

It may be a moot point since I am experiencing some as yet undiagnosed health problems and may not be able to attend anyway.

Will Ketchum

[French Jack]

Over the past 40 plus years of BP shooting, I have heard many positions and discussions regarding cleanup of your firearms.  I have seen the results firsthand of many methods.  I for one, do not care to risk any of my firearms by not cleaning promptly, and thoroughly.  Whether I shoot one shot or a hundred, the regimen is the same-- complete cleaning, lubrication, and storage. 

I.Will-- Your "Moose Milk" formula for BP using water, Murphy's Oil Soap, and Peroxide is NOT the best way to go.  I have seen too many firearms rusted irrepairably by the use of the peroxide.  If you substitute isopropryl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) for the peroxide, it works better and is not injurious to the clean metal like peroxide. 

So, if anyone else wishes to leave their firearms uncleaned for a period of time, I just won't loan you any of mine.

[Cuts Crooked]

Well 44,

I kinda agree...and I kinda don't. I have cleaned my BP firearms for many years now with a mixture of windex and Ballistol, followed by a good overall dousing with straight Ballistol. It's worked great for me!

..........but every once in a while....like after the same Coyote Gulch match that you were at...I've found a bit of surface rust a few days later.

Fortunately I learned my firearms care at the knee of an old warrior who taught me to clean em, check em again a few days later, and clean em again! 99% of the time the second cleaning isn't really needed, but every once in a great while.............

[john boy]

... I'm pretty religious about cleaning BP guns the same or next day.  I did leave my double last week uncleaned (I run 2 smokeless shells through the barrels after the match) and yesterday noticed a gray 'film' on the tubes.

So the SxS got in line with my H&R BC which had just came back from the range to be cleaned.

Sitting on the floor next to the laundry tub was a bottle of SHOUT, used to clean stains out of clothes.  I said what the heck, a stain is a stain 

A few squirts of the stuff down the bore of the BC and I'm here to tell ya ...the fluid that came out of the barrel was PURE BLACK!  Poured some hot water down the bore - ran the Snake though it and ... was damn near blinded looking down the hole.

Did the same with SxS and another blinding glare!  Then squirted them both up with Ed's Red Oil and into the rack.

Was really impressed with this SHOUT.  Gonna try it some more.

[44caliberkid]

To I. Will, I did say in my first line that I understood the need to travel.  I would prefer the mains be available to shoot Thurs. - Sat., to accomodate the most shooters as possible.
   I don't squirt anything down my bores after shooting, just put them in the cases and go home.  Only lube in them is from my bullet lube in Big Lube™ bullets.  Maybe some of your rusting problems is from wetting down your guns with product.   I think all the yammer about cleaning really scares some people away from BP shooting.

[French Jack]

44:  I understand where you are coming from.  And you are absolutely correct to a great degree.  Partial cleaning is more injurious than no cleaning.  Partial cleaning or "wetting your guns down" with a cleaner is asking for trouble.  You are exposing some metal, and dissolving more salts to corrode it with.  Use of an oxidizer such as peroxide just accelerates the oxidation (read RUSTing) of the metal surfaces.

I just pack mine up and take them home to clean IF I am within a few hours drive.  Since I will have a 12 to 15 hour drive after leaving the Nationals, the cleaning would have to wait until the following evening.  Not something I would subject my guns to.  I have seen the damage that can occur in a relatively short period under humid conditions.  I prefer not to take the chance.  That is also the reason that I completely clean and dry before lubrication and storage.  I also check them over a few days later as does Cuts Crooked.  Cheapest insurance that I can get.

[Montana Slim]

Somehow I keep thinking of the typical summers (heat & humidity) we used to have at the Natls 4-6 yrs ago. Your guns were likley to corrode very quickly before or after shooting, black or smokeless, whether or not they had been cleaned. Not kidding...if it didn't have a protective film of oil, it was going to spot-up somewhere. I have no fear of hauling dirty BP guns home 3-4 hrs, but I insist on cleaning them that day. If cleaning them isn't going to be possible that day (or evening), I don't shoot.

Last year at the GHR, we managed to dodge the heat bullet & previous two Natls were in June..plus, we only shot in the mornings....this summer seems to be shaping up in a more typical fashion. Don't leave your favorite lube at home, or your drinking cup 
Slim

[Ornery Orr]

After shooting at NTR last month, I spritzed the guns down (inside action and down barrels) with a 50/50 Ballistol and water mix.  Stuck 'em in the gun cases and cleaned them the next day.  They actually cleaned up easier than when I shoot smokeless powder!  In my opinion, firearms are far too expensive to neglect due to being "too busy" or in the case of some folks, just plain lazy.

[Angus McKechnie]

Had an 1873 Springfield I used for some living history demonstrations. Took the weapon home and for some reason, promptly forgot about it.,,some 6 months later while reorganizaing the gun safe, I happen to take a look at it and lot and behold, it's overgron with green stuff!  Fortunately nothing was permanently damaged but I had a pretty lengthy cleaning session- ultimately dismounted the barrel and ran a lot of hot water through it followed by the snake, pipe cleaners, a dental pick, and finally a coat of Break-Free.

For general BP clean-up, I run hot water through the barrel (on some guns, this is hard to do) followed by a brush. Depending on how dirty they are, I repeat. I shoot a lot of blanks which are far more dirty and really foul up a barrel and receiver fast. In some cases, I use a mixture of Murphy's Oil Soap, rubbing alcholhol, and hydrogen peroxide but I never leave the gun without then putting on a coat of Break-Free.

This methods seems to have worked pretty well for me and I haven't had any issues with rusting.