Black Powder Solvents

[Arcey]

Shootin’ Black Powder nearly four years now. An average of twice a month. Someone gets around mine with water without Ballistol in it we’re gonna fight.

That’s the rust problem. Folks think they have ta use water because uncle Clem said so. They don’t fully dry them. Presto! Rust.

Seen folks shy away because they’re convinced they have to tear ‘em down, wash ‘em ‘n put ‘em in an oven to dry. That’s sad. Mine are as clean as a pin ‘n rust free. Never had soap ‘n water on ’em. Never will. Won’t be in an oven either. Ya show ‘em ‘n tell ‘em but myths die hard. 

[Dick Dastardly]

Cleaning up black powder guns requires water.  But, leave 'em guns too clean with no rust protection and presto, RUST.  The reason Ballistol works is that it leaves a film of rust preventative behind.

There may well be other products that do the same thing.  I'm thinkin' of tryin' water pump lube just for grins.  The thing is, clean with water and leave some lube to cover the metal.  Clean metal with a film of oil doesn't rust.  Clean metal with no protection flash rusts pronto.

So, clean those BP shootn' irons with water, but don't leave clean dry metal to the elements.  Oxygen and Iron quickly get together to form Iron Oxide. . . . rust.  The oil film keeps the Oxygen from getting to the iron.

That's the nut of it.  How you do it don't matter as long as when you're done the clean metal is protected with a film of rust preventative oil.

Not all oils are equal.  Some evaporate in time.  Others congeal and make a sticky or varnish like mess.  Go with an oil that stays the way you want it.

Good luck, make smoke!

DD-DLoS

[Arcey]

Yeah, I suppose so, FCK.

We’ll disagree on the need for water, Dick, my mentor. I’ve cleaned mine with Ed’s Red ‘n there ain’t a drop of water in it. Transmission fluid, white kero, acetone ‘n mineral spirits. Water with or without soap is a no no.

Soap ‘n water is what rusts the guns. Not Black Powder. Folks think they’re doin’ good with the old ways but they’re ruinin’ their guns.

I remain an Underlord. With perfect guns. Clean ‘n sparklin’. Never a drop of water on ‘em that ain’t mixed with Ballistol.  Never will be.

[Advertising]

[Fox Creek Kid]

I will point the original poster to the "Dark Arts" section at the top of the forum where there is a "sticky" thread authored by none other than our pardner Arcey on BP cleaning.

Also,  if you use the SEARCH function for "Darksider's Den" using the word "cleaning" there is more there than any person will possibly want to know.

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?action=search2

[The General]

I apoligize Arcey.  I misunderstood & thought you also used water with the Ballistol.  I now see that you use the Ballistol alone & also in a spray bottle.  So, leave the water out?  Water does scare me when it comes to guns.

Also Fox Creek Kid, let me apologize for not properly knowing how to use the forum & look this information up.  I thought the idea was to ask questions & learn.  I did not mean to offend anyone.

[Fox Creek Kid]

General, I'm only trying to show you that there is a ton of info in previous threads so you can read to your heart's content and you won't have to wait on replies. I was not trying to admonish you. 

[Hard Mouth]

Read this thread , always lookin' for a better BP way...

[Arcey]

Now, what’s your take on Black Powder ‘n cleanin’? C’mon ‘n add sumthin’ ta the conversation.

[Pony Racer]

I use Balistol and water mixture.

If I have had to wait a long period between shooting and cleaning ( I always spray guns down with balistol after shooting).

I will use car break cleaner on the bores of the shotguns.  That stuff will get rid of the crud - just spray it in, clean your other guns and about 20 minutes later the fouling comes out easy.

I then recoat with balistol.

PR

[Cuts Crooked]

I cleaned a bit. Ain't doin it again.

Play nice now.

[The General]

I have heard that using brake cleaner can remove the bluing from your firearms?

[Cuts Crooked]

I have heard that using brake cleaner can remove the bluing from your firearms?

I suppose that is a possibility, General. I have used brake cleaner to clean out the actions of my 92s for several years now and have not encountered any problems of that nature. But I'm not saying it can't happen. I do flush the actions out with oil after I use brake cleaner on them though, perhaps that is why I haven't had a problem with it

[The General]

I think keeping them oiled or using some type of lubricant after cleaning (whatever the method) is the bottom line here for insuring many years of satisfactory use.

[Black Powder]

I bet you're right on that!  FWIW, I was advised to keep the barrel of my musket angled down when stored so that the oils don't flow back into the bottom of the barrel.  The theory being that since oil floats on water, any residual moisture content would be trapped under any oil and potentially start corrosion at the bottom of the barrel.

BP

[Pony Racer]

General, I always do a Balistol rub after cleaning.

My guns have stayed nice for quite some time, but I was the youngest of five boys and derive some fun even from cleaning my guns - brings back nice memories of my younger years hunting trips.

PR

[The General]

PR, yes Sir I will have to agree with you & say Ballistol is the way to go after cleaning from everything I have read here.  It is a lubricant after all, correct?

[Pony Racer]

It is a cleaner, lubricant and protectant.

What it does to my turn of the century military rifle stocks over time is very nice.

It is great on polished leather too.

PR

[Dick Dastardly]

There have been a number of good ways to clean and store weapons here.  There is no "Best" way.  There are some bad ways, such as getting guns in a rain storm and then putting them away dirty in the gun case under the cot in a damp tent and finding out in the morning that most of the bluing wiped right off along with the flash rust. . .

Get 'em clean, keep a light oil on all surfaces and store 'em dry.

Museums use wax on their guns.  But museums don't shoot guns.

Ballistol has some good information on their web site. .  Here's just part of the information found there

In 1913 Messrs. Kolb, a Philadelphia corporation submitted Ballistol to the "War Department's" Springfield Armory for T&E. Ballistol was tested on several firearms and Ordnance Captain Ramsey notified Messrs. Kolb by end of April 1914 that Ballistol had been found to be far superior to the Cosmoline used at the time by the US Army for firearms maintenance. Kolb was encouraged to submit a proposal in response to the Army's next RFP. However, in the Fall of 1914 the Austrian Army marched into Serbia and WWI began. Since January 01, 1993, Ballistol has been marketed exclusively by the former Washington Trading Company, now called Ballistol, USA. In 1993 the Navy’s Seal Team 6 tested Ballistol and adopted it in 1994 for weapon maintenance. The US Coast Guard began using Ballistol in 1994. Today Ballistol is used by numerous state and local law enforcement departments and departments of correction throughout the US. For Federal Agencies, Ballistol is available through the Defense General Supply Center (DGSC) of the Defense Logistics Agency. The CAGE Code for Ballistol is "OZKM2". Inquire about the NSN,s for Ballistol sizes.

http://www.firehawktech.com/v/vspfiles/V4_Backup/b%5Eindex01.asp

There's a lot more good information, but I put up the above information to simply wet your appetite.

DD-DLoS

[Noz]

After a lot of false starts, I've settled on 1 part Ballistol to 8 parts of water. Water to cut the BP fouling and Ballistol to preserve the steel.
Works.

[Deadeye Dick]

I've read moose milk is: 1 part ballistol to 9 parts water; 1 part ballistol to 5 parts water; 1 part ballistol to 7 parts water; 1 part ballistol to 8 parts water. Also some use ballistol factory spray can, which I don't know if it's cut with water or not. Some just use straight ballistol. I think straight ballistol must be cut with water to help disolve the bp fouling and then use straight ballistol to lube and protect the firearm. I can see why some of the pard's get a little confused regarding the use of ballistol.    I'm now not sure to use more or less ballistol in my moose milk.  Guess as long as it is doing the job of disolving the bp fouling and protecting the metal from flash rusting I should use the least amount of baillistol in my moose millk possible in an effort to cut down on expense. Just be sure to wipe the shootin iron down with straight ballistol when I'm done and putting it away for a while.    Sound right?
Deadeye Dick