Not tryin to be argumentative here (seems I dont have to try anymore it just happens
)
We have the best blackpowder solvent for free (H2O) - the need for a "solvent" for honest blackpowder residue is a marketing myth
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I havent used ballistol - never seen the stuff - I do use "moose milk" (cutting oil and water about 5:1) as patch lube for my front end loaders and I doubt there is a lube as good for competition shooting (hunting is a different story)
So I cleaned my 76 and my 86 after shooting blackpowder in mid september, cleaned with straight rainwater at room temperature, dried the bore with a couple flannelette patches, oiled both guns inside and out with straight WD40, just checked em both a couple minutes ago, both still perfect, no rust spots, no gunk, just a tiny amount of WD40 residue came out on a white flannelette patch - just enough you could see the patch were'nt new. Its a dry environment and over summer so easy to keep guns right here.
Why so long ? weeeeeel thats a nuther story - last weekend of september I had a freak accident with a tungsten tip saw blade through the back of my boot and cut the right achilles tendon clean off to the bone - had plenty of time to do stuff but could not figure out how to lug that ten pound gun around in a moon boot and crutches - simce christmas it has been hellish hot and windy, duststorms, fires in the mountains east of us, smoke all over the place - rain recently has cleared things, put most of the fires out - I felt guilty about leaving those guns in the rack so long without at least checking them - but all good - the moon boot and crutches are gone so time to burn some powder again.
Have been following you fellers along - pleased to see a bit of activity again around the 76 subjects.