Cleaning a percussion cap muzzleloader

[30-30]

I have a Hawken 50 cal from Cabela's. Is it really necessary to remove the barrel and clean it with hot soapy water every time you shoot? Is rod and patch cleaning enough for quick, 3-5 shot practice sessions? I guess it would leave residue in the bottom 1-2" of the barrel. What says the green screen?

[TxNurse]

If you use real black powder or Pyrodex it is totally necessary. It is a good idea if you use the other substitute powders, but you can normally get by without corrosion if you wait a few days.

[30-30]

Yeah, I use pyrodex.

[XBowHunter]

I asked the something similar and was told running a cleaning patch a couple times between shots was good enough. I was told anything from spit to rubbing alcohol between shots with a cleaning patch or two will prevent fouling enough to continue shooting....

[Buckwheat]

I asked the something similar and was told running a cleaning patch a couple times between shots was good enough. I was told anything from spit to rubbing alcohol between shots with a cleaning patch or two will prevent fouling enough to continue shooting....

This^^^^ for between shots. But I it is my gun and goin to even sit for one day. It got a bath and oiled. Hot water and soap. I know it's a pain but it will save your ***** and gun in the long run.

[Buff]

If I'm hunting , I don't do the full blown clean.
I shoot it at the end of the day and swab it out before reloading the next morning.
When I'm done for the weekend, I do the full blown bath.
Black powder will eat your barrel if you don't.

[XBowHunter]

If I'm hunting , I don't do the full blown clean.
I shoot it at the end of the day and swab it out before reloading the next morning.
When I'm done for the weekend, I do the full blown bath.
Black powder will eat your barrel if you don't.

So you can get a weekend out of a muzzleloader without a full cleaning?

I just assumed it should be cleaned each evening...

2 or 3 days without a full cleaning would be cool...



EDIT: I've also read that you can leave it loaded and leave it sitting outside (so as not to change the humidity and ruin the BP) and discharge at the end of the weekend if not fired.... Anyone do this?

[30-30]

Thanks y'all. I don't shoot this gun as much as I thought I would or would like to, as cleaning it is a pain. But I'll do it if it's best for the gun.

I would love to shoot a hog with it.

[Winman]

So you can get a weekend out of a muzzleloader without a full cleaning?

I just assumed it should be cleaned each evening...

2 or 3 days without a full cleaning would be cool...



EDIT: I've also read that you can leave it loaded and leave it sitting outside (so as not to change the humidity and ruin the BP) and discharge at the end of the weekend if not fired.... Anyone do this?

When I was hunting with my full stock kentucky style M L ,this is the way I did it.....I would put a fresh cap on it every morning tho.....and crush a little black powder and put it on top of the nipple before I capped it....cap carefully...

[175gr7.62]

After shooting and you don't plan on shooting for a while (or after a range session) this is how you get a good cleaning without taking anything apart besides removing the nipple.

1. Get a 2 liter bottle and fill it 1/4" of the way with anti-freeze. Then add about 5 table spoons of liquid dish soap and fill bottle to the halfway point with warm water.

2. Get some 1/8" ID tubing and drill a hole in the bottle lid so that the tubing will slide down into the bottom of the bottle.

3. Place other end of tubing over your nipple.

4. Wet a cleaning patch and start pumping the rod up and down (bring it out as close to the muzzle as you can get). This will pump the mixture through the nipple and up into the barrel.

5. Do this for several minutes and then remove the tubing and unscrew the nipple.

6.Run a couple dry patches and then pour a small amount of alcohol into the nipple drum making sure it runs into the barrel.

7. Run a patch saturated with alcohol down the barrel and then about a minute or two later run an oiled patch. Install your nipple.

Before you load it back up pop a few caps through it with the rifle pointed at a leaf on the ground (about 6" away). The leaf should move from the gases. This is what we have done for 30 years with our target rifles with custom barrels and it works great.

[XBowHunter]

Thanks y'all. I don't shoot this gun as much as I thought I would or would like to, as cleaning it is a pain. But I'll do it if it's best for the gun.

I would love to shoot a hog with it.

I'm gonna shoot hogs and coyotes with mine. Was hitting a 3" bullseye from 50 yards with open sights yesterday. Need to get me a scope soon

[XBowHunter]

When I was hunting with my full stock kentucky style M L ,this is the way I did it.....I would put a fresh cap on it every morning tho.....and crush a little black powder and put it on top of the nipple before I capped it....cap carefully...

Interesting, thanks...

[XBowHunter]

After shooting and you don't plan on shooting for a while (or after a range session) this is how you get a good cleaning without taking anything apart besides removing the nipple.

1. Get a 2 liter bottle and fill it 1/4" of the way with anti-freeze. Then add about 5 table spoons of liquid dish soap and fill bottle to the halfway point with warm water.

2. Get some 1/8" ID tubing and drill a hole in the bottle lid so that the tubing will slide down into the bottom of the bottle.

3. Place other end of tubing over your nipple.

4. Wet a cleaning patch and start pumping the rod up and down (bring it out as close to the muzzle as you can get). This will pump the mixture through the nipple and up into the barrel.

5. Do this for several minutes and then remove the tubing and unscrew the nipple.

6.Run a couple dry patches and then pour a small amount of alcohol into the nipple drum making sure it runs into the barrel.

7. Run a patch saturated with alcohol down the barrel and then about a minute or two later run an oiled patch. Install your nipple.

Before you load it back up pop a few caps through it with the rifle pointed at a leaf on the ground (about 6" away). The leaf should move from the gases. This is what we have done for 30 years with our target rifles with custom barrels and it works great.

Sounds like you have a good system working there...