When I was in my mid-teens (a very long time ago) I usually hunted with an ancient Belgian muzzle-loading double in 11ga. (measured) with 33" barrels. It was quite a handful ! I always cleaned it with hot water and liquid dish detergent (NOT automatic dishwasher detergent). The barrels must be hot to dry properly and warm when oiled. The gun still looks great but, when I was 23, I found a beautiful W.W. Greener w. 28" barrels from 1902 for $25. Enough said! I clean it the same way.

Dunno how some other fellers do it, but after shooting our muzzleloaders, we remove the barrels off the stocks, pull off the nipples, then we drop the breach ends into a bucket of Windex solution and pump in and out the bore swab pulling in the solution and ejecting the crud out of it, taken another bucket of cleaner Windex solution to finish it off.. then dry, oil, etc. Good point to go back a few days later and check for rust.

Our 1971 class of Leto high school will be Celebrating our 50th anniversary, I think this song is very fitting !

Thank You for a very informative video.

Thanks for this video. Have been shooting a lot of BP and need to do a better job. With this I'll just put some in a squirt bottle to bring to the range instead of buying the pre-soaked patches..I wasn't sure of a good mixture..Got it now, Thanks.

Didn't have murphys on hand so I use dr. Bronners soap with the peroxide and alcohol solution. Seemed to work really well Thanks for the tips

My pyrodex process, Hot Water, Simple Green scrub til clear, W-D40 Soak scrub some more, wipe off W-D40 reapply appropriate lubrication. I am not doubting vinegar, however I have never used, just a through scrub, Hot Water & Degreaser, Soak in W-D40 and scrub for 10 years now no issues rust/pitting. I also clean same day. the salts are neutralized actually by water, WD-40 might help the Simple Green removes salts also. But yes the fast knock down with water, bore brush wipe off and put away YUP with use of pyrodex, it is not a good Idea, rust will form. That is why I use a vigorous cleaning regimen, what the Simple Green and Water miss is tackled by the WD-40. One also MUST REALIZE WD-40 has limitations, it is a step not an end all be all, never a lubricant. Great Video

As with all of my Muzzle loader Rifles, I have found the easiest solution above everything else I've tried folk's. With a new 'Heavy Duty' Thick Walled 2 gallon plastic bucket, fill it 3/4 full of HOT, HOT - BOILING WATER. Place the end of the barrel into the bucket & using the rod with enough clean/dry patches attached to the end of it (with just enough room for it to move snugly) as you pull the rod up through the barrel, it creates a vacuum as you pump it back and forth repeatedly, and believe me... it works better than anything I've ever used. I mean 'It Really' gets all of that Nasty Shit completely out of your firearm. Then I use the TC Blue wash to lubricate, an finalize the Core-Washing. Prior to storing my weapon, it is well lubricated (outside and moving parts only) then I place a Trojan Rubber over the end of the barrel to keep any possible foreign material from getting into it. It works for me, and I own quite a few Modern Muzzle Loader, as well as a 45/70 Sharps, 45/120, a Brown Bess, and a few 'Patch and Ball' .50 caliber's ready to do some Git-Down as soon as I can hit the woods.

Plain hot soapy water has been used for years so you could use that! Remember when using Pyrodex that its alkaline based so a little vinegar will help neutralize the corrosive residue before using water and soap.

What would you recommend to dissolve surface rust inside the muzzle end of an inline muzzleloader? When I bought my CVA (refurbished) I unknowingly didn't check the bore til I got it home. It just has a couple small spots that I am concerned about before I shoot it for the first time. Thanks

Thank you so much for this video.

Thanks man, good info. I hadn't done any muzzle loader hunting in nearly 30yrs (military kept me busy). I remembered cleaning with boiling water way back then... seem's like it's gone out of favor (a glaring testament to the business side of things eh?)

Reminds me of cleaning after shooting corrosive smokeless. I use hot water and follow up with oil.

Thanks for the info!

@celestialobserver Ballistol is a oil that needs to be mixed with water to clean black powder or corrosive gun residue properly. The main cleaning ingredient in any black powder cleaning solution is water. The water dissolves the residue.

Hell the best thing I ever found to use to clean black powder bores with is windshield washer fluid, cheap and cleans well right at the range, dry out the bore with some patches a clean patch with some ball or bullet butter protects it from rusting. A couple caps shot immediately after cleaning drys the nipple on the inside...that's all I use and these days with newer steel for the barrels you don't have to worry about it being treated like grandmas old cast iron skillet, unless you got an original...

Awesome info! Thanks!!!

I just bought a Trapdoor rifle and I'm having a hard time getting the old black stuff out of the barrel. What do you recommend? I like your videos you are helping to keep alive these fine weapons you have a great collection.

Thanks ginsboy2003 but I won't have to use vinegar because I'm using traditional black powder, I followed you're instructions and I made my own black powder solvent, and it looks like it's working, I just know it's going to be a lot cheaper than buying it at bass pro shops, oh and it also works good on cap n ball revolvers to,thank you.

for the martini do i clean the chamber with say a shotgun swab or dose the patch take care of that

@ginsboy2003 i want to ask a question about making my own solvent, what if they stop making rubbing alcohol and or peroxide, or maybe they might ban them, then how would i make my homemade black powder solvent? the reason why I'm asking is because they have already taken some things off the market or they just simply banned them.

Great video that addresses several methods of Cleaning. One method of concern is the use of Murphy's oil soap, hydrogen peroxide and rubbing alcohol. In Muzzle Blasts Magazine Sept 2016 a article presented states that this cleans great but the hydrogen peroxide causes corrosion. Since this journal is a publication of the National Muzzle Loader Association would expect them to be authorities Since I have no personal experience in the use of wonder what you have observed.. Thank You

@ginsboy2003 How effective is it compared to just flushing it with hot water?

Murphys oil soap for my homemade solution and just dish soap when cleaning in the sink with hot water.

How well does Ballistol work?

Does the alcohol, peroxide, murphy oil solution work on Triple 7? I'm assuming it will.

What kind/brand of soap do you use? Hand soap? Dish soap?

great video and very true black powder and pryodex do clean up very diff another cheep solvent we use is coleman camp fuel and auto trans fluid 50/50 then hot water an soap with vinger to nuterallize when shooting pyrodex it cuts right throu powder and lead folwing then oil as normal hasent hurt the blueing on my 1858 new army or my ar 15 this was my papaws recipe it has work well for us

I am new to shooting black powder and muzzle loaders in general. Someone told me to use hot soapy water (just like in the video) to clean it. But, wouldn't the water just go right out of the hole from the nipple? Also, how would you clean the lock and nipple too.

what is a part a cup one of each or what for cleaning mixture?

Even though you don't need Vinegar for black powder, would it hurt it to put it in the mix anyways?

I have found that after cleaning with hot soapy water followed by a hot water rinse and drying, is critical and using Ed's Red home made bore cleaner to clean the bore that has been shot with corrosive primed ammo or black powder works really well to get into every nook and crannie. Ed's Red is equal parts of K1 Deodorized kerosene, Automatic Transmission fluid and Ordorless mineral spirits (Varsol). I leave out acetone, but some folks like it because it is aggressive for shotgun plastic wad fouling. You can also vary the reciepe by adding lanolin for better rust protection, kroil or Marvel Mystery Oil. Great video and glad it is up as too many people who shoot black powder and corrosive primed ammo WRONGLY think Hoppes #9 will get their gun clean and protect it from rust from corrosive black powder salts.

@itachi1303 I wouldn't, the main corrosive property of black powder is acidic from the sulfur. You'd just be adding more. Many people have had good luck for years just using hot water and soap with black powder. I like making my own cleaning solutions though.

@celestialobserver Its going to be more effective with the extra ingredients in it, plus you have the ability to take it with you on hunting trips or to the gun range where you may not have easy access to hot water. If you were home and cleaning it on your porch, hot water and soap would be just fine.

Dawn dish soap, best I’ve used.

I used warm water with dish soap. I start right at the range at the end of my shooting session and continue at home. After cleaning, I oil the barrel up completely and swab before I shoot again. Never had a issue.

If you cleaned it before loading, then yes. It is affected by humidity though.

This method seems to be difficult to clean the breech way back in a flintlock or percussion cap firearm. How long does it normally take you clean it completely

This is the formula shooter use at the big matches. If you use pyrodex, don't forget to add a little vinegar to the solution.

can i leave bp revolver loaded in between range visits without cylinder being damaged?

I have been committing an awful sin for many years..... i have been cleaning with hopp's 9 and covering with Winchester oil for years and there has been no rust at all. I only have used Tripple 7 or Pyrodex only. I have shot over 1000 rounds over the years and have not experienced any problems. .... not sure why.... ?

To clean blackpowder or guns that have shot corrosive ammo you'll get the best results by mixing ballistol with water. The water is needed to dissolve the corrosive salts.

Can I safley pull the breach block out of my c&B rifle

Why not use steam cleaning as initial process .

Hmmmm, interesting..... Only ever used BP, haven't been able to source Pyrodex or any alternatives over here (Oz). I've always used a dilute vinegar solution to neutralise when cleaning my BP weapons - 75 Brown Bess, 45 Kentucky, 58 Enfield Musket and 45/120 Sharps. I use 4 containers of boiling water, 1st very dilute vinegar solution, 2nd clean water for flush, 3rd light detergent solution and 4th clean water for final flush. Full strip down of weapon, then breech end (of mz loaders) is placed in water container then using either mop or patch, water is drawn up the barrel and expelled via flash hole. Several pumps per container, last clean flush will heat the barrel sufficiently to flash dry the barrel. With the Sharps, the muzzle is placed in the water containers and cleaning is done from the breech. Gloves need to be worn because barrels get extremely hot. I fuss over my smokeless weapons when cleaning, but I fuss more over my BP weapons, lol. Thanks for the info :)

hey,i've been using wheel cleaner (not brake cleaner) it'll clean up pyrodex and black powder residue like nothing i've ever used before,of course oil it after your done.

I am guessing you have a LOT of lead in there. If thats the case, just keep hitting it with bore brushes and kroil or your favorite lead remover.

Side note to those who will use diluted vinegar for cleaning up revolver parts. My first and only time using it removed the blueing as well as the pyrodex residue. Don't use white vinegar off the shelf. I don't care how much you dilute it. It's way to acidic for the blueing to make it through unharmed. That said i have used a very small amount of window cleaner containing cleaning vinegar in boiling water with no issue.

I admit that what I'm about to write is very controversial, but I have experimented with this and now the only way I clean after using black powder or substitutes is with jojoba oil or olive oil. The eatable oils take longer to dissolve the fouling, but once they do the soft fouling can be swabbed out with dry patches until the bore is clean. Once clean, an oily patch should be sent down the bore to provide a barrier to moisture. If water is kept out of the bore by using eatable oil and leaving behind a layer of oil, the iron can't rust even if a tiny amount of greasy fouling remains. Give this quick and easy method a try and check your bore after a week, two weeks and more. Go back to your old method of cleaning if this doesn't work for you, but I think you will be pleased by how simple, quick, but very effective this method is. Brass cartridges must be cleaned and the salts neutralized as mentioned.