Muzzle Loader Cleaning-Windex With Vinegar

[alsaqr]

After cleaning the darn things in the kitchen sink with soap and water and making a mess,I remembered what Mike Venturino of Shooting Times recommends for cleanup of blackpowder guns. It works just as well for Pyrodex, Triple Seven and Clean Shot.

Go to the store and buy a bottle of Windex with vinegar. No, not Windex with ammonia-Windex with vinegar. It is the clear Windex.Mix it50/50 withwater.I put it in a small spray bottle with a finger pump. Spray it down the bore, on the breech plug, the breech threads and bolt, if any.Most of the fouling will instantly get soft and can be wiped away with a rag. Use it on patches after initially spraying it down the bore. You can also use it on bore brushes. Don't forgetto run an oily patch through the bore.

I use it on my patches at the range between shots, following up with adry patch or two. Beforeleaving the rangerun a patch soaked with the cleaner down the bore. All the crudwill soft by the timeyouget home.

My friendsare amazed when they first use this cheap cleaner. It works better than any commercial cleaner they have ever used.

[cayugad]

I use car windshield washer fluid and isopropyl alcohol. It not only works good, but dries quickly and is very inexpensive to make...

[CAJUNBOWHNTR]

cayugad you got arecipe for that mix?
thanks,
CB

[Roskoe]

I used Windex with Vinegar extensively in the past- really melts down blackpowder crud. Another great cleaner is Simple Green. But for swabbing between shots, Cayugad's 50/50 mixture of summer washer fluid and iso alcohol is the best solution out there. Barrel is clean and dry in short order - ready for the next charge to be loaded.

I still, however, use the Simple Green for soaking the breech plug back at the shop; andapply it to a Q-tip for cleaning some of the little nooks and crannies of the rifle. I also swab with Simple Green after the last shot of the day, and let it soak in on the way home.