How long after shooting can you wait to clean a BP rifle?

ADVWannabee · 11-07-2011, 04:54 AM

I went to the range Saturday morning to get a little more practice with my rifle. I shot it 4 times and then loaded it up and hunted that evening. My wife got a shot at a buck but missed that evening so now I have 2 rifles to clean. I plan to clean them tonight but was wondering how long you can wait to clean a BP rifle? I usually clean them the day they are shot but circumstances (ok, laziness) kept me from it this time.

Muley Hunter · 11-07-2011, 05:00 AM

Not sure how long you can wait. I always clean the same day.

slowr1der · 11-07-2011, 05:25 AM

Same day if shooting anything other than BH209 imo.

I shoot Pyrodex and on the Remington Genesis I had, I shot it 3 times in the morning around 9:00, and once in the afternoon. I had to skin the deer that evening so it was probably close to 10PM before I started cleaning it. It was already starting to rust. This convinced me that it needs to be done the same day. My current muzzle loader has a stainless steel barrel and it's a lot more durable than the blued, but I still try to clean it the same day.

oldsmellhound · 11-07-2011, 05:40 AM

What kind of powder are you shooting? If you are shooting real black powder or Pyrodex, I would clean it the same day. If you are shooting Triple Seven, I have waited 24 - 36 hours before cleaning with no ill effects. If you are shooting BH 209 you can wait even longer....

ADVWannabee · 11-07-2011, 05:45 AM

Sorry, should have mentioned I am shooting Pyrodex pellets. My gun has a blued barrel, my wife's encore is SS.

Muley Hunter · 11-07-2011, 06:02 AM

I would clean that crap out right away.

bronko22000 · 11-07-2011, 06:15 AM

I almost always clean the same day. Usually as soon as I get home. But on a rare occasion where I must wait a few hours, I at least pour some Black Powder solvent down the bore and slosh it around to neutralize any fouling.

lemoyne · 11-07-2011, 06:28 AM

Pyrodex while a very good powder is the most corrosive more so even than Black powder, Recommend cleaning with in 6 hours flash rust is possible. Also irregardless of some advertising Blackhorn is NOT noncorrosive the chemical break down shows small amounts of salts that can cause rust in the residue.

sabotloader · 11-07-2011, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADVWannabee

Sorry, should have mentioned I am shooting Pyrodex pellets. My gun has a blued barrel, my wife's encore is SS.

Using Pyro... I would clean as soon as you can. The powder is not really corrosive but the residue is if it collects water or vapor especially in a mild steel barrel.

I use T7 loose, and I really do not clean until I want to, but i do patch the barrel out with a couple of windex patches after shooting. Right now the load in my DISC has been in since October 3. The gun was shoot prior to 10-3 to check POI - barrel patched with two windex patches. Dried with dry patches and one very lightly oiled Montana X-treme patch was ran down and out - dry patched... Gun loaded and has gone hunting a dozen times since then... If a buck would show up - I could shoot it clean it and put it away... The rut should start soon...

I should also say that it took me a awhile to work up and trust this routine... And that is why I always say I am shooting a semi-fouled gun every shot...

Muley Hunter · 11-07-2011, 06:46 AM

I must have a different outlook than others. My gun is part of being a hunter. Without my gun. I'm just walking around the mountains with no way to kill game.

I love cleaning my gun. I never look for a way to avoid it, or find a shortcut. Sometimes I clean it without having shot it.

When I read someone saying they didn't clean their gun.........I don't get it?