make your own cleaning solution?
 

I'm looking for a homebrew folks! a real live make your own range cleaning solution. You know, for cleaning the bore after every shot.i have an inline traditionslightning. what did the pioneers use? what do you use?

RE: make your own cleaning solution?
 

Well, if you're using an inline, it probably has a fast twist, which means you're probably using plastic sabots, orconicals, etc.

The pioneers used patched round balls and real black powder, which can be wiped after just using a"spit patch" or patches dampened with plain water.

Sonot knowing what you're shooting it's hard to say what you might want to use

RE: make your own cleaning solution?
 

Your Tradition's Lightening inline rifle can be cleaned with a simple 50/50 mix of isopropyl alcohol and car windshield washer fluid. Work your patch down the muzzle in short strokes. I usually run 2" inches at a time, working all the way down the bore. After cleaning top to bottom, turn the damp patch over and do the other side in the same way. After that one or two dry patches worked through the bore much in the same way as the damp one will insure that your bore is swabbed and dry... You can then load as normal.

Pioneers used spit on patches, urine, water, about anything wet you could say to swab a bore. Also remember, they seldom had to swab between shots because of the type of rifles they shot and the kind of projectiles used..

RE: make your own cleaning solution?
 

You want a weak solution for swabbing at the range. Ther harsher the chemical, the increased chance you may breathe-in something that may affect you in the future. Use a water-base product like windex, windshield solution or alcohol. Or become a Mixologist like myself & do a 34-33-33% blend with all three.

RE: make your own cleaning solution?
 

At the range, I just use ammonia free windex for swabbing the barrel every third round.

RE: make your own cleaning solution?
 

Thank you guys for the homebrews. This forum is really priceless for those of us new to bp muzzys I suspected that there was a cheaper alternative than the $7 solutions at bass pro shops.

RE: make your own cleaning solution?
 

Actually a good solution for cleaning powder and fowling is simple hot water and some dish soap. While this will not remove lead and plastic fowling from a barrel, it will clean most powder fowling just fine. People with Traditional rifles have been using this for years to clean their rifles... Good luck.

RE: make your own cleaning solution?
 

The pioneers in the wilderness used to chew the patch (or "tow") get it all slobbery with saliva, then swab the bore with it, followed by a dry patch or tow. This is a "spit patch". I've done the same thing, and it works, saving me from having to drag a container of some fluid out to the range with me. You can even use Windex, rubbing alcohol, plain water, or water with a little Murphy's Oil Soap in it.....

If you use Pyrodex, APP, Pinnacle, or Black Mag3 powder, you should not have to do a lot of wiping between shots at the range. With BP, though, you might have to swab every shot. This all depends on the amount of powder you use. The bigger the charge, the cruddier the barrel gets each shot!

RE: make your own cleaning solution?
 

The oil soap caused me some Pyrodex, 777 problems, I think. Part proceedure on my part I am sure, but the soap was harder to get out of the crevaces in the breech plug between shots, I attributed to hang,miss fires. Oil soap went away so did problem.

RE: make your own cleaning solution?
 

Not good to use the oil soap any stronger than around 10-15% of the swabbing concoction. I only use the oil soap with roundball patching sometimes & that mix is...

6 parts water/alcohol
1 part oil (cutting or Ballistol)
1 part Murphy's Oil Soap.

I think that works-out to approximently 12-1/2% oil soap.

RE: make your own cleaning solution?
 

the inline twist is 1-28 and i use conicals to expand more on this when you are done and at home what do you use to clean then. What gets out plastic and lead fouling? do you oil the inside of the muzzle for storage?

RE: make your own cleaning solution?
 

To really get lead, copper, and plastic fowling out you need a quality commercial solvent. People have used kerosene and claimed it worked, but personally I never tried it. I've used Birchwood Casey Bore Scrubber and Birchwood Casey Products ever since poster Triple Se7en recommended them to me. I have been so pleased with the cleaning and protection I get from them, that while I do experiment with other things, I trust Birchwood Casey.

After the bore is good and clean put some quality gun oil like Birchwood Casey Sheath, Rem Oil, Kroil Oil, Breakfree, or any good gun oil and swab the bore of the rifle to protect it against rust. Before you shoot it next, take a patch and put some isoproply alcohol on it and swab the bore good. Then run two dry patches through the bore. Now the oil is removed. With the drypatch still on the jag/ramrod at the bottom of the breech, pop a 209 primer through the rifle. This will clear the breech plug of any fowling. Pull the patch and check to make sure there is a good burn mark on the patch. This indicates the fire channel is clean. Pop another 209 primer through the rifle to fowl the breech plug. I do this, some do not. All a matter of choice. Now load as normal and have fun on the range again.

RE: make your own cleaning solution?
 

Like Cayugad mentioned, the best all-purpose solvent is the Birchwood-Casey Bore Scrubber 2 In 1 Bore Cleaner.

I recommend a minimum of 2-1/2" diameter patches for cleaning. I always buy the 3". You'll also need a bore brush for best final job results.

RE: make your own cleaning solution?
 

birchwood -casey it is!

RE: make your own cleaning solution?
 

thanks for info., should save me some $$'s..