HuntingNet.com Forums - Cleaning procedure

Cleaning a muzzleloader[/i][/b]
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ALWAYS BE POSITIVE THAT THE RIFLE IS NOT LOADED. CHECK THE RIFLE IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS BEFORE STARTING THE CLEANING PROCESS.[/b]
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Inline muzzleloaders[/b]
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This is the way I like to clean them. Many people have their own methods and I am not trying to claim one is right over the other. This is just the method I use…[/b]
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1. [/b]Swab the barrel with a patch on a cleaning jag. I like to saturate the patch with a mixture of 50/50 isopropyl alcohol and car windshield washer fluid. Some other things to use are Windex, and even simple water with some dish soap mixed in. All this step does is attempt to remove as much of the fowling as possible before I break the rifle down.[/b]
2. [/b]Disassemble the rifle according to the manufacture’s instructions. Be sure to lay the parts out in a orderly manner. In other words, know how it goes back together.[/b]
3. [/b]Take the fowled breech plug and place that in a soaking solution of water with a little dish soap. Also any other fowled parts that can be placed in that solution should be allowed to soak.[/b]
4. [/b]With the rifle now broken down, I like to take the isopropyl alcohol and windshield solution and wet a patch. I then wipe out the stock in all the areas that are fowled or COULD BE fowled. Allow that to dry as you clean the rest of the rifle.[/b]
5. [/b]Using a breech plug bush, wrap a patch around it, and saturate it with Windex or solvent. It is important that you scrub the breech plug threads and get them very clean. Continue with patches until you can look in there and see that the threads of that breech are clean and free of tape, or grease.[/b]
6. [/b]With a saturated patch, pushing from the breech to the muzzle, begin to swab the barrel clean of fowling. Do not drag the dirty patch back over the clean breech plug threads. This might take a couple saturated patches.[/b]
7. [/b]Place a brass bore brush on the ramrod and dip that in solvent. Now brush the barrel a couple times to remove anything that might have accumulated in the barrel.[/b]
8. [/b]With another saturated patch with some solvent or solution, swab the bore of the rifle again in the same manner you did before.. Note the color and condition of the patch. If it is clean, then you need to take steps to dry the barrel.[/b]
9. [/b]With just dry patches, swab the barrel until you are certain the barrel is dry. Feel that patch and if you feel moisture on it, keep swabbing with more patches.[/b]
10. [/b]When your certain the barrel is clean and dry, and the threads of the breech plug are clean and dry, put a HIGH QUALITY GUN OIL on a patch and swab the barrel of the rifle. Be sure to work that oil in real good into the bore to cover all parts. Now you can set the barrel aside.[/b]
11. [/b]Remove the fowled parts from the soaking jar. Clean the breech plug free of all fowling and tape. A toothbrush is very handy for this. I like to take them to the sink and under running water, put a little hand soap on the threads, then brush them clean of all fowling, and rinse the soap off them.[/b]
12. [/b]I then take some Q-tips and dip them in solvent. I clean the inside of the breech plug very carefully and the outside of any spots that might have fowling. Hold that up to the light and you should be able to see light through it.[/b]
13. [/b]Clean all other fowled parts using patches, solvent, Q-tips or anything else you might need.[/b]
14. [/b]Take the trigger and spray it with a solvent or cleaner of sorts. I like to do this outside. I use brake cleaner. After I have sprayed down the inside of the trigger, I like to take my air compressor and using a high pressure air nozzle, blow all the moisture and cleaner out of the trigger assembly. I then put a few drops of quality gun oil in the trigger mechanism.[/b]
15. [/b]Next I take some white Teflon plumbers tape and wrap the breech plug. I then take some anti seize and an small paint brush used for painting models, and paint into the threads over the tape a coating of anti seize. When I have all parts of that covered. I replace the breech plug back into the rifle barrel.[/b]
16. [/b]Next is put the trigger assembly back on. [/b]
17. [/b]Now you reassemble all the parts with a light coat of oil on them.[/b]
18. [/b]Replace the assembled barrel back in to the stock. Lock the barrel to the stock with the locking lug screw. Try and develop a feel for the amount of tension you put on the lug so you can do this each and every time.[/b]
19. [/b]Be sure to wipe the ramrod and the outside of the rifle off.[/b]
20. [/b]Your rifle is now protected and all you need do is swab the barrel with some alcohol before your next range trip to remove the oil in it.[/b]
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