This is "old hat" to most of you guys, but after once again typing all of this to answer a cleaning question on another forum, I decided to put a post here so it can be referred to in the future.

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Cleaning A Sidelock Muzzle Loader

Here’s my method for cleaning my sidelocks at the end of a range session or after a hunt in which I have fired the gun.

- remove the barrel from the stock,
- remove the nipple from the barrel (or the touch hole liner on a flintlock),
- put a cleaning jag on the ramrod (a range rod is better if you have one),
- put a patch on the cleaning jag,
- stick the breech end of the barrel in a bucket of water (I use a half-gallon plastic bleach jug with the top cut off),
- stick the patched cleaning jag into the muzzle,
- with the breech submerged, pump the rod down and up the full length of the bore a half dozen times (water will come out a little at the muzzle),
- pull the rod out,
- remove barrel from bucket,
- squirt a little liquid dish washing detergent down the bore,
- put a fresh patch on the cleaning jag,
- put the patched jag back in the muzzle and pump the bore a few times with the barrel outside of the bucket,
- put the breech end back in the bucket and pump it another half dozen times submerged,
- remove barrel from bucket,
- replace the patch on the cleaning jag with a new one,
- put clean water in the pail,
- put the breech end back in the bucket and pump it another half dozen times in clean water,
- remove barrel from pail and dry bore well with clean patches,
- oil as you would any gun bore (but make sure the bore is totally dry before oiling - sometimes I give the bore a squirt of alcohol or carburetor cleaner between the dry patches and oil patch to help drying),
- be sure to wipe out the oil with a couple of clean dry patches before loading again.

Something you should know. Most barrels (all Thompson Center and Lyman barrels) have a "patent breech" in the breech plug, which is a chamber that is smaller than bore size. Your regular cleaning jag will not get into this area. It looks like this.




To clean/dry that area, I use a thirty-six inch 1/4" wood dowel with a slot cut in one end with a hacksaw blade and rounded off. Put a 3/4" square of patch material in the slot. Stick it down into the patent breech with a twisting motion as you put it in and pull it out. (No, it won't come off and get stuck down there. At least it never has for me in hundreds of uses.) Some guys use a patch-wrapped .36 caliber brass or nylon brush on the ramrod for this.

It's a real good idea to wipe that area with a clean dry patch to remove any possible oil accumulation before loading. It’s also a good idea to wipe that area every dozen shots or so in a long range session. If you do that, pop a cap before loading in case the wiping pushed crud into the channel to the nipple.




I always begin a hunt with a bore that has been cleaned in this way – making sure to dry patch the bore and patent breech to remove any oil. I load on that clean, dry bore (and sight in for a clean bore). I don’t foul the barrel or pop a cap before loading. I have never had a failure to fire in a hunting situation, even with guns that have been loaded for two months.

About The Lock: I have two approaches, depending on the situation. With a caplock - after a multi-shot range session I take the lock off, scrub it down inside and out with soapy water and a tooth brush, rinse it with clean water, then dry and oil it. After a one-shot hunting situation, I usually leave it mounted on the stock and just wipe it down with an alcohol patch, followed by an oily patch. Pay particular attention to the inside of the cup on the face of the hammer (Q-Tips are real handy for cleaning that area). With my flintlock, I always take the lock off and give it a good cleaning and oiling, even after only one shot (after the hunt, of course).

Hey Semi I guess i should have had these directions years ago.

Semi, I know this is a little off the topic and I DONT reccomend anyone doing this. But a long time ago in one of my Sidelocks I had a misfire, and cap after cap, powder under the nipple, nothing worked. Plus I could'nt get the ball out with a puller, no matter what I tried I just could'nt get it out, I was Screwed.
I neede the ML for Hunting in the Morning BAD, so I went to the garage and put the barrel in a vise and after a long hard struggle I got the breech out, cleared it, cleaned it and Hunted the next day, I was Happy.
From then on since the BP was removed I just did it everytime I cleaned it and it always worked and I never had a problem with it.
I know there not suppos-to come out but I got it out, cleaning was sure a-lot easier after that.......also I guess it's not a BP just a Breech, was I stupid, lucky or both?
(BP)

Well they do come off Breechplug - but it's not recommended. If fact, years ago TC sold a tool that fit the plug for removal. It's real easy to bugger up the plug, barrel, or both without a good fitting tool and a well padded vice. I've seen more than a few "vice grip" breech plugs and barrels. There's really no need to remove it for proper cleaning.

Probably would have helped jaybez.

That is some real good information there... it will help some of the people that are new to the sport.

can't get much better on details but:
I always remove my lock (flinter) before removing the barrel.I find on a flinter the lock sits tight against the barrel helps in not putting any scatches on the barrel near the vent liner

Great post Semi. It should be a sticky post somewhere.
Art

Good point Lonewolf, and I'm glad you brought it up. Probably should have covered the lock issue.

I have two approaches, depending on the situation. With a caplock - after a multi-shot range session I take the lock off, scrub it down inside and out with soapy water and a tooth brush, rinse it with clean water, then dry and oil it. After a one-shot hunting situation, I usually leave it mounted on the stock and just wipe it down with an alcohol patch, followed by an oily patch. With my flintlock, I always take the lock off and give it a good cleaning and oiling, even after only one shot (after the hunt, of course).

Maybe I should edit the original post and add this. (DONE)

Maybe it wuld be a idea to mention a custom builders trick that allows them to work on or replace a barrel here. If you are custom building, building a kit or find it necessary to pull a breach plug. When you are ready to put it back together after cleaning evey thing well especally the threads if it is a repair job. Spray it all with synthetic oil and wrap the thresds in teflon tapethen put it back together, tis keeps the threads sealed and keeps the corrosive residue from burnt powder from getting in the threads and " freezing" them up.