I agree with that and then I dry patch it followed by an alcohol patch and then oil.

Looking good SL! A nice find for sure. MK's are just great rifles, I've never had one that wouldn't shoot if I did my part.

I use Pyrodex in my plunger guns, and have never had an issue. I like it, and it cleans easily with most cleaners, or soap and water. I'll admit, I don't do the soap and water thing much anymore either...but have never had an issue with it. I do use it on sidelocks.

If one refrains from soap and water, their "not an issue" turns into "never an issue".

I've taken friends MLs at deer camps, that were cleaned in soap and water and when I showed them dirty patches after running centerfire cleaners down their bores, one hunter had an ash-look on his face and the other's mouth dropped big enough to see his tonsils.

Use what ever you want to clean your MLs. But Dawn Dish Soap and hot water does not remove carbon, lead, plastic or copper. If it did, then all the pistol and centerfire manufacturers would tell purchasers to clean their 9mms and 30.06s with Dawn Dish soap and hot water..... sending Birchwood-Casey, Shooters Choice.......etc.....etc... right out of business.

Keep the water out of your bores. Trapping it accidentally in your grooves creates rust overnight sometimes. Plus when your soap-watery patches turn white and you think that bore is clean, that ML really ain't clean at-all. I've proven that a number of times already.

So clean with whatever you want. Then when you sell the gun to GM154 and he pulls out plastic using the JB Paste, it's proof your soap and water treatment really didn't work to begin with.

More bullfeathers.

SL it appears you got a great deal on a good rifle.

I still use soap and boiling hot water to clean my rifles; however, during hunting season they usually get a once over with a mix of windex and a little vinegar. Since I hunt squirrel hunt with a BP rifle it isn't feasible to give my rifle a bath every day. I hunt almost everyday and the rest I just waste.

Sorry I let somebody sidetrack me on your thread Sabotloader. That's some impressive shooting with peep sights the first time out with that rifle. You know how I feel about the mk 85s. I'm kinda nutz about them.
Art

You wouldn't be able to clean your gun in the sink because your wife wouldn't let you. :cool15:

Soapy water works just fine.

I have never had a problem in all the years I have been shooting a ML cleaning with hot soapy water even use the dollar store dish soap. the cheapest cleaning solution I have ever found. Like any thing in life if done correctly it works and removes every thing in the bore. The water isn't tap water hot at 120F either, It is scalding hot off the stove.
I only use real black and triple 7 in my rifles.

:D Al