"Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

What are the real differences between the specialty black powder solvents that are advertised and other general purpose gun cleaners like Hoppes, etc. Or about soap and water?

I can't imagine that soap and water would put a dent in lead in the barrel, but Hoppes does and other lead solvents claim to.

I am asking because I am about to order my first rifle (and stop borrowing friends) and the 'starter kits' often come with the special cleaning stuff but it adds to the bottom line.

Experiences?

Chubber

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

I have no idea what the real differences are. I clean my guns in a 5 gal bucket of hot water and dish soap. I have just begun to experiment with Simple Green in a spray bottle. I use Rem Oil to prevent rust.

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

Last year I ran out of "cleaning solution"and decided to try the hot soapy water....it worked great! I shoot sabots so leading really is not a problem for me.Be sure to clean it well after each use to prevent build-up and corrosion....I've seen a friend's brand new rifle almost ruined because he didn't clean and oil the barrel thoroughly enough.

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

Chubber,

I've been using a 50/50 mix of Simple Green & water for over a year - the stuff works great! <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> When shooting CleanShot powder, I can have the gun clean in 1/2 hour with this mix if I'm in a hurry. One word of warning though, when using water in any cleaning mix, make sure you remove all of it before oiling the gun and putting it up. I usually hit the bore with a patch of denatured alcohol to help evaporate any remaining water or soap residue, and then oil for storage.

I also sometimes use a product sold as MPro7 black powder/corrosive cleaner & it works great too. It is an organic, biodegradeable cleaner originally designed for the aerospace industry. It does make cleaning easier (less scrubbing required) than with soap & water mixes.....but it ain't too cheap (about $2 an oz in spray form).

There are many options on cleaners (depending on how much you want, or DON'T want to spend) - but I do advise staying away from any product with petroleum derivatives in it.......such tends to &quot;gunk&quot; up the bore & breech over time.


&quot;Every moving thing that liveth, I give unto you as meat&quot; (Gen 9:3)

Trust God..........but keep your powder dry!

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

Soap and water work great! Don't use up a bunch of money on high-priced solvents. (At least not for blackpowder.)

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

I haven't tried the stuff mark Whiz mentioned, so can't comment...RE, for actual black powder, NOT substitutes - the &quot;other&quot; types of solvents: I have found that Hoppe's No. 9 Plus is about useless. The TC stuff (no. 13??) is better, but not much. Shooter's Choice Gel works OK. There are other &quot;exotics&quot; I haven't tried. PLAIN, OL' HOT WATER is hard to beat. For a complete, thorough cleaning, at the end ot the season before putting a gun away, I pour two quarts of BOILING WATER through the bore, DRY IT IMMEDIATELY WHILE HOT, then oil with Break-Free CLP right away!! Next day, I swab it out with two patches just dampened with Break-Free CLP. Using this method, I have NEVER HAD ANY RUST IN A BORE. Have been cleaning this way for the past 40 years (before Break-Free came on the market, I used genuine sperm oil given to me by an old muzzleloading rifle maker in Indianapolis IN in 1960.)

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

While hunting i use t/c #13 solvent works very good . i ALWAYS break the gun down and clean in hot soapy water at the end of the season. i willl sometimes do it randomly during the season. now when i say season i mean the early season is one season and the late is another.
I don't think you can clean a muzzle loader enough.
The 13 works good and on a encore all the crud is in the bore anyway. but i think the soap an water works great for a good cleaning. i also use the T/C bore butter alot. also clean that breach plug and grease it.
leading not a problem with sabots but i have heard of people using cheap sabots with magnum guns and the plastic melting to the bore . i have been told it is very hard to remove.

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

Hot soapy water and WD-40.

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

Ditto 1950kid

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

Greets,
DISCLAIMER:: I am far from an expert on this subject, these are just my observations and opinions::

I have 2 percussion firearms. One is a CVA Navy Colt revolver, in .36 caliber. And the other is a Traditions Hawken Rifle with double triggers, in .50 caliber. I bought the Pistol as a kit, assembled it ( with many mistakes, but I finally got it right. ) I used Hoppes solvent for years on it.. then I bought my Traditions. I got a water soluable black powder solvent for it. I now use that for both guns... It cleans up the black powder ( or pyrodex, only 2 I haveused ) quite nicely! Lead fouling is not really an issue, I assume because of the low velocities generated in my pistol ( I can see the ball going down range if I stand to the side while someone else shoots ) and the fact that I shoot only lubed conicals ( Rarealy ) and patched round ball ( no lead to bore contact ) out of my rifle.
I presume after reading the ingredients of the solution I buy, that soap and water would work nicely as well, however I havenever tried it. I will say this.. IF you shoot Black powder or black powder substitutes from a firearm, then use black powder solvents or recomended substitues only!!! ( IE Soapy water )
That freinds is the bad side of experience talking!!!

Just my uneducated opinion!
Terry

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

Hey everyone, thanks for all of the great comments. I went ahead and bought a CVA Magnum inline this weekend from another list member who cut me a great deal.

From my past reading on this list and elsewhere, I will prob. use either regular BP or cleanshot with either conical minnie balls or saboted projectiles. I will see how the regular hot water and soap cleans it up to start.

Thanks again,

Chubber

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

I've only cleaned a muzzleloader once, since I've only had mine to the range once so far. I removed the barrel and the flash hole liner from the barrel. Filled an icecream bucket half full of hot soapy water, put the breach end of the barrel in the bucket and ran a few patches up and down. Pulling the patch up sucked water up the barrel and pushing it back down forced the water back out. I was amazed at how clean the barrel got after only a few minutes after hearing horror stories of fouled blackpowder barrels and cleaning them. I then took the barrel and ran it under a hot shower then stood the barrel up, muzzle down on news papers to dry over night. No signs of rust the next day, so I ran an oiled patch down the barrel. A few weeks later, still no rust.
So darn easy a complete greenhorn like me can do it.<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

Edited by - briman on 04/30/2002 22:03:29

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

Quite simply the oil from the head of a Sperm whale. Each whale would have almost 100 gallons of top quality oil in a cavity in it's head. It is very high quality organic oil, they would use it for lamps because it does not smoke very much.

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
HOLD EVERYTHING !!!! What the heck is SPERM OIL?<img src=icon_smile_dead.gif border=0 align=middle>
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

At one time I belonged to a Muzzleloading club.There was a cleaning formular that we came up with and it works real good. It doesn't cost much to make and will last for years. I still have some I made probably 20 years ago and it still works great.
2 oz Peroxide
1oz Lestoil(Pinesol)
1oz water soluable oil (Water pump lube from auto parts store)I put the whole can in.
16 oz water.
Another tip, when shoot BP and your hands get stained. Soap and water won't touch it. Use Peroxide to wash your hands and the stain will disappear. Ruger Redhawk

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

I just use hot water and Murphy's oil soap. Work great. After cleaninf I wipe down with regular gun oil and swab the barrel with it as well....I have no rust or tough loading.

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

Hey, I like the idea for Murphy's Oil Soap. It is &quot;natural&quot;, which some rifles require, cheap, and should leave a slight residue to help with oiling. The only thing I worry about is that it is still a soap, which is very high pH and might cause some corosion if left on there long term. I guess you rinse, dry and oil afterwards, right?

Chubber

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

Chubber,

I've seen 2 formulas for the Murphy's. One mixed with water & the other diluted with Hydrogen peroxide. I finally found a bottle of Murphy's, so I'll be trying one or both of these someday. I'm no amateur chemist, but I'm thinking about using 1/3 Murphy's, 1/3 Hydrogen peroxide, 1/3 water, & a splash of denatured alcohol as an interesting mix.

I figure I will do with it the same as my Simple Green mixture - swab the barrel with de-natured alcohol after cleaning & before oiling in order to remove any soap residue & moisture.


&quot;Every moving thing that liveth, I give unto you as meat&quot; (Gen 9:3)

Trust God..........but keep your powder dry!

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

For my money the Thompson's all natural bore cleaner works great. Followed by a vigorous scrubbing of the Thompson's bore butter to preserve the bore and keep it &quot;seasoned&quot;. I never have had any trouble with this combo and the cost of the cleaner is nothing compared to frustration of a gun that won't shoot straight!

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

i clean my cva firebolt with t/c 13 after that use borebutter

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

This is my method. First I remove the barrel and take the nipple out. I then pour some Hoppe's #9 (only a little) and tip the barrel back and fourth coating the inside with the Hoppe's. I then wire brush the barrel to knock any lead and stuff out. Turn the barrel upside down and tap it on some paper to see what falls out. While all this is going on, I had water in an old camp coffee pot boiling.
To this boiling water, I add Dawn dish soap, and the nipple I removed. Wearing a good pair of gloves, I put the nipple end into the water and using some cotton strips I cut from old socks (worn out socks work great. cut 1 1/2 inch strips up the sock, cut that into two cleaning patches, there ya go)suction the water up and down the barrel. The water will turn black as you do this. You will want to change patches a few times. This barrel will be HOT! When the patch is clean, remove it from the water. Then run a patch down with more Hoppe's #9. It should come out clean. Because the barrel is so hot, it will be bone dry at once. Then wipe the outside of the barrel with the hoppe's patches, and pour the water out. The coffee pot screen will catch the nipple (which is very HOT!) Clean the nipple and pick it. When the outside is all wiped clean, I reassemble the rifle after the barrel has been cooled. Oil the outside of the barrel, and if I am going to store it for a while, light coat of oil inside and store muzzle end down.... Works great for me

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

When I'm in a hurry (or feeling lazy) I use TC or Hoppes Black Powder solvent. I bring it to the club for black powder shoots and can have the gun cleaned, oiled and put away before the scores are posted. Very convenient!

Hot soapy water works great when you have hot water.

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
I can clean my Encore thoroughly in ten minutes with T/C no.13 bore cleaner and follow up with borebutter!
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

Has anyone but me ever used Windex with ammonia? Cuts BP or Pyro fowling in a hurry.

Winger

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

I also use the TC cleaner at the range. When I get home I still clean it with Hot soapy water. I then dry it good and coat it with TC bore butter.

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

Last time I used some spray gunk called &quot;Break Free&quot; or some such, sprayed on my 16 ga. boresnake. Not too bad. Pretty expensive though. The can of &quot;spray&quot; was $10.00

I was told about a &quot;home brew&quot; that I had little faith in, until I read it in this thread as well. At least the components are the same, if the proportions are different.

1/3 Murphy's Oil Soap
1/3 Rubbing Alcohol
1/3 Hydrogen Peroxide

Procedure as described to me:

Muzzle up, nipple occluded somehow. Hammer down on a rubber stopper maybe. Next pour a cup or so of the &quot;brew&quot;. Let sit briefly, then scrub with appropriate sized brass brush to loosen all the &quot;gunk&quot;. Then remove the occlusion from the nipple, and force the brass brush back into the barrel, which will force the solution through the nipple cleaning it. Rinse thoroughly with hot water, dry & oil.

I'll take good luck over skill any day!

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

Hot water and soap for mine.

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

Well, since I posted the original topic, I have been trying a couple of the suggestions from this thread. I have come to the conclusion that it is more about the volume of water that you flush through there than what is in it. As long as I put the muzzle in a bucket of water (hot or cold) and pump up and down with the patch, it seems to do a good job quickly. Nothing seems to work when a bucket is not handy and I am using just patches.

I have yet to try the Murphys oil soap, alcohol and peroxide (why peroxide?) but I might give that the next try. It works wonders on my wood floors, why not the muzzleloader?

Chubber

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

I used to use the bucket with soap and water, scrub scrub. Then I tried #13 cleaner. Since I switched to Tripple 7, I just use a couple damp (with water) patches. Then a couple dry patches, then some oil. The stuff comes right off and isn't really corrisive anyway and no sulfer smell. I am thrilled with tripple 7 to the point where I am soaking the rest of my can of Pyrodex and dumping it. I am never going to use it again!!!. The tripple 7 is almost odorless, cleans up with a damp patch, doesn't rust the barrel and is very accurate in my TC thunderhawk.

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

BTW, I used to have such bad leading problems with Great plains bullets that it took hours of scrubbing to get the lead out. I switched to Barnes sabots and now I just scrub with a dry patch briefly between shots and the plastic fowling comes right out! My TC thunderhawk shoots them well too, despite a 1 in 38 twist. No more lead bullets for me! I think jacketed lead would work ok too like Powerbelt but I have not tried them. The barnes shoot great in my gun and that is good enough for me.. Plus they are deadly on deer!

RE: "Black Powder Cleaner" or soap, water, Hoppes, ???
 

Hot soapy water for barrel, pass through with a few patches till clean. I use Black Duck for the breech plug, nipple and my bolt (700 ML). It just seems to clean it quicker than water. Let air dry and put back together. Use rem oil to keep it from rusting and nice and clean. I do this after I shot it ever time...clean freak.