Blackhorn 209 and/or Rifle Cleaning..

[cornfedkiller]

My other thread got me thinking - to the guys that use BH209 in their muzzleloaders (and guys that shoot rifles), how do you go about cleaning the barrel?

I know most guys suggest just regular Hoppes No. 9, but I'm curious what your "routine" is. I have never been a rifle guy, so I don't have a routine - so I'm curious what the "correct" way to do it is.

Put a few wet patches down it, let it soak? How long?

Brass brush?

After you are all done, a patch with gun oil on it and run it though the barrel?

 

[goatman]

I'm using Clenzoil. Which is a cleaning oil. If its the end of season I don't swab afterwards. Dry patches if still hunting. You won't need much with the Blackhorn 209. Don't forget to fire a primer before loading. I don't like clean shiny muzzleloader barrels.

 

[iowavf]

I run a brush a couple times, then Hoppes or other solvent to clean the barrel, then use dry patches to dry and wipe it out. If the dry patches are still dirty after a couple, use another wet patch. Light gun oil on new patch for the final step to protect from rust. I leave my breach plug out during the months I'm not using it and check every so often for rust. I run a dry patch before putting the breach plug back in and fire a couple primers before loading.

 

[HorseDoctor]

Goatman & Iowavf have given you good info for using Blackhorn. Centerfire rifles shooting smokeless are an entirely different "can of worms". You will get a different opinion from almost everyone. Some never get cleaned, yet some folks are extremely anal about how & when to clean and what with, even after barrel "break in" which is a totally different can...

 

[IowaDave]

I don't know if it's just in my head, but I use the Blackhorn Solvent- seems to me like it 'breaks down' the fouling faster & better.
If I'm cleaning after I've been shooing, but I'm going to be shooting again soon, I lightly wet a nylon brush with the solvent, run it down about 3 times then run a boresnake down the barrel once or twice. I've run a dry patch down it afterward, but I've found that isn't necessary- it always comes out completely dry after the boresnake.
If I'm cleaning it for the final time for the season, I'll first run a patch wet with solvent down it and let it sit for 5 minutes or so, then repeat the above. Obviously you want to look down the barrel to inspect it to make sure it's good & shiny clean before you put it away for the season.
Also, make sure you get the breech plug good & clean & DRY AFTERWARD....that can be a pain. I take a ball of fine steel wool and form it into a piece small enough to fit down into the primer & powder pockets & twist it around to get it clean. If you use solvent or anything on the breech plug, make sure to leave it sit out sitting up for a day or two before putting it back in and/or using it again.
I always fire 2 primers before loading for the first time to blow any crap and/or moisture that might be in the breech plug out too.

 

[iowavf]

Read on another site and the guy said to run a couple dry patches down the barrel 1st to remove the black powdery residue before a couple patches with solvent. Shot mine the other day and usually don't clean it since I'll be using it this weekend, buy thought I'd try the dry patches. After a couple dry patches ran through one way, flipped over to the clean side and used again, the inside of the barrel looked shiny like it had been cleaned with solvent. I didn't use any wet patches just was curious as to how much residue the dry patches would remove. From now on I'm using a couple dry patches before any solvent patches for Blackhorn cleanup.