removing black powder residue

[ruggerio]

i came across an early winchester lever ( 1873) and there is fouling in the barrel from the black powder not being cleaned out. any suggestions on what a could use to get it out?
i was told buy a guy, who after offered to buy it from me , that is was no good and would never come clean and would never be shootable. every thing about the gun is in good working order, it chambers and ejects rounds well and it appears that the fireing pin is good, some flash rust here and there and most of the blue is gone and the wood is pretty nicked up. although i would never fire it much it would be nice to know it was a shooter.
i have seen on these csi/cold csi shows were they dug guns out of the ground that had been buried for years and they made them shoot-able so i find it hard to believe that i cant get this one back. and btw the rifleing in the barrel is still very evident.

[brian]

black powder is insanily corrosive.
if it is indeed a build up from an uncleaned gun, firing BP, then chances are it is in fact unshootable.
the brew of stuff left over from firing BP will leave a hyroscopic acid in the barrel....meaning the stuff left over will suck moisture out fo the air to create the acid. it works pretty quick too, in a severe case a barrel could be ruined over night.
i'd start with a bronze or brass brush on a cleaning rod and see what happens.

[ruggerio]

what about solvents? are there any particular brands that would work better then others for this. i thought maybe i could plug the muzzle and fill the barrel with some solvent and let it soak for a minute or so , maybe free some of the residue up before i brushed it . any thoughts and thanks in advance r.

[41 Redhawk]

If it is blackpowder use hot soapy water at least to start out with.

[Mr_Tom]

If it is blackpowder use hot soapy water at least to start out with.

Good advise, based on what my in-laws(black powder nuts) told me. Sometimes a big pot of boiling water is necessary to soften the crud. Don't just dunk the barral in(on 1/2 at a time based on length verses pot depth) you have to 'pump' the barral up and down. [Perverts leave now] Then run a rod through it.

Might want to get incontact with one of those re-enactiment troops(civil war, war of1812, etc.) for real help.

imho,

tom

[schr8er2000]

True.... use HOT HOT water first to clean most of the stuff out... run it thru the barrel until it comes out almost clear... then plug one end and fill it with a hot water/soap solution and let sit for about 15 minute.... use a brass brush and keep working it out until it again come clear... then flush again with straight HOT water.... Naturally when done put a VERY light coat of oil on a swab and run that thru the bore... that SHOULD get it working again for you...

[Karl/PA]

If you need to go the solvent route use MAP solution or Ballistol. Equal parts of Murphy's Oil soap, alcohol and Hydrogen Peroxide and brushes and rags.
For Ballistol mix 50:50 with hot water, brush and scrub followed by 100% Ballistol. Use it for lube also.

[PA Rifleman]

...

Might want to get incontact with one of those re-enactiment troops(civil war, war of1812, etc.) for real help.

imho,

tom

It's more involved than modern arms, but doesn't require the aggressive chemicals used with modern arms.

I shoot black powder muskets, both flint & civil war percussion. I pull the barrel and dump clean, boiling water down the barrel to remove the first few layers of crap. When boiling water comes out clean, I use Hoppes 9 plus to remove the rest. All the barrels in my legacy collection are spotless.

[Xringshooter]

Hmmm, mightly suspicious, guy says that it's not shootable, never will be, can't do anything with it to clean it, THEN wants to buy it from you??? LOL, that should have told you something about what it might be worth.

The typical BP cleaning procedure first, then check the barrel and go to the modern day solvents, check the barrel again. Once all your patches come out clean, inspect the barrel again to look for pitting, etc. If relatively minor, shoot it, see what it does. If heavier pitting is seen, shoot it and see what it does, it may be good enough for what you want to do with it. If not clean it all up, lube the barrel and make it a nice historic wall hanger. Or sell it.

[ruggerio]

yeah i was def. not sold on it being un shootable. thanks for all the advice. when i get it done i will update.
if it turns out to be a wall hanger it wont be bad. i paid $250 for it and a b.p. single barrel 12ga that was fired buy the guy i bought it from. i dont plan on shooting the shotgun because 1- i know it is not designed for modern shotshells and 2- if i dont feel the need to subject myself to the pain of single shot 12's. the winchester will end up a wall hanger even if it shoots. i would just like to know it does and can