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Hey y'all! My dad just gave me this poor, neglected, sad looking muzzleloader! What's the best way to clean it/ is it worth it. I have bullets, powder and caps for it. But I need one screw for the lock I think? Not sure I need help. Pictures will show the hole on the lock hole(I don't know the right terms). Barrel is rusty and I think the front sight is bent to the right? ‍It's a project I know, can ya walk me through what you would recommend I do?

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@Jbsheepdog

Neat rifle.

First lets make sure that it is empty....
Take the ramrod and drop it down the bore....you should hear a metallic "clink".
That means that its empty.
If you hear a dull "thunk" , then you have a loaded rifle.

Assuming that your rifle is empty....
Put the hammer on half cock....
Remove the lock bolt screw...
( That is the screw that is on the left side of the stock , as you hold the rifle )

Remove the lock....
( Gently pull it out from the stock )

Remove the ramrod....

Remove the wedge pin...
( That is the pin in the center of forearm )

Remove the barrel...
Gently tap the underside of the barrel with hand and pull the barrel upwards...

If you have a nipple wrench....remove the nipple...
If you don't have one ....a small crescent wrench can work.....

The rifle is now apart.

I'd run some cleaning patches down the bore with KROIL to remove the rust.
You can use your ramrod for this....but the patch may fall off...if you don't have a patch puller , this can be a issue...so....use a regular cleaning rod if you ain't got a patch puller.
A bronze bore brush may be of some help as well....

After the rust is cleared...
Dry the bore.

Clean the lock with Hoppe's , CLP , or whatever you fancy....
Take a "Q" tip and clean out the vent with oil or solvent...
( Where the nipple was)
Be sure to use a dry "q" tip afterwards in the vent area.

Clean the nipple...
Use a brush , bronze or steel wool and oil / solvent to do this....
Dry yer nipple ....:D

You are done....now put it back together in reverse order.

To clean after shooting...you can use water to flush out the bore...then oil the bore and run a patch down it afterwards.

it does look like the clean out screw for the drum is missing....you can order one from :
The Gun Works...
Track of the Wolf...
Dixie's Gun Works....
Andy
 
Looks like it is missing the clean out screw that goes in the drum. You could try Track of The Wolf or Dixie Gun Works for a replacement.
Looks to have some serious rust issues.
 
@Jbsheepdog

Neat rifle.

First lets make sure that it is empty....
Take the ramrod and drop it down the bore....you should hear a metallic "clink".
That means that its empty.
If you hear a dull "thunk" , then you have a loaded rifle.

Assuming that your rifle is empty....
Put the hammer on half cock....
Remove the lock bolt screw...
( That is the screw that is on the left side of the stock , as you hold the rifle )

Remove the lock....
( Gently pull it out from the stock )

Remove the ramrod....

Remove the wedge pin...
( That is the pin in the center of forearm )

Remove the barrel...
Gently tap the underside of the barrel with hand and pull the barrel upwards...

If you have a nipple wrench....remove the nipple...
If you don't have one ....a small crescent wrench can work.....

The rifle is now apart.

I'd run some cleaning patches down the bore with KROIL to remove the rust.
You can use your ramrod for this....but the patch may fall off...if you don't have a patch puller , this can be a issue...so....use a regular cleaning rod if you ain't got a patch puller.

After the rust is cleared...
Dry the bore.

Clean the lock with Hoppe's , CLP , or whatever you fancy....
Take a "Q" tip and clean out the vent with oil or solvent...
( Where the nipple was)
Be sure to use a dry "q" tip afterwards in the vent area.

Clean the nipple...
Use a brush , bronze or steel wool and oil / solvent to do this....
Dry yer nipple ....:D

You are done....now put it back together in reverse order.

To clean after shooting...you can use water to flush out the bore...then oil the bore and run a patch down it afterwards.

it does look like the clean out screw for the drum is missing....you can order one from :
The Gun Works...
Track of the Wolf...
Dixie's Gun Works....
Andy
Andy!! Thank you! Huge help!!! Are the clean out screws all standard? Or is there a particular size that I should look for?
 
Normally my first post is new user. I signed up here because of this thread.

run some cleaning patches down the bore with KROIL to remove the rust.

NO.
Any oil based chemicals you put down that bore will create sludge.
Zero petroleum based products should ever be anywhere near a black powder firearm.

Remove the barrel go into the shower the shower. Put the water as hot as you can stand, then use dawn dish washing soap and a brass brush.

That is a medium twist barrel, it will not shoot round ball as good as conicals.

Being its A CVA, you should be able to get a new drum and hot shot nipple form Dixie or ToW.

The heated barrel will dry itself, then apply TC bore butter or any other tallow food grade lube.
 
Andy!! Thank you! Huge help!!! Are the clean out screws all standard? Or is there a particular size that I should look for?
You are very welcome....
The screw size may vary.....When ordering one...I'd make sure to ask someone at the shop , and mention what model rifle you have..

If you have any other questions about black powder or this rifle....Please feel free to ask.
Andy
 
Normally my first post is new user. I signed up here because of this thread.



NO.
Any oil based chemicals you put down that bore will create sludge.
Zero petroleum based products should ever be anywhere near a black powder firearm.

Remove the barrel go into the shower the shower. Put the water as hot as you can stand, then use dawn dish washing soap and a brass brush.

That is a medium twist barrel, it will not shoot round ball as good as conicals.

Being its A CVA, you should be able to get a new drum and hot shot nipple form Dixie or ToW.

The heated barrel will dry itself, then apply TC bore butter or any other tallow food grade lube.

Normally what you said is true...But
What I want to do is remove the rust...so use the KROIL

I did say to use water for regular cleaning in my post which you quoted.
My point to was to clean the rifle and get it usable...Not a regular cleaning.
Andy
 
To the OP...
I have said my piece and gave my advice.

It is what I do with the firearms ,that have been neglected and I get to work on...or have brought back to life for my collection of antique muzzle loaders.
It is not for regular cleaning.

Picture below shows some of what I own.
It works for what I own and for the guns that I have worked on for others.
To include restoration work for museums.
I however will not reply to this thread any longer ...or argue with others.
Andy
DSC05463.jpg
 
Then tell the OP how to season the barrel. I use Kroil a lot. Have a 1920 shotgun soaking right now.
Just a friendly piece of advice, get to know the place and people before arguing. And certainly don't come on here and be rude to the members, there's a way to disagree with someone without coming off like a jerk.
By the way, the person you rudely disagreed with is a highly respected moderator, and a fount of knowledge on the subject of muzzleloaders, who gives freely of his time and wisdom.

Lastly, your recommendation for cleaning is perfectly correct, post shooting! But this thread is about restoring a firearm with a rusted barrel, not cleaning out a bit of carbon.
That rust requires some sort of penetrating oil to break up, thus Andy's recommendation would be would be the preferred approach. At least it'd be my approach.

Tripwire, welcome to the place, and be excellent to eachother.
 
I am never rude, just factual. My military ways rub some folk wrong.
I said that in my intro.
I learned black powder from several masters at the craft, and repair not build them.

Then my question is there never was a black powder barrel that needed to be rerusted before the industrial revolution (improved lubes).

Two people have have opposing views and still be civil.

Here is a secret, I know who he is from RL. Next time I see him I will tell him who I am.
 
Andy's being a little thin skinned. Both him and Trip Wire provided good advice and I don't think Trip was being overly obnoxious. At least I didn't read it that way. I would note that if you're going to clean up the rust with Kroil, when done I'd probably strip the residue out with a liberal application of brake cleaner then go back with Bore Butter (controversy over that product not withstanding) or tallow and call it a day. It helps to do it with a warm barrel, say after cleaning with hot water and soap. The barrel will be ice cold after stripping out the Kroil, but if you put it in a nice warm spot for awhile, or hit it with a hair dryer, it will be OK.
 
Andy's being a little thin skinned. Both him and Trip Wire provided good advice and I don't think Trip was being overly obnoxious.
I'm not sure if you were around a few months ago, but our friendly gun forum was diverging from the friendly. Andy is not being overly sensitive in the matter as he is attempting to cultivate a friendly atmosphere.
 
I'm not sure if you were around a few months ago, but our friendly gun forum was diverging from the friendly. Andy is not being overly sensitive in the matter as he is attempting to cultivate a friendly atmosphere.

I was around, I just don't post a heck of a lot. I still think Andy was a bit butt hurt. Granted, Trip Wire didn't show Andy the deference he usually gets around here, but he wasn't overly rude and didn't denigrate him in any way. I read it as a differing approach to the same issue. Actually good info in both posts. It's OK to disagree and I don't think any boundaries were crossed, other than perhaps a bit of Andy's ego. I'm sure he will get over that, as we all do.
 
Rust I saw just looked like surface stuff. They had these problems in the Colonial days. Work and the right lubes and cleaners should restore that BP weapon just fine. Deep pitting is another matter, but I didn't see any of that.

Nice rifle. Get a new screw and go with what Andy54Hawken said. That's my best advice.

I don't have a BP rifle yet, but I do have a .36 caliber Colt Navy from Pietta. Thanks to Andy, that thing stands and delivers like a dream.

ColtNavy1.jpg
 
Me I gots a Ruger Old Army for my annual natal festivations back in 1986.

I put 96 shots though it just yesterday....................

1603976563214.png

Top to bottom - Uberti Mod 1858 Remington NMA .44cal, Navy Arms Rogers & Spencer .44cal, Navy Arms Remington Mod 1858 brass frame CSA frawk .44cal, and Ruger Old Army .44cal.

A few More?

Here y'are....
1603976803618.png
Top to bottom - Pedersoli Manton .45cal, two more ROAs, Ruger Super Redhawk .357 Mag - mainland UK spec, and Pedersoli LePage target pistol .33cal.
 

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