Traditional Muzzleloading Association

Traditional Firearms => Flintlock Long Guns => Topic started by: WhiteBlanket on April 17, 2008, 03:26:41 PM

Title: Cleaning the Fusil-de-chasse
Post by: WhiteBlanket on April 17, 2008, 03:26:41 PM

My fusil-de-chasse is the first new gun I have purchased.  As a result, I am not quite sure what I need to do order to keep it clean while still "seasoning" it.

When I come home from shooting I always give a gun as thorough a cleaning as I can.  To wit:

1.  Scrub the bore with a plug of tow impregnated with water and a little bore cleaner (TOTW); I push the plug in with the wiping stick and pull it out by a string.  (The touchhole is first sealed with a toothpick).  I do this a couple of times, washing the black off my tow with fresh water and my fingers.

2.  Fill the barrel several times with hot water, shake it back and forth, and repeat until the water pours out all clean.

3.   Dry the bore with a double-patched cleaning jag until no trace of black remains and I have a clean patch.  Set gun in corner to dry, muzzle down.    In the meantime I clean the lock and the outside of the barrel with a wet patch, then dry.  If it is determined gunk yet inside, I add some Ballistol and water on a wet patch, and then dry again till clean.

4. Dry-swab again. Finish by running an oiled patch of Ballistol down the bore on the cleaning jag.

Now, my problems are these:

A.  I bought a bore scraper recently.  I noticed that when I tried using it in the corner of the breech-end bore, I got a bit of black gunk off the blade, maybe the size of a round-headed sewing pin. This is AFTER I got a clean patch from the gun. I imagine the stuff is stuck in the corner between the bore and the breech plug  and my patches are not getting absolutely EVERYTHING, although I doubt it is very acidic after all that washing.  Is there anything I am doing wrong, and how often should I use the bore scraper?

B.  I notice two kinds of residue in my gun barrel.  The first is the blue-black-green gunk, which I believe to be fouling.  I clean that out as described above until my dry patches come out clean.  The second type is that which I notice, when after getting a clean patch before oiling the gun, the oiling patch ( pure Ballistol) comes out with a bit of warm brown color.  I notice it again when I take the gun out the next day to shoot and run a dry patch to remove excess oil before shooting. The brown marks feel and smell of oil; I smell no sulpherous scent as I do on what I know is fouling.   I don't think it IS fouling - the color is wrong:  is this  the "seasoning" people talk about? Is it RUST!!!?????   Do I have a problem?  Should I be doing anything different?

Thanks for any advice you can provide.

Gratefully,
WhiteBlanket

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Post by: Riley/MN on April 17, 2008, 03:56:24 PM

From the little bit I have used ballistol, I don't think you can clean the bore enough that a ballistol patch will not come out with some brown on it. I don't know that it is removing the seasoning, but it sure picks up something...

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Post by: Mitch on April 17, 2008, 04:18:21 PM

plug touch-hole...fill barrel with water(I use it right from the tap or crick)-let it sit for "awhile"...dump it, a few patches to clean, lube it with bear grease..done

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Post by: WhiteBlanket on April 17, 2008, 05:00:18 PM

So I suppose I am just being obsessive-compulsive and neurotic about all this? :lol:

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Post by: Sir Michael on April 17, 2008, 06:19:52 PM

WhiteBlanket, the only thing I might add is that I've found it of use to fold up a cleaning patch with cleaner on it (water or what ever) and push it down the barrel to the breach.  Then I put the breach scraper on my cleaning rod and run it down the barrel.  At this point you may want to remove the plug from the touch hole.  I then rotate the rod and patch.  The blade on the scraper does a good job of holding the wadded up patch and rotates it against the breach face and the inside of barrel.  I then remove the patch with my patch puller.  If there is a lot of stuff on the patch I may do it again.  After I've dried the barrel with patches I perform the same action with a dry patch.   :hey-hey  :toast  

Keep throw'n that lead.

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Post by: pathfinder on April 18, 2008, 05:23:12 AM

Couple times a year I'll use a bottoming brush on the face of the breach just to make myself feel better

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Post by: Sir Michael on April 18, 2008, 06:16:54 PM

I use one of them to.

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Post by: The Baron on May 14, 2008, 10:39:32 PM

Thanks for starting this WhiteBlanket... this has been helpful to me, as I had some of the same questions.  I use Ballistol and always get a little of that brownish color on the patches, even after I am quite certain the bore is "clean".  I used to worry about it, then I stopped because I figured there's no way it can be rust when the bore is coated with Ballistol (I always give it a good wiping with a Ballistol soaked patch for storage).

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Post by: WhiteBlanket on May 14, 2008, 11:27:29 PM

My pleasure.  I am a rank beginner in many ways,and if I ask a question, however stupid, i always get a kind and sensible answer here.

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Post by: Flint62Smoothie on May 15, 2008, 08:54:14 AM

Quote from: "Mitch"

plug touch-hole...fill barrel with water(I use it right from the tap or crick)-let it sit for "awhile"...dump it

I do this too and White Feather, I would change your routine so you do this a few times, then use the breech scaper, and then tend to the bore.  Works for me!  

And Riley's dead on about Ballistol, I may never get sparrkly white clean patches, but definitely no rust or corrosion from it either.  I like the stuff ... and dare I say ... I'm 'almost' getting used to the smell!  Still, it doesn't smell as good as the old Hoppe's when it had benzine in it!

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Post by: butterchurn on May 16, 2008, 11:39:16 AM

Ballistol is good stuff but smells like horse urine!  I don't know if I will ever get used to it.

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Post by: woodman on May 16, 2008, 12:01:26 PM

What is Ballistol? Does it contain any petroluem products?
 Woodman

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Post by: Craig Tx on May 16, 2008, 11:18:28 PM

I don't think it does.

Here's the link...


http://www.ballistol.com/index.htm (http://www.ballistol.com/index.htm)

Craig