Attending to those offshore patent breeches

[RobD]

I've not built one of these, but it might be a way of administering fouling control and cleaning to the ante-chamber of a patent breech plug.

 [ Invalid Attachment ]

Add a .30 cal brush to the front end of a fouling/cleaning jag (drill and tap).  Cut an "X" in the middle of a cleaning patch so it can be pushed over the brush as the bore patch.  Then drape another patch over the brush.  Wet the patches, run down the tube, and clean both the main and ante-chamber at the same time.

Another thought, while building this tool, is to either fill the jag's cup with silver solder or grind it flat.  A cleaning jag with a concave face makes no sense at all since it won't effect cleaning of the breech face.  This is even more true for classic flat faced onshore breech plugs.

At least that's the concept. 

[KDubs]

Yes sir Rob, you recommended the 30cal brush to me for my TC hawken.
 I had thought I was getting everything cleaned out pretty well until I bought a bore scope.
 Yep the barrel was slicker then cat S___ but the ante chamber was full of old pyrodex, black powder residues.
 Some melted gatofeo and other lubes I tried I'm sure.
 Also could see what looked like salt crystal , interesting.
 Wish I'd taken a picture anyway grabbed the 30 cal and a few swabs and some ballistol.  Looks good as used now.  kevin

[Winter Hawk]

Rob's idea is great, as long as the brush is short enough that it doesn't keep the jag from getting all the way down to the breech plug.   

I use a .357 brush for cleaning the patent breech.  If I recall, I learned that from the directions for a T-C PA Hunter.  It works for me at any rate.

~Kees~

[RobD]

Rob's idea is great, as long as the brush is short enough that it doesn't keep the jag from getting all the way down to the breech plug.   

Yes, indeed!  Gotta clip the brush to just fit into the ante-chamber. 

But I think a better idea *might* be to push on an 8mm VFG cleaning felt over the end of the cut off brush, as we do with BPCR "gopher" bore wipers, that might work easier/better ... ?

[PetahW]

.

FWIW, after every day's shooting, I simply remove the nipple for separate cleaning and plug the ignition channel before pouring BP solvent downbore, and let the rifle set for a couple of hours, muzzle up.

After that, the Holy Black residue just rinses out.

.

[Ironhand]

410 shotgun cleaning mop works great. Use, clean, dry, and repeat.

IronHand

[RobD]

410 shotgun cleaning mop works great. Use, clean, dry, and repeat.

IronHand

Yep, I've used those as well as .38 and even .45 pistol mops. 

However, the point of this topic is to combine the cleaning of both the main chamber and ante-chamber at the same time, rather than require two separate operations with two separate tools - a patched jag for the main chamber and a brush or mop for the smaller ante-chamber.  Those two tools would mean either switching between jag and brush/mop, or having a pair of rods with a jag on one and a brush/mop on t'other. 

IMHO, it would be SO much better if all these offshore trad muzzleloaders ditched the patent breech for a classic flat faced breech - that would be simpler, easier, better ... and more cost effective on the gunmaker's part, too.