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warhawk77 · 09-09-2011, 01:37 AM

Here is my issue a friend of mine son asked he to clean his musket loader as I am the "gun guy" as he puts it. I have never even held a musket till today. Here are some pics

For the most part it looks like its in good shape. Some rust on the out side of the barrel but its very light I will wipe it with oil and I think it will be fine.

The problem for me looks like inside the barrel. I see a good bit of rust but I think it is where it has set for years. On a normal rifle I would run a patch thru it and maybe a brush but as I can't pull it out the other side not sure how it works on these.

They also asked me about shooting it. I don't have any idea how old this gun is. My friends dad gave it to his son so it's at least 15 years but could be 100+ (don't think its that old because it's in pretty nice shape) What do I need to do to check it out to make sure it's safe to shoot?

quigleysharps4570 · 09-09-2011, 02:48 AM

See that "Black Powder Only"...replica. Besides it being an Ardesa...anytime you see that on a barrel it's a replica rifle, revolver or pistol. Original firearms the owners didn't have to be told that...blackpowder was the only offering of the day.

Far as cleaning and shooting it...you'll hear so many different opinions that I'm just gonna sit this one out.

**c3shooter** · 09-09-2011, 03:35 AM

General instructions for a generic caplock rifle-

1. Make sure it is unloaded. Insert ramrod ALL the way into the barrel. Hold thumb against ramrod at muzzle, withdraw, lay alongside barrel. Should go all the way to the nipple. If the rod stopped an inch or two in front of the nipple, it is loaded. Stop, come back here, we'll talk. Keep ramrod out of the thimbles.

2. After that, remove barrel from stock. See the wedges that pass from one side to the other under the barrel? Tap them gently, and then pull them out. There MAY be a screw thru the tang of the barrel (top of barrel, behind the nipple- pictures do not show)- if so, remove screw. Cock hammer-barrel should swing out of stock-

3. Remove nipple. Tool called nipple wrench- you CAN use a small wrench on the flats of the nipple.

4. Small bucket of hot water and Dawn Dish Detergent. Stick the bottom end of barrel in water. Bore brush and rod will pump water in and out thru the drum (you took nipple out of drum) Scrub it good.

5. Take barrel out of bucket, set in sink, use plastic funnel, pour a quart of HOT clean water down barrel, letting it run out of the drum. After draining, blow it out with compressed air. Heat from water will help it dry. Hang muzzle down, let dry for an hour.

6. Cloth patch and rod, coat with Bore Butter (or light oil if no havva Bore Butter) wipe bore.

7. Clean hammer and exterior of lock with a damp cloth, dry, oil.

8. Wipe down the nipple, reinstall. Return barrel to stock, replace wedges. Wipe down exterior of barrel with oily cloth.

BTW, the term is muzzle loader, not musket loader. For shooting, he needs to do some reading (owner's manual?) Tell him the 2 no-nos with a muzzleloader- they are:
1. NEVER shoot smokeless powder. These are made for black powder, or a BP substitute like Pyrodex.
2. NEVER try to fire a muzzleloader that does not have the ball firmly seated all the way down the bore, resting against the powder charge.

We have a couple of serious black powder shooters that hang around here- if any of them have additions or thoughts- guys, please post them. I shoot BP now and again, but not often.

**hiwall** · 09-09-2011, 04:28 AM

First listen to c3shooter and check if it is loaded. If not loaded you can most likely skip the water cleaning part and just clean like you would a normal rifle. You do need to use water after it has been shot but in this case it probably has just been neglected (hence the rust everywhere). Basically it is just a piece of rusty steel that needs the rust removed and then oiled. I'm sure its safe to shoot and their is a ton of info and videos on the net about that.

warhawk77 · 09-09-2011, 11:32 AM

Here is how far the rod goes.

And where it stops

Judging by how much of the rod is sticking out I think its empty. But it does stop about 1" from the back of the barrel but that might be solid at that point.

I am planning on spending time tomorrow and cleaning it up for him. I never would have thought about water that should help.

Thank you, thank you, thank you Lots of help and I don't feel lost on this project. I know just about nothing about the muzzle loaders

Hawg · 09-10-2011, 04:52 PM

Remove the barrel, plug the nipple, fill bore with Kroil and let it sit a few hours. Dump the Kroil and use a 20 gauge bore mop soaked in Kroil. A wire brush will bend the wires backward and it will be a booger to get out. You might try a bronze brush for a 50 cal. That might fit well enough to remove rust if you use some side pressure on the rod.

Rex in OTZ · 09-13-2011, 08:29 PM

Neutralize salts after shooting needs to leave un-neutralized it'll rust the bore and anyother opening (Nipple & Drum).
This model has barrel wedges that need to be removed (make shure they go back in same side they come out (on reassembling press them in by hand till no barrel movement) its possible the chamber may be stepped (powder is in a smaller diameter bore), then the barrel can be unhooked from the stock and removed, unscrew the nipple and pour some nice hot tap dish soap treated water down the bore and use a brass brush and run it in the bore a couple times to bust loose any crusts of old porpellant, then continue with a jag and patches till its clean useing plenty of hot soapy water, rinse clean when your satisfied its clear of salts you treat it like any other bore (Milsurp corrosive ammo) and oil the barrel inside and out it with oil saturated patch/cloth, I like to use 3 in 1 machine oil.
that's How I would do this particular barrel.

any threaded holes need to be cleaned too, check the Nipple and Barrel and see if the breechplug is forged part the barrel or threaded in the back end?

Some You-Tube Video for flavor.

clean my black powder guns? - YouTube

this fellow did a poor job and them guns is rusty

Cleaning A Musket Part 1 - YouTube

the bathroom shower job
Cleaning a Traditional Style Muzzleloader - YouTube this one is quiet and round about but good

Cleaning blackpowder and pyrodex from guns.wmv - YouTube

this guy is better but has diffrent model

PART ONE. The Cleaning & Maintainance Of A Muzzle-Loading Gun. - YouTube

This Flint Lock fellow is really detail'd

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