I have never fired a black powder rifle but would like to get one (not the new fangled ones, but the old kind). My son-in-law has one and says he must clean after each shot and it is a real pain in the south end. Is that accurate information? He hunts with the new type with scope and all. Not for me.
Don't clean after every shot! First of all you need some fouling in the bore to help retain the projectile from moving forward off the powder charge - this could be a potentially dangerous situation since when the projectile is not seated against the powder you now have a barrel obstruction. It is strongly suggested that prior to loading a bullet, you fire several percussion caps to dry out the nipple/breech of any residual oil - which can cause a no-fire due to powder contamination. Number two, if you clean after every shot you will most likely have a misfire since you will not be able to dry the bore completely and your powder will become damp or contaminated, depending on what you use to clean. I have shot traditional blackpowder firearms for 20+ years and have found that I can get at least 10 shots before fouling becomes an issue. You don't want to let the fouling build up to the point where it becomes very difficult to load - this can boost pressure to an unsafe level. If loading becomes difficult, usually all that is needed is to pass a patch down the bore lubricated with Thompson Center's Bore Butter - it is a great patch and bullet lube and also serves double-duty as a quick cleaner while at the range. Also it will not leave any powder-fouling residue, and it reduces powder fouling so cleaning is not necessary during a range/shooting session. Also, as far as cleaning at the end of the day, nothing works better or is cheaper than regular dishwashing liquid! Any muzzleloading enthusiast will tell you this. It completely dissolves black powder/carbon. Remove the barrel from the stock, and after scrubbing the bore and removing the nipple and cleaning the nipple hole/threads with a pipe cleaner, pour boiling water down the barrel from the muzzle end, let it come out through the nipple hole. The boiling water will dry instantly leaving a dry bore with no chance of rust forming. Now you can use a patch saturated with T/C Bore butter to "condition" the bore and prevent rust. The warm barrel will dissolve the Bore Butter and ensure that it flows into the metal pores thus completely protecting your firearm until the next time you use it.
P.S. - T/C Bore Butter comes in a white and yellow tube and smells like beech nut mint - it is all natural and contains no toxic chemicals. Repeated use will "condition" the bore so that fouling is greatly reduced. It is the best conical bullet/patch lubricant available because it contains no petroleum distillates to attract powder/carbon fouling and will not contaminate powder.
