doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Cleaning black powder barrels

water under pressure will find its way into any weep hole, loose rib etc.but you can do what ever you want any way you want.and enjoy rust in between the barrels

In Tennessee we squirt it through the bore holes not all over the barrels...

Proper maintenance when shooting black is not just a clean and throw it in the safe and check it a year later procedure.

I might add that I personally believe that black powder shouldn't be shot in a high quality vintage gun.

Now why on earth would you say that? People have been shooting black powder for ever and not had any problems with rust. Clean is clean and a good lube in the tubes protect them just as well as when using nitro powders. I have never had rust or corrosion using black powder in any of my firearms.

i bought a case of game bore black powder shells and used them in my scott monte carlo B cleaned it properly and never had a problem. this is a good condition 1892 scott mabe not the highest grade but pretty nice

I've shot the Gamebore black powder shells in my guns and they gave good performance but I have come to like the flexability when loading my own. I can vary the amount of shot and the wad column for best performance and hull fit. Using different grades and manufactuer's powders I can vary the speed of the loads. I prime hulls with my MEC Sizemaster and use a wood dowel to seat the wads. I use a roll crimper in my drill press to close and that's it. My vintage guns shoot very well with home rolled black powder shells and with a few minutes of extra cleaning have never exhibited a problem with rusting. Do not be afraid to give black powder a try. It will not hurt your guns and you will have great fun shooting ancient ammunition at clays or in the field.

I shot Black Powder skeet every Wednesday for 3 or 4 years....

And I still say I in a high quality vintage gun I wouldn't shoot black powder...unless I was willing to completely disassemble (action included) and clean pretty regularly.


Fact is there more to cleaning a gun shot with Black Powder than a few squirts of Windex followed by a few patches and a squirt or two of oil here and there...

Buy a muzzleloader. There is less working parts to worry about and a lot more fun. There is a couple of Pedersoli shotguns on Gunbroker right now that need a home.

I guess some just have a phobia about Black powder. What do you think these great condition vintage guns were loaded with when in their heyday? Using self contained shells powder fouling migration is just about non-existent (except for the rare pierced primer)all the fouling is contained in the barrel. I do wipe down the action flats and breach of the guns with a patch and solvent and follow with a lubed patch. Hammer guns, Side lock and box lock guns I have not seen any problems in the internals. I do keep them clean and properly lubed. I never advocated a spit and polish cleaning but to think of constant stripping down only encourages undo wear and is not necessary. Just use common sense and there will not be any problems.

Black powder soot goes everywhere and I can see where this soot will settle into the action on modern breechloader where there is all sorts of areas where it can go. That has to be cleaned somehow and at sometime, and other then tearing down the action for a compete clean eventually black powder will attract moisture and then rust if its not cleaned.

I don't gut my percussion Colt revolvers every time but I do throw the frame into a bucket of hot soapy water then blast it with WD-40 to ensure all the moisture is gone. On my muzzleloader shotguns all I did was remove the 2 sidelocks that can be easily removed and throw them into a bucket of hot soapy water then wipe them down and blast them with WD-40. How do you do that with a modern breechloader unless you separate the action from the stock?

A breechloader is an entirely different ball game with its action.


I don't know because I've never shot black powder out of a breechloader before.

With muzzle loaders there is blowback through the nipples or touch/flash hole The self contained cartridge seals off the breech and for all practical purposes stops fouling migration. It's really simple and a great improvement over muzzle loading technology. Guy's it really is that simple. With a heavy shooting season using my cap and ball revolvers at the end of the season I'll clean the internals and apply a coat of oil then reassemble. Any powder fouling that gets into the action lands on top of the oil part and no corrosion. If using lightly I can go a few years and still not have any problems.