Best BP cleaner I have found yet

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LoneGoose

LoneGoose

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I have tried several BP cleaning solutions and they all work - about as well as hot soapy water. But, I got back from the range today after shooting my Pietta 1860 (a lot) and thought I'd try out some Hoppe's #9 Synthetic Blend solvent that I had bought on a whim. I put the nipples in a small Solo cup and set the cylinder on top of them with the loading end pointed up. I poured some of the solution in so that the base of the cylinder was covered. I swabbed out the barrel and then disassembled the rest of the gun. I mopped the solution on all of the parts and then ran a brush into the chambers of the cylinder. Using a soft toothbrush, I scrubbed the nipple recesses of the cylinder - and the fouling just came off with no effort. As I wiped off the small parts and brushed the frame, I kept being surprised at how easily the fouling came off. Swabbed the barrel again, and rinsed everything under a steady stream of hot water. I blew the parts off with compressed air, and they all looked brand new. Well, I thought, the nipples will be the real test. It didn't take very much effort brushing with the toothbrush, and my stainless steel nipples looked like they just came out of the factory package. I rubbed everything down with Bore Butter and put the gun back together.

I'm sold on the stuff. The Synthetic Blend cut my cleaning time in half. No more digging fouling out of the crevices with a wooden toothpick. I don't know what's in the stuff, but this is what I'll be using from now on to clean my 1860 and both of my BP long guns. Just thought I'd pass this on to the rest of you.

P.S. - I use Pyrodex P.
 
This ol coot just grabs up a bottle of blue Windex and shoots some in the barrel, Cylinder and by that time it sits a minute while I'm getting dish soap and water in the bucket its ready for dunking in the bucket. I clean it pretty much as you described but I remove the nipples, When its all ready to reassemble, I get a toothpick and put it in the cap end of the nipple to replace it. I just spin the seated toothpick between my thumb and forefinger to screw in the nipple. If its wet I hit it with WD 40 and then the air. Ive had a couple of bad experiences with bore butter so I avoid it. In several years shooting, Im a believer in soap and hot water .
 
Snaggletooth, I'd like to know about any problems with Bore Butter. I was using regular gun oil until a friend turned me on to BB. I like the stuff, but if it has potential to do me wrong I'd better think twice about it.

Steel, I know a woman who swears by Dawn to get out any stain in clothes. I will probably experiment with it!
 
Pretty interesting. I do a second cleaning the day after shooting, first with hot water and Dawn dishwashing liquid, just the cylinder, nipples and barrel and this stuff sounds like just the ticket. Regarding Bore Butter I believe it needs to be reapplied every so often as it will evaporate. I used it once but didn't think to reapply it and my barrel had some rust in it. Don't know for sure but that was my experience.
 
I clean about the same but with 90% water and 10% Ballistol. Best Ive ever come across. If I don't have Ballistol for some reason, water works fine all by itself. Just get it bone dry afterward.
 
I applied bore butter to a cylinder pin on a Colt and had a hell of a time removing the cylinder, Its probably my fault for not taking the gun apathy for an extended period,. I think bore butter is more of a patch lube. I now use original PAM to lube a cylinder. Try it. That tip came from POHILL. Try spraying the cylinder with Windex before the soap and water. I know shooters who use olive oil to brush on to keep rust away. Piettss like it. Uberti wants the extra virgin.
 
"Do you black powder guys mutter incantations before
cleaning?"

Yes... while raising the item to be cleaned high to the four corners of the Earth.

Right before submersing into hot, soapy holy water.
 
35+ yr now. use plain rubbing alcohol to clean.
Wipe dry- evaporates fast.
NEVER had a rust issue.
Plus I filter it through coffee filter when done, and goes back in the bottle to be reused.

Bore butter is fine on patches, and as lube while shooting.

But I wipe my guns down with plain old gun oil that's been around for a 100 + years (on the market that is).
Don't see a need to waste money on exotic stuff.

Cleaning guns after hunting or to the range, is a time honored tradition.
Gives another opportunity of some one on one time with the kids. a chance to talk and discuss things as they are growing, and being moulded into an honorable person.
 
"a trip through the dishwasher set on high/hot..minus wood grips.....and a wipe down with oily rag ...does it for me". - I would never have thought of that. Makes sense; dishwasher soap is powerful enough to etch glass. Do you use Jet Dry or some other spot-free rinse as well? (No joke, I'm curious).
 
LoneGoose said:
"a trip through the dishwasher set on high/hot..minus wood grips.....and a wipe down with oily rag ...does it for me". - I would never have thought of that. Makes sense; dishwasher soap is powerful enough to etch glass. Do you use Jet Dry or some other spot-free rinse as well? (No joke, I'm curious).
Click to expand...
also an excellent way to coat the next load of dishes with residual lead.
 
Pull it out of the dishwasher before it goes into the dry cycle -- as the dry cycle will effectively
steam the now-ultraclean metal into flash rust. (ask me how I know)
:)cuss:)

Bore butter (whether it be mineral-oil or olive-oil based) is not a good metal protector.
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5973325&postcount=3
(Note that ALOX -- even in minute amounts -- is very effective, ...But.... )

But why go to the trouble when synthetic engine oil is an absolutely superb protector, BP friendly
(unlike its petroleum brethren) -- specifically-designed as a carbon penetrator/detergent -- and dirt
cheap for a lifetime supply.

(FWIW: I've been a BreakFree fan since the late `70s, and lately adopted WeaponShield as my GoTo stuff.
But AMSOIL (or Mobil, etc)Full Sythetic has now replaced everything for everything -- black & smokeless alike
 
That what I thought that Bore Butter is a natural oil and has to be reapply ever so often. I stopped using it as a preservative and only as a wad lube for my revolvers. Does a good job there though.
 
Synthetic engine oil! I would never have thought of that. I'm going into town today, and will pick up a quart. Thanks for that revelation; I'm going to pass this on to my shooting friends.

Also, I'll demote my BB to wad & patch lube only.

Molto grazie.
 
The machine tool guys don't use motor oil, which is designed to ABSORB water. In an engine it gets boiled out, but not so in a gun
For any item that I don't want to rust, I use a mix of nondetergent machine oil and lanolin. It works
 
For the last 40 years, I've used plain hot water. It's cheap and does the job. Just dry well and lube afterwards.
 
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