Out in the back country... (Maintenance)

[EvilGenius]

Next weekend I'm planning on rolling down to the Texas hill country for an annual weekend long camping trip essentially.

Only I'm doing it on a motorcycle.

Inevitably firearms come along. Bring wacha wanna show off and admire others ,etc. kind of thing.

I'm contemplating bringing my Walker for a buddy to try out. However, I won't have room for, nor do I want to carry an entire maintenance/cleaning kit for just squeezing off a few rounds.

Anyone have experience for caring for or doing I guess what you'd consider a field cleaning on a BP firearm where you don't have the tools to tear down and thoroughly clean? Mostly just worried about corrosion prevention. I use T7 right now, so that's not a huge risk, but I plan on going to goex in the future when I run out.

 

[J-Bar]

Buy a little aerosol can of Ballistol and spray it into the barrel and chambers when you are finished shooting. Put it in a plastic bag so the stuff doesn't run onto something else until you get back home. I've waited a week to clean a gun prepped this way without any problems, and I bet I could go a lot longer.

If you decided you want to shoot some more after spraying, swab out the wet stuff with wadded up paper towels, pop a cap on each chamber before loading, and fire away.

 

[rodwha]

I've tried the Ballistol and it works.

 

[AJumbo]

Ballistol, patches, a rod and jag, maybe a toothbrush for the nooks and crannies......can't imagine you'll need much else...... and at that, you'll be giving your Walker much better care than most revolvers got during the percussion era.

 

[hartcreek]

JUst do what AJumbo posted and load her back up so you are ready for who ever you encounter on the way home.

 

[44 Dave]

I have a little bp solvent in an old eye drops bottle for travel. The home made stuff (Murphy's+alcohol+peroxide)
If you don't put it in the bathtub you won't have to take more than barrel and cylinder off.

 

[BSA1]

Yep!

Some shooters make cleaning BP firearms too big of a job.

Three wet patches followed by two dry ones cleans the barrel.

With the cylinder I remove the nipples dunk everything into water, run wet patches down the chambers followed by the dry ones. Q-tips to clean the area around the nipples.

Wipe the frame with wet and dry patches.

I run wet patch or two sprayed with moose milk / ballistol reassemble and am done. I rarely take a BP gun completely apart for cleaning (usually about every 5,000 rds).

Supplies needed are a cleaning rod long enough for the barrel, a jag, nipple wrench, patches, a few Q-tips and a spray bottle of moose milk / ballistol. Water of course should be available where ever you are at.

 

[Malamute]

I'm with BSA 1, don't overcomplicate cleaning them. I've used water from a river, water from a canteen, Hoppes No 9, or just not cleaned them before getting home a day or two later. All worked fine, but the Hoppes required quite a few patches. More than a plain water cleaning needed. I used to use black in an original 1886 Winchester and Colt SAA. I didn't get too worked up if I couldn't clean them immediately, and never had any real troubles.

 

[swathdiver]

What J-Bar said. Shoot it, spray it, bag it.

 

[BCRider]

When I've shot BP revolvers over weekends away I take along enough to clean them. The bucket I take along to hold the stuff won't fit on the motorcycle but the rest will fit easily.

First off is a nylon brush to clean out the bore. A short T handle rod and the brush won't be any longer than the gun.

Next is a bundle of 6 to 8 stiff pipe cleaners. I bundle and bend them into a "J shape that produces a folded back snug fitting chamber cleaning tool. The end sticking out is then bent to a crank neck shape to use as a spinning handle. Bring along a couple of extra to clean out the nipples after cleaning.

At the camp ground all you need to do is borrow a small bucket or even a cup to hold some lightly soaped up hot water. A rag you can wet and an old toothbrush will take care of the outsides and the pipe cleaners and bore brush will do the insides. Dry it and spritz it down with a light spray of Ballistol from the small size aerosol can. Or wipe it down with some Canola oil to protect and lubricate for now. Once back home clean it well as per normal.

This sort of supplies for cleaning is easily bundled up in the couple of small rags you'll want for wetting and drying. Once there the only other thing you need is a wash basin to hold the water and that the owner doesn't mind getting somewhat mucked up with the black powder residue.

 

[dprice3844444]

that's why i buy nothing but ss bp roa's.get home,take apart and throw in dishwasher

 

[4v50 Gary]

Minimum equipment: Clean rod; bore brush, old tooth brush & small container of oil.

 

[Mike 56]

When i am out i clean my guns siting around the camp fire at night. My cleaning kit is the size of screwdriver handle patches and q-tips fit in side it. I also bring a GI cleaning brush, 1 gallon food storage bag and a visine bottle full of oil it will all will fit in your pocket. I also like to cast a few bullets over the camp fire as well. I bring a few small ingots, small cast iron pot with handle and a mold.