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Tim's Cleaning Tips

The tried and true method of hot soapy water is good, but it's messy and stinky. It's a good thing to do but we have a better method.

If you don't know the soapy water method here it is:

Bucket of HOT soapy water (dawn dish soap works well) submerge breech end (nipple end) in bucket. With a properly fitted cleaning jag attached to your ramrod place a cotton patch on the jag. Plunge the rod with the jag and patch into the barrel repeatedly changing the dirty patch to a clean patch as needed. Continue until patch is no longer black. Remove barrel from bucket of water. Rinse barrel with HOT water. Swab the barrel with your ramrod and a clean cotton patch on your cleaning jag. Swab until the patch comes out dry, changing patches as needed. When barrel is dry use a rust preventive oil (WD40) on a clean dry cotton patch placed on your cleaning jag on the ramrod. Dampen the patch with the oil don't soak it. Swab the inside of the barrel a few times then take a cloth and wipe the outside of the barrel too. Bore Butter or Wonder Lube 1000 on the inside and out side of the barrel works just as well and you apply in the same way. Just use a light coating. If done correctly the gun will be ready to go for next year, or whenever you get the need to smell black powder. This is a good cleaning method, but here's one a little easier and not so messy.

  • Nipple Cleaning- An old tooth brush works good. While Cleaning barrel scrub nipple hole and around nipple where attached to barrel.

Tim's Preferred Cleaning Method

First the cleaning solution-

My personal favorite Recipe:

  • 1 pint of rubbing alcohol
  • 1 pint of peroxide
  • 1/2 pint Murphys Oil Soap
Pour all in a gallon jug. Mix lightly by shaking lightly a few times. This recipe is enough for about 50 cleanings. After your done shooting and the gun is unloaded. Put the lock in half cock position and place a cap on the nipple. Dump about an ounce or 2 ounces down the barrel. Hold your finger over the muzzle end of the barrel (over the end not in the end ) and slush the solution back and forth a few times to coat the barrel. Let stand for 5 mins. Slush back and forth again a few times, then pour the solution out of the barrel and remove the cap from the nipple. Put the breech end of the barrel in a gallon jug of window washer cleaner (like for your car, any brand will do) with ramrod and cleaning jag and a clean cotton patch swab fluid through the barrel about 8 or 10 strokes. Remove barrel from jug. Dry with a clean cotton patch inside and out. Refer to DRYING AND OILING instructions as above.

  • Have used these method for 25 years. It Will not fail if done properly. Doesn't matter which method, it will take about 10 mins. If it's worth shooting, then it's worth cleaning. Not recommended for living rooms but garages, basements or outdoors are just fine places for cleaning.

STORAGE- Place a patch over nipple and place hammer over nipple. This will soak up any oil. Wipe ramrod dry and insert into ramrod pipes on gun. Now you're ready for another day of fun shooting your smoke pole. It will be ready when you are without causing you problems Any other questions just email us