Homemade BP Cleaning Solution

Stryker · March 26, 2006, 05:31:08 PM

Had a chance to talk with Troy Roope last week who is a custom gunbuilder and Competition shooter. Aside from a hundred different questions I asked, I asked what he used to clean with. This was a new concotion that I had never heard of, but man, it was like the BP disolved right in front of you. He also uses it to wipe between shots, and has also used it as a patch lube. He got it from some BPCR shooters and as he put it, "Them boys don't use no junk."
But it's real simple,
4 oz Mr. Clean
4 oz Water Soluble oil (like Napa)
Put in quart container and fill with water to the quart line.

I watched him clean his flinter in no time with it. Made up a batch myself last night.

buckshot roberts · March 26, 2006, 05:35:59 PM

Stryker, thanks for passing on that info, My nephew gave me one and it sure needs a very good cleaning, Ron

Rodders · March 27, 2006, 09:43:06 PM

OK - some help for those of us across the sea.
What kind of product is Mr Clean?

Stryker · March 28, 2006, 03:04:27 AM

Mr. Clean is a general purpose cleaner in concentrated form. Can be found usually next to the 409 cleaner. The logo is a bald guy in white tee shirt, with arms crossed and an earring in his left ear. I believe he is known as Mr. Proper in Europe.

alleyyooper · March 28, 2006, 05:02:19 AM

A 50:50 mix of windsheid fluid and rubbing alcoholworks great too.

:) Al

Jay Edward (deceased) · March 28, 2006, 06:05:02 AM

Doesn't sound too bad Stryker. I'm always interested in something that really breaks up the fouling... on the other hand I don't care how efficient it is if it attacks the metal or stock finish. This sounds like it will work fine.

When I get an old action that really needs to be cleaned up (and refinished) I take it to a friend who has an automotive shop. He runs it through that tank they use to clean engines. Man! Does that do a job! But it attacks the finish as well.

For years I used cold, soapy water (as it didn't 'set' the fouling) but it isn't as handy as some of the others you can pack out to the range or out into the field.

quigleysharps4570 · March 28, 2006, 12:27:43 PM

Would like to hear how Strykers recipe goes for you all. Have heard of Alleyyoopers recipe...supposed to be good stuff. Myself...carry a little bottle of glass cleaner "with vinegar" in my possibles bag in the field. Use it to clean my cartridge gun too.

Stryker · March 28, 2006, 03:55:17 PM

Quote from: quigleysharps4570Myself...carry a little bottle of glass cleaner "with vinegar" in my possibles bag in the field. Use it to clean my cartridge gun too.

That got me to thinking Quigley, Vinegar. It was common on the frontier as everyone made it. It was used as a cleaner for centuries, yet safe enough to drink. The acetic acid content of todays vingar is 5%. So it should be easily neutrilized with a light coat of oil.

quigleysharps4570 · March 28, 2006, 04:13:02 PM

I'd dilute it in something or use some old stuff. Saw a brand new fresh jug of it take the blueing off a couple of ole boys rifles once. One of which was mine. Brother-in-law grabbed up a new jug of it so I could clean my rifle up some before I got home. We'd been doing it that way with an old jug of it. Well it was gone so he went in and got one my sister had just bought. We each wet a patch and started swabbing. I went to wipe off the excess that had ran down my barrel and lo and behold...took my blueing off! Course I had a few choice words about it...he looked at his old double barrel muzzleloader and it had done the same thing. I haven't tried straight vinegar since.

Stryker · March 29, 2006, 01:30:52 AM

Quote from: quigleysharps4570I'd dilute it in something or use some old stuff. Saw a brand new fresh jug of it take the blueing off a couple of ole boys rifles once. One of which was mine. Brother-in-law grabbed up a new jug of it so I could clean my rifle up some before I got home. We'd been doing it that way with an old jug of it. Well it was gone so he went in and got one my sister had just bought. We each wet a patch and started swabbing. I went to wipe off the excess that had ran down my barrel and lo and behold...took my blueing off! Course I had a few choice words about it...he looked at his old double barrel muzzleloader and it had done the same thing. I haven't tried straight vinegar since.

I can believe that. But 200 years ago most barrels were left polished, so that would not have been a problem. If they were blued, they were usually charcoal blued or browned. I'm sure vinegar would do nothing to a charcoal blued barrel, and if the barrel was browned properly I'd doubt it would hurt it either.

RumRunner · March 30, 2006, 04:36:54 PM

Quote4 oz Mr. Clean
4 oz Water Soluble oil (like Napa)
Put in quart container and fill with water to the quart line.

In my neck of the woods this is known as Buffalo Water....and it works great!