Proper Care & Feeding of your Repro Musket

[johan_steele]

I have recently been asked repeatedly how to properly clean a rifle after use in a Living History or re-enactment.

In the field there are two things you can do. 1. Take a dipper and fill w/ water, then place said diper over fire until it's hot... hotter the better. Pour scalding water down the barrel (the inside of the barrel is preferred). It is suggested that you do this w/ the weapon leaning against a tree or cracker box so your hands don't get burned by either the water or the soon to be quite warm barrel. Repeat process until water runs clear out of the nipple. Then using dry patches on your ramrod proceed to wipe the barrel clean. Once this is make certain that your weapon is dry, inside and out.

2. If you have a brass brush and mop use the brush to get the majority of fouling out of your barrel then use the mop to clean out the barrel... NOTE: DO NOT CONFUSE POWDER WATER W/ COFFEE. It's been done, and while quite amusing to watch... can be detrimental to the health if the victim of the prank lacks a sense of humour. Use dry patches to dry the barrel and remember to wipe down the weapon.

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When you get home break out the toolbox as it's time to get to work. Break down the weapon to it's component parts (remove the bands, barrel, butt plate trigger guard, ramrod lock I do mean broken down) and lay them out on a table... preferably on top of white newsprint so the wife doesn't murder you because you got oil all over her kitchen table. Trust me guys, use the newsprint and not bathroom towels either. As you break down the weapon wipe down each metal item w/ an oil cloth. Take the barrel to the bathrom, remove the toilet tank cover and set the barrel into the tank nipple first. Take your ramrod or a cleaning rod and attach a mop, soak the mop in Hoppes Blackpowder solvent or an equivelant and start swabbing out the barrel, if done properly there should be some good suction action going on. Repeat the process until the barrel is clean. Don't forget to check the ceiling height in the bathroom. Don't do this part when the wife is home... again trust me. After cleaning and drying the inside of the barrel liberaly coat the inside of the barrel w/ hoppes. Make certain to wipe excess water from the floor and put the dirty towels into the laundry ASAP... ideally before the wife returns and asks what in the hell you've done to her nice towels.

If the weapon is in need of polish ash and spit work, but in an effort to keep the wife from asking what you're doing w/ ash in her living room use Never Dull to polish the metal surfaces.

Take a bit of linseed oil, enough to fill your hand and wipe down the stock, pay particular attention to nicks and dings as the linseed oil will help protect the stock.

Now it's time to start puting the beautiful piece of art back together. I usually soak a patch w/ gun oil and lightly coat each screw and band prior to putting her back together. When I get to the lock I drop just three drops of sewing machine oil on the moving parts to keep them lubricated.

Once your lovely weapon has been put all back together I suggest wiping down the whole thing w/ a silicone impregnated cloth. If you have a leather sling I suggest you rub that down w/ a good boot oil.

Store her either in a gunsafe, guncabinet or a closet. Don't store in a cloth or plastic guncase, you want her to be able to breath.