Home Forums Hunting & Shooting BPCR Cleaning Help

I'm thinking of using my Pre-Custer Trapdoor Carbine for deer one day this year with GOEX black powder ammo. The thing is I've never shot a black powder cartridge gun, only replica Hawkins guns. Cleaning them was a PITA, how do you guys clean BPCR's? Is there a special solvent you use?

Since there is basically no rifling left in my trapdoor I plan on limiting shots to about 30yds - if it's accurate enough for that.

I must say that your idea just doesn't sound the best to me. But I do hope that the black powder ammo you get is what they call "carbine loads" which have only 55 grains of powder under the 400 grain bullet. I also hope your rifle's trapdoor latch isn't as worn as the barrel and that you have had the gun checked out by a knowledgeable 'smith before doing any shooting. Further, if that carbine is not capable of accurate shooting, I wouldn't hunt with it at all.
Now, about cleaning, just clean the rifle like you would a muzzleloader. You will also want to clean the empty cases if you plan to keep them for reloading.

Bring a jug of hot soapy water to the range and a decapper. Knock them primers out before you go home, dunk the cases in that jug and they'll be easy to clean when you get back. Then, throw them in a Thumler's Tumbler for four hours and voila, new cases both inside and out including the primer pockets.

Pretty sporty when they start that "Self Cocking / Auto Ejection" stunt, ain't it ?

......The Block flying off always makes for an interesting story to tell, while squinting through your one remaining eye,...too.

You have given some GREAT advice here, Se�or.

The "Cowboy Loads" that I've scoped out were all OVER the place, in terms of alloy quality and hardness, with attendant variations in diameter. Probably not much of a concern in a barrel that likely started out new at a whopping .463-.464 in it's grooves.

Than and again, it might have LOTS of rifling, HIDING under a serious wash of old leading,....can we spell BOMB, yet ?

GTC

Maybe I over dramatized the lack of rifling. The lock is tight as I've ever seen on a trapdoor and overall the gun is in pretty darn good shape for being 140 years old.

I did just de-construct one of the rounds. There's 60gr of black powder with a thin fiber "wad" and a 405gr soft lead bullet on top of it.

Great !

Sounds like you're good to go.

I've used Windex with Vinegar for cleaning, and TC 1000 "Bore Butter" for storage for a long time. You're dealing with higher humidity, and may want to use a little stouter oil or RIG for protection / storage.

luck,

GTC

This is the ticket here in East Texas, home to humidities from 25% to 100%, depending on the day.

Ed