Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Anyone use an ultrasonic cleaner on their ML rifle?

One thing buying a bore scope showed me is that despite the nice job I'm doing on cleaning my muzzle loader's barrels, the breech ends are a horror show. I don't know if it's from prior owners, from me, or both, but I was surprised at the rough, rust conditions down in there. (traditional rifles, not easily removed breech plugs)

That made me start to thing about an ultrasonic cleaner. Obviously unless you bought some high dollar monster, you couldn't put the whole barrel it, but my interest is just the nooks and crannies on the breech, flash channel and what have you. Just sticking the end of the barrel in it. Hooked breeches would work well. Tang breeches would present more of a problem, requiring a deeper unit. Which from what I see, don't come easy. Even as they get larger and larger, they don't seem to get much deeper.


So just wondering if anyone's using one for that.

I don't . People have been using muzzle loaders for several hundred years not having a bore scope and have killed a lot of game or punched holes in paper.

My cap lock, I remove barrel from stock, set the breech in a bucket of hot soapy water. Using a tight patch, suck the soapy water up and back thru the bore. Blow out with a compressor and run a few patches saturated with alcohol thru it and let dry. Oil and put away

Guys buying bore scopes are finding problems that are not problems, then worrying about them.

Inlines with a removal bore plug, I brush with solvent, Give several squirts with brake of carburetor cleaner, then flush out with alcohol. Oil

i bought a small wall paper steamer that i use to clean out my pinned barrels. has a nozzle end that takes the connector of a O2 hose or just a piece of tubing that fits the bore.
shoved to the breach and slowly withdrawn it steam cleans the bore. finish with an Alcohol swab and finish with the oil of choice.
one thing i have to watch out for is getting the browned barrel too hot. will turn browning black/blue.

Right off the bat, number one, the answer I was expecting. Just not the answer to the question I was asking. Ah.. the internet.


YES, I know how to clean them. I'm exploring easier, better ways to clean them.

Here was your question. "So just wondering if anyone's using one for that." I answered it " I don't" . Yea the internet asking for answers for problems that don't exist.

No ultrasonic cleaner here, so I'm a definate no. Lol! We all have our own cleaning methods, and as I clean my guns, I've never seen an accuracy issue other than myself. I guess if I did see accuracy issues, I'd look for another cleaning method.

No

I've wondered the same thing mostly for cap and ball pistols..
I have two ultrasonic cleaners and haven't tried it yet. decided on what formulation might be best..

I've wondered the same thing mostly for cap and ball pistols..
I have two ultrasonic cleaners and haven't tried it yet. decided on what formulation might be best..

I'd be curious if an ultrasonic cleaner would work for small parts and pieces such as a breech plug.

I don't use them. If you decide to use an ultrasonic cleaner, don't use it on cerakoted or plated parts. Ultrasonic cleaners can lift plating and cerakote finishes, as well as other delicate finishes such as hydrodipped camo finishes.