Cleaning the Traditions Pursuit LT Northwest Edition Black Powder Rifle

Today was my first day out with my new Traditions Pursuit LT break-action muzzle-loader. To be faithful and caring of my new gun, I cleaned it after use. I have cleaned other MZs, but this is the first time with my new Pursuit. Here's how.

Make sure the gun is unloaded.

Blah, blah, as with any firearm. I am not going to necessarily repeat all the rules of safe gun handling, though I will adhere to them, and expect you to do so also.

Disassemble the Rifle.

The fore-stock is removed by backing out the single screw connecting it to the barrel. It requires an Allen (hex head) wrench; my gun came with one the correct size. Once the fore-stock is removed the barrel comes away by releasing the break-action button. I very much like to work with a completely disassembled firearm, regardless of the type, when cleaning. Generally the barrel can be removed with any modern muzzle-loader, by various means. In the case of my in-line rifle, I keep going. Take out the breech plug and out from it the nipple. Now I can look down the barrel to see how dirty, or clean, it is. And it is in this way that in-lines, and especially the break-action rifles are different ... easy access and visibility to the breech end of the barrel.

Clean the Bore.

Using the ram rod that comes with the gun or a range rod, run patches with solvent down the barrel. I like to run patches one way and on out; but the patches can also be worked back and forth. Traditions sells some pre-soaked cleaning patches that are pretty nice for this. To run the rod all the way through I use a ball starter to get it all the way if using the ramrod that comes with the rifle, since it is not quite long enough (to stick out at both ends). A longer-length range rod is also nice for this. Keep running patches through the barrel until: 1) the patches are no longer dirty, and 2) the barrel looks clean (looking down it). Running solvent on a patch or two while finishing in the field or range prior to thorough cleaning is a nice idea to give the gun a `start' at getting clean, and allows powder and other corrosive residues mininum time in the gun.

Give the Barrel A Bath.

I'm not fully sure this is necessary with a break-action in-line rifle with breech plug and nipple removed since I can pretty much `get at' all the surfaces that need cleaned, but until I'm told otherwise, and because I'm in the habit, I give the breech end of my gun a bath in warm, soapy water. Further, with rod and patch I can pull the soapy water up the barrel, and really give it a good cleaning. This is particularly important with a gun that has a closed end (cleaning the breech end blind). `Pumping' the rod pumps soapy water in and out of the barrel; you can stop when the water being pumped out is `clean'. And then rinse with warm clean water. Then run a clean, dry patch down (up) the barrel to remove excess moisture. Allow all parts to dry. Guns that do not have removal breech plug should be stood on muzzle end to allow all water / moisture to drain out. The hotter the rinse water the better - as it will more easily evaporate.

Bore Butter the Barrel

Now it's time for a patch of lubricant, or `bore butter', up/down the barrel. One reason I like to run rods and patches all the way through is that I know that I am not leaving `anything behind' in the barrel.

Dry the Barrel

And then leave the rifle disassembled to allow any other excess moisture to evaporate. (Evaporation doesn't take long out here in the Inland North West; it's pretty dry. It's even dry when it rains.) For a gun with a closed end breech, lean the gun up with muzzle down overnight - so any moisture can drain out.

Clean the Other Parts

Not necessarily in any particular order, clean the other parts: hammer, trigger area, and so on. The rear lock face adjacent to the nipple will be particularly fouled. Use solvent, and/or hot soapy water. Then take away excess solvent, and/or remove excess soapy water. And then I put some lubricant on all those parts also. The nipple may be cleaned physically with a `nipple pick', or by leaving it in the breech and flushing soapy water through it, or both.

Reassemble

Once clean and dry, reassemble the rifle, more or less in the reverse order you took it apart. The nipple goes back in the breech plug, the breech plug back in the breech end of the barrel, and so on. Traditions sells breech plug grease so that the breech plug can be installed snugly, and removed again at some future date (if you know what I mean). Before attaching the barrel I like to make sure it is clean and unobstructed (and relish my cleaning job). Put the ram rod back in its place (after unscrewing the extension end and putting it back in it's un-extended position.

Finally

Put the gun safely away and stored properly. And clean up your cleaning mess. Make a note of any supplies you are running low on or out of so you can get them on hand before your next cleaning job.

Slideshow is ... here.

References

Cleaning the new Traditions Pursuit In-Line Muzzle Loader (Slideshow), Jeff Filler, Associated Content.

Traditions Firearms, 1375 Boston Post Road / P.O. Box 776 Old Saybrook, CT 06475.