Cleaning Knight Inlines

[DaMitt Mystagin]

I've been shooting traditional muzzleloaders for a long time, but just recently bought a Knight Bighorn and have a couple of questions about disassembling for cleaning.  The owner's manual says to remove the barreled action from the stock (and remove the trigger assembly) to clean the bore... 

Do you guys do this every time? 

Even after sighting-in/confirming zero before the season? 

Do you see shifts in point of impact after you've reassembled it?

My TC Renegade often shifts POI after the barrel is removed and then reinstalled.

Thanks,
Joe

[Duckslayer89]

I clean my gun every time I go out and shoot. Take the barrel off and scrub the crap out of it with a bore brush and muzzy soap and extremely hot water in my sink. Basically comes out brand new when I'm done running patches through it. Then I run a single wet patch down the barrel. The same kind I use between shots, they are the presoaked lube round kind and it shoots the same every time after cleaning.

[Sabotloader]

I've been shooting traditional muzzleloaders for a long time, but just recently bought a Knight Bighorn and have a couple of questions about disassembling for cleaning.  The owner's manual says to remove the barreled action from the stock (and remove the trigger assembly) to clean the bore... 

Do you guys do this every time? 

Honestly 'No' - I do take it out every so often to clean the trigger assembly because of fouling but that is about it.  I does make it easier to get the hammer assembly and breech plug out. One thing to remember if you leave the trigger in and slide stuff over the trigger to get it in or out - *make sure the trigger safety is off and do pull the trigger as you insert or pull something out across the trigger.  This will allow the sear to depress.

Even after sighting-in/confirming zero before the season?

Most every BP shooter will tell you to clean well each time you shoot and if you are using real BP or any of the Pyro's I would say good plan!  I shoot T7 and really do not do the then great clean each time, but it is something I have been doing for many years and have developed a routing that works for me.  I will check the rifles zero in September and in most case t will not be really cleaned until the end of the hunting season.  T7 IS corrosive but not anywhere close to real BP or the Pro's.  What you really need to know is that the residue in the bore is what is corrosive. If you neutralize the residue as I do the corrosive ability is greatly reduced even to the point of being non-existent. So what it comes down to is I shoot a semi-fouled barrel.  After shooting I will wipe the barrel with a damp blue Windex patch both sides.  Allow the bore to dry if your patch is to wet and/or dry it with some dry patches.  From there you can reload and go for it.  BUT, if at anytime I feel I have gotten the bore wet while hunting - then I will re-do the whole process.

Here is another operation I do for cleaning...



Again this is what works for me shooting T7 in any Knight stainless barrels - you need to develop your own methods as we all have. 

Do you see shifts in point of impact after you've reassembled it?

It is always possible and maybe even probable if your rifle is not  bedded but even then I would not trust it to much.

My TC Renegade often shifts POI after the barrel is removed and then reinstalled.

Thanks,
Joe

Het Joe, remember this is just what I do - you will find your own way...

mike

[DaMitt Mystagin]

Thanks for the responses guys.

Yes, I have a good cleaning routine that has served me well over the years with my other muzzleloaders, both during season (w/o removing the barrel) and after I've put it away for the season.  I'm sure it'll work just as well on this one.

I guess I made a wrong assumption that I could clean the Bighorn without removing the barrel from the action and not run the risk of messing with my zero before or during the season.

[71Shovelhead]

Hey Sabot, what's the rational for using Windex ? How on earth did you stumble on that as a cleaning agent?  After my shooting session tomorrow I'm going to give it a try. I like simple.

Terry

[Sabotloader]

Hey Sabot, what's the rational for using Windex ? How on earth did you stumble on that as a cleaning agent?  After my shooting session tomorrow I'm going to give it a try. I like simple.

Terry

Terry this is something I just wrote for a guy on another forum...

I can not remember where I came up with the Windex thing... I read it some place. Tried it and really like it...

Here is some of the reasoning.... I guy asked about hunting with a clean bore and I replied I hunt with a 'semi clean' bore

Do you hunt with a squeaky clean bore - NO!  I hunt with what I will call a 'semi-clean' bore in fact the 'semi-clean' bore is in that state all hunting season. I have been using this same practice for several years with no ill effects at all. Note: I shoot T7 and/or BH-209

I also would indicate to you that were I shooting real BP or one of the Pyro's I would have to revisit this whole routine as they are so much more corrosive than T7 or BH.  Were I shooting a blued barrel I would also need to be more diligent in what I am suggesting.

As I have indicated - the residue of the powder burning is the corrosive part of the equation and only when it gets wet with moisture and remains wet/damp.  No moisture no corrosion.  I in my little world also try to minimize the amount of residue in the bore + neutralize the residue that it there.

I believe there are several agents out there will do the job... A few of the more common are: Alcohol, Brake Cleaner, and my favorite regular Blue Windex - the Windex with a minimal amount of Ammonia in the solution.  Ammonia is a natural metal stripper cleaner and the small amount of Ammonia in Windex will not etch or harm your bore + as it evaporates it carries moisture vapor with it.

So... my routine is normally before the season starts is to run to the farm shoot 3-5 shots to confirm the rifle is sighted in.  Then I will run a couple of Windex patches (both sides) up and down a few times in the bore.  This operations removes the bulk of the fouling in the bore - not all but most.  At the same time the chemical reaction of the Ammonia, Alcohol, or brake cleaner with the remaining fouling will weaken and mostly neutralize the effects of the remaining Sulphur salts, and potassium ash in the bore.  It is now my responsibility to keep the bore dry while hunting.  If at anytime I feel that I got the bore wet I will either pull the load or shoot it out and repeat the process - this hardly ever happens but it could.

This pic shows how I prepare the Windex patches...

[71Shovelhead]

Thanks Sabot,
you are a wealth of knowledge.

Terry

[DaMitt Mystagin]

Thanks for the tip, Sabot, I like your pre-made Windex patch idea.  I read about Windex on another forum and have been dragging a bottle of the stuff to the range with me.

I've always used real BP in my flinters and Pyrodex on my cap lock and have just done a thorough cleaning after shooting.  And since I got it, I was just planning to shoot Pyrodex out of my Bighorn, is Triple7 that much less corrosive?

[Sabotloader]

Thanks for the tip, Sabot, I like your pre-made Windex patch idea.  I read about Windex on another forum and have been dragging a bottle of the stuff to the range with me.

I've always used real BP in my flinters and Pyrodex on my cap lock and have just done a thorough cleaning after shooting.  And since I got it, I was just planning to shoot Pyrodex out of my Bighorn, is Triple7 that much less corrosive?

Yes it is and will add a lot more velocity with the same powder load.

[usmc74]

I use 110 GR T7 FFFg in my bighorn, 295 Barnes TMZ, and can hold 4" at 200 yds.  Chrono was just over 1900 fps

[DaMitt Mystagin]

Thanks.  Yep, I've heard it has more energy, but didn't realize it was that much better in the corrosive department.

[Sabotloader]

Thanks.  Yep, I've heard it has more energy, but didn't realize it was that much better in the corrosive department.

T7 is and can be corrosive but no with the same speed as real BP or the Pyro's.  It is important that you not think of it as non-corrosive powder.  The other part is that it easily neutralized.

If you are shooting a blued barreled I believe you would need to be more diligent...