Top 44 How To Clean A Inline Muzzleloader Quick Answer

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What is the best thing to clean a muzzleloader with?

Hold the butt of the rifle firmly with one hand while pushing the ramrod, with cleaning jag and dry patch attached, down into the hot soapy water. Work the ramrod up and down quickly to suck the hot water up into the bore. This will help to flush out the fouling.

How often should you clean an inline muzzleloader?

Registered. I clean my muzzleloader after every hunting session, but as far as cleaning the gun in between multiple loads on any given day, I only have to run a wet patch down the barrel after every 7-10 loads. I do this because otherwise, as you mentioned, the loads seem to start snagging on the fouling.

Should you clean a muzzleloader after every shot?

Do You Really Have to Clean the Barrel after Every Shot? Not if you are just shooting for fun, but if you want to shoot for accuracy, like when sighting in your gun or working up a load, then Yes! You really need to clean the barrel and breech plug after every shot (or every other shot).

Can you dry fire an inline muzzleloader?

You can repeat the process, including firing, without risk or the need to reload. Dry firing a muzzleloader results in repeated striking of the hammer against the nipple or frizzen. Protective measures should be taken to allow you to practice firing without damaging the nipple, flint, or frizzen.

Can you use Hoppes 9 on muzzleloader?

Whatever you usually use on your centerfire rifles will work just fine. Don’t use any solvent made for muzzleloaders. I use Hoppes #9.

What dissolves black powder?

Black Powder Solvent

Due to its alkaline character, Ballistol is ideal for cleaning and maintaining black powder firearms. The residues from black powder in chambers and bores are acidic. Ballistol neutralizes and dissolves them.

What happens if you don’t clean your muzzleloader?

Firing a muzzleloader leaves a corrosive residue inside the barrel that causes pitting and reduces accuracy. The buildup of residue, called fouling, also will make loading difficult.

How far can you shoot a deer with a muzzleloader?

For any ethical hunter, 200 yards is about the limit of ballistic and shooter performance for a modern muzzleloader.

What powder does CVA recommend?

CVA recommends a minimum of 50 grains, by volume, of blackpowder or blackpowder substitute in your . 45 or . 50 caliber muzzleloader. The maximum load in CVA break- action guns, and any other CVA in-line rifle designated as a “Magnum” is 150 grains by volume.

How accurate are inline muzzleloaders?

For whitetail hunters shooting inside 100 yards with a scoped inline, pretty much any pair of 50-grain pelletized powders will work to push a 250-grain (+/-) muzzleloader bullet to about 1,700 fps with acceptable accuracy.

What should hunters do to ensure the barrel of their muzzleloader is dry and free of residual oils before loading it?

Before you load, make sure your firearm is unloaded. When determining if a muzzleloader is empty, never blow down the barrel, and never cap and fire the gun. Instead, follow these steps. Point the muzzle in a safe direction, and put the safety on if you have one.

Which of the following is a safe step when loading an in line muzzleloader?

Point in safe direction and close block. Clear channel by firing cap. Drop in powder or pellets. Place bullet in muzzle.

How can a hunter tell whether the bullet in a muzzleloader is properly seated?

Projectiles that are not seated against the powder can cause dangerously high pressures when firing. With the rod still in the barrel, mark the ramrod to show when the ball is properly seated over a specific load. Use this mark for future reference to check for a properly seated load.

What is the most accurate muzzleloader bullet?

In fact, the 250gr PowerBelt AeroLite is by far the most accurate muzzleloader bullet I’ve ever shot out of my CVA Wolf and CVA Optima. These bullets also offer absolutely devastating terminal performance on deer sized game.

Which CVA muzzleloader is the best?

Best Overall: CVA Accura V2
  • Caliber: .50.
  • Barrel Length: 30-inch nitride-treated Bergara Barrel.
  • Ignition System: Inline, 209 primer.
  • Weight: 7.6 pounds (rifle only)

Are traditions muzzleloaders any good?

Super lightweight and offering extra safety features, this muzzleloader is a still-hunter’s dream. And it comes at a bargain price! In recent years, Traditions has taken the lead on producing front-stuffers that are lighter and easier for hunters to use.

What is true about using a round ball for the projectile in a muzzleloader?

Round Ball: This is the traditional projectile used in the muzzleloader. Rapid loss of velocity and energy reduces their efficiency compared to the bullet. Hunting success relies more heavily on skills and proximity to the game. These projectiles require the use of lubricated cloth patches, which slows down loading.


How To Clean An Inline Muzzleloader – Intro to Inline Muzzleloaders Part 2
How To Clean An Inline Muzzleloader – Intro to Inline Muzzleloaders Part 2


How to Clean a Muzzleloader

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Solve Your Modern Muzzleloader Accuracy Problems

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Free Bad Advice Given while Learning to Shoot My Muzzleloader

Why Not Use Magnum Loads

Differences in Muzzleloader Barrels and Bullets

Why Not Use PowerBelt Bullets

Do You Really Have to Clean the Barrel after Every Shot

How To Shoot Muzzleloader Accurately

My Load for Thompson Center Encore

Solve Your Modern Muzzleloader Accuracy Problems
Solve Your Modern Muzzleloader Accuracy Problems

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Protecting Your Firearm for Dry-Firing Practice

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How to Clean an Inline Muzzleloader

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  • Summary of article content: Articles about How to Clean an Inline Muzzleloader A plastic pail of hot water with a few drops of laundry detergent added does the trick, just shoving your muzzle in the bucket and working your bore brush up … …
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How to Clean an Inline Muzzleloader
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How to Clean a Muzzleloader

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  • Summary of article content: Articles about How to Clean a Muzzleloader Quick Tips · Use the jag and cleaning patch to clean the bore of your muzzleloader. · Clean the breech assembly with a stiff-bristled brush. …
  • Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for How to Clean a Muzzleloader Quick Tips · Use the jag and cleaning patch to clean the bore of your muzzleloader. · Clean the breech assembly with a stiff-bristled brush. Cleaning a muzzleloader isn’t the mystery it seems like. Learn how to shine that puppy up with ease.
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Cleaning inline muzzleloader at the range? | Modern Muzzleloader Muzzleloading Forum

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How to Clean a Muzzleloader (Black Powder Rifle). : 4 Steps – Instructables

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Introduction How to Clean a Muzzleloader (Black Powder Rifle)

Step 1 Disassembly

Step 2 Clean Nipple Andor Breechplug

Step 3 Cleaning and Protecting Your Barrel

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How to Clean a Muzzleloader

Quick Tips Use the jag and cleaning patch to clean the bore of your muzzleloader.

Clean the breech assembly with a stiff-bristled brush.

Clean the muzzleloader’s breech plug.

Clean the bore of the muzzleloader with hot soapy water.

Dry the bore with the jag and a dry patch.

Wipe the gun down with a little oil.

A muzzleloader is basically any firearm that is loaded from the muzzle end. In this category of firearm are many weapons, including mortars, cannons, muskets, matchlocks, wheellocks, snaplocks, flintlocks, caplocks, and more modern in-line closed breech muzzle-loaders, which is what I am using for this article today. My dad is an avid hunter, and with the recent disappointment of an unproductive regular firearm deer season, he decided to try his luck at muzzleloading this year. The muzzleloader season adds two more weeks to his overall hunting season. If this year proves unsuccessful, then perhaps next year he may try his hand at archery. That season goes for 3½ months.

This closed breech inline muzzleloader is made by Thompson/Center, which is owned by Smith & Wesson. This model is a newer model called the Omega Z5. It takes advantage of a new patented design called the swinging breech. It’s a pretty smart set-up. Give the trigger guard a stiff tug and it swings down, opening the breech and exposing the primer pocket. Then, once a primer is placed in position, the trigger guard and breech are swung back up and locked into place. OK, now to get back to the article. There are two places that you will clean your muzzleloader: in the field and at home. I have described the techniques for both below.

Steps to Field Clean a Muzzleloader

Use the jag and cleaning patch to clean the bore of your muzzleloader. Before cleaning the rifle make sure that is unloaded AND unprimed. Use a jag that is specifically made to fit in the bore of your rifle, which is dependent upon the caliber. Attach the jag to the ramrod by threading it on the tip. Soak a cleaning patch with bore solvent and lay it on top of the muzzle of the rifle. Push the jag down into the bore of the rifle. The jag will fit tightly down the barrel, dragging the patch with it. Move it up and down the bore several times to loosen up the fouling. Next, replace the wet patch with a dry patch to remove the rest of the fouling and dry the bore. Do this with dry patches until one comes out looking clean. Clean the breech assembly with a stiff-bristled brush.Look into the primer pocket and locate any fouling or carbonation that may have accumulated there. Use a stiff-bristled cleaning brush or toothbrush to scrub that stuff away from the primer pocket and breech plug. If needed, apply a little solvent to the brush to aid in removing stuck-on carbonation. Use a dry patch or cloth to dry the breech and remove any loosened junk. If the muzzleloader is excessively dirty, like to the point that field cleaning is not sufficient, then you should do a thorough cleaning.

Steps to Thoroughly Clean a Muzzleloader

Clean the muzzleloader’s breech plug. Make sure that the rifle is unloaded and unprimed. Swing the breech open by pushing the trigger guard down and forward. Use the breech plug wrench to remove the breech plug by turning it counterclockwise. Once removed, scrub the breech plug free of fouling by using a stiff-bristled brush and bore solvent. Also, scrub out the threads inside the bore where the breech plug screws in. Before replacing the breech plug, the make sure it is dry and well lubricated with anti-seize lubricant. Don’t replace it until you have finished cleaning the bore of the muzzleloader. Clean the bore of the muzzleloader with hot soapy water. With the breech plug removed, attach the cleaning jag to the ramrod. Get a bucket with ½ gallon of extremely hot soapy water in it. Place the muzzle of the rifle into the bucket of water. Hold the butt of the rifle firmly with one hand while pushing the ramrod, with cleaning jag and dry patch attached, down into the hot soapy water. Work the ramrod up and down quickly to suck the hot water up into the bore. This will help to flush out the fouling. Dry the bore with the jag and a dry patch. Once all the fouling is flushed out, wipe the barrel dry and push a few dry patches through the bore with the jag and ramrod. Once the bore is dry, push a lightly oiled patch through to ensure that the barrel doesn’t rust up while the muzzleloader is stored. Be careful to not excessively oil the bore, as it can cause blockages. Look down the bore while holding it up to a light to make sure there aren’t any oil drips inside. Wipe the gun down with a little oil. The final step is to wipe down the ramrod, jag, and rest of the rifle with a lightly oiled, lint-free cloth. This will keep the gun from rusting while it’s stored. Replace the breech plug once it’s cleaned, making sure to apply some anti-seize lubricant to the threads before carefully rethreading it into the breech. Also, be careful not to cross thread it. Lastly, using a straw tip applicator, squeeze some moisture-displacing oil into the firing pin. Then test to make sure everything works.

Tips and Reasons for Cleaning Your Muzzleloader

Always make sure your muzzleloader is both UNLOADED and UNPRIMED before cleaning it.

When lightly lubricating your weapon, don’t use a heavy grease or oil. In cold climates it can congeal and slow or altogether stop your hammer from seating.

After scrubbing the barrel with hot soapy water, make sure it is completely dry before applying a light oil to the bore.

Make sure the breech plug threads are meshing properly before screwing the breech plug in. Improperly installed breech plugs may kill you.

In order for your muzzleloader to work properly, it must be properly cleaned.

Field cleaning as part of a regiment of maintenance should be performed each day after shooting has finished.

Thorough cleaning should be done after the season and before you store your rifle for extended periods of time.

Clean your muzzleloader in a well-ventilated area.

Muzzleloader Cleaning Products

Black powder bore solvent.Whether you use black powder or Pyrodex, this bore solvent is supposed to help remove it better than the regular bore solvent. It also helps removes plastic, copper, and lead deposits.

Foaming bore cleaner is an alternative to cleaning with hot water and bore solvent. Just spray it in the bore, let stand one hour, and then wipe clean. You will still need to lightly oil the barrel to prevent rust. You can get Thompson Center Arms T17 Foaming Bore Cleaner from Amazon.

Breech plug cleaner. Once you remove your breech plug, just drop it into the breech plug cleaner container, screw the top back on, and give it a few shakes. Then wipe the breech plug clean.

Solve Your Modern Muzzleloader Accuracy Problems

When I first bought my modern inline muzzleloader, I relied on the advice of too many people that didn’t know what they were talking about. I recognize all the B.S. now, but back then I was glad for any advice I could get. That bad advice set me back many months before I learned how to clean, load and shoot accurately.

I was not the only beginning muzzleloader to be given bad advice. This week, I watched two young men trying to shoot their new muzzleloaders.

I say trying, because I no longer consider 6 inch groups at 50 yards to be getting the job done.

Most modern muzzleloaders should be capable of shooting one inch groups at 100 yards even if every shooter is not. They were having problems because they had been given some of the same bad advice I was given.

What kind of bad advice was I given? Here are a few examples:

Free Bad Advice Given while Learning to Shoot My Muzzleloader

Always use magnum loads (150 grains) in magnum gun

Use Power Belt bullets because they load easy

Don’t need to clean barrel after each shot

If you’re not laughing at me by now, then you are the person I wrote this post for and I can help you shoot more accurately.

Want another laugh at my expense?

I also wasted several weeks trying to learn how to “season” my barrel like a cast iron frying pan. Pure non-sense, but back to the problem at hand – achieving 1 inch accuracy with your muzzleloader.

Why Not Use Magnum Loads?

So, why shouldn’t we use the maximum 150 grain loads if our guns can handle the stress? Stands to reason that maximum load creates maximum velocity, which creates a flatter trajectory. Flat trajectories and increased energy at the point of impact are usually good characteristics for hunting.

For one reason, there are many muzzleloaders that are not capable of shooting anything close to “magnum” loads. Do not test any loads of modern powder in your muzzleloader unless you are certain it can withstand the pressures.

For another reason, even mass produced modern guns can have their own peculiarities. Some guns shoot best with different bullets and different amounts of powder. It’s your job to discover that combination and it requires systematic testing to discover the best combination.

Differences in Muzzleloader Barrels and Bullets

For starters, different manufacturers of 50 cal barrels may have different sized barrels. Thompson Center (TC) barrels are produced very consistently at 0.500 inches. Savage barrels are consistently 0.501 and Knight rifles are consistently 0.502 inches. Other brands may not be consistent from one gun to the next.

Also, the 45 caliber bullets we use in our 50 cal muzzleloaders are not all exactly 0.45 inches. Hornady bullets actually measure 0.452 inches, Barnes bullets are 0.451 and Sierra bullets are 0.4515 inches. The sabots that go with these bullets also come in different thickness, so it should be obvious that different barrels will perform better with different bullet and sabot combinations because they fit differently. I have learned that Barnes T-EZ muzzleloader bullets shoot best in my TC Pro Hunter.

Why Not Use PowerBelt Bullets?

What about those Powerbelt bullets? There are so easy to load. Did the salesman at the sporting goods store lie to me? No, Powerbelt bullets probably worked well for him in his muzzleloader, but they did not work well in my TC encore. I could never shoot better than 3 inch groups with Powerbelts (245 or 295 grain Aerotip) at 100 yards. Plus, later I learned that Powerbelts have poor ballistic coefficients and very poor weight retention when compared to other bullets. Look for a post in the future about making fishing sinkers out of Powerbelt bullets.

Do You Really Have to Clean the Barrel after Every Shot?

Not if you are just shooting for fun, but if you want to shoot for accuracy, like when sighting in your gun or working up a load, then Yes! You really need to clean the barrel and breech plug after every shot (or every other shot).

NOTE: I actually shoot two times before cleaning. Once with the clean barrel at one target and once with the dirty barrel at a second target. I use powder for my first clean barrel shot and reload with pellets for a quick second shot. Why not practice as if we were hunting? If you missed while hunting, you would have to reload quickly and take a second shot from a dirty barrel.

Consistent shooting requires consistent loading and cleaning. How consistent can the load be if you push all that left over crud down on top of the powder when you seat the bullet? Crud gets mixed with the powder and crud increases the distance of the bullet from the spark. Also, how can the bullet exit the barrel consistently when sometimes it’s clean, sometimes its a little dirty and sometimes it’s real dirty?

Also ever considered the inconsistency of using pellets that have chips missing? And, does it make a difference if you sometimes crush the pellets when ramming them down the barrel?

I’ve read articles claiming the bore will be more consistent if you don’t swab after each shot because swabbing causes inconsistencies. I agree that inconsistent swabbing can be a problem, but consistent swabbing, lubing and drying has to create a more consistent barrel than not swabbing. Anyway, I know what has worked for me and that is to clean the barrel and the breech plug after each shot.

I suggest that you try it both ways and see what you think. Which method gives you the smallest groups?

How To Shoot Muzzleloader Accurately

So, how did I escape from the dark side and get back on the right path? It is a very simple process, but requires steps.

Consistent Cleaning Consistent Loading Consistent Shooting Systematic Testing of powder loads and bullets

Consistent cleaning and loading are simple tasks, but require organization and discipline. Shooting is a perishable skill that we all have to practice constantly to stay proficient. I suggest that while sighting in your muzzleloader or while testing to find the best load for your gun, that you use a bipod, sand bags or a bench rest rests to remove as much of the shooter variation as possible.

My Load for Thompson Center Encore

For mule deer, the most accurate load for my TC Encore is a 250 grain Barnes T-EZ sabot and bullet with 95 grains of Pyrodex Select Powder. I use Federal or Remington 209 primers. Nothing fancy, but it works for me.

For elk, I use a 290 grain Barnes T-EZ sabot and bullet with 120 grains of Pyrodex Select Powder .

For a second shots during practice and in hunting situations, I use 100 grains of Pyrodex Pellets with the 250 grain Barnes T-EZ bullet and 110 or 120 grains with the 290 grain Barnes T-EZ bullet. (110 grains = 50+30+30; 120 grains = 4 X 30).

I have written several articles on muzzleloader accuracy, muzzleloader bullets and systematic load testing: (Find The Right Bullet for Your Rifle) and (Are 6 inch Groups Good Enough for You?).

Don’t know why you missed that deer or elk with your muzzleloader? It might have something to do with those 6 inch groups at the range that automatically turn into 12 inch groups (or worse) in the field.

I suppose I am like a reformed smoker in a way… Now that I know modern inline rifles can shoot tight groups, it drives me crazy to see people that are satisfied with less, especially if they plan to wildly lob those bullets at deer and elk.

I’ve written a book about learning to shoot a muzzleloader accurately. Learn more about my book: Modern Inline Muzzleloader Guide to Loading, Shooting & Cleaning for Accuracy where I share the bad information I was given, the mistakes I made and the valuable tips I learned along the way.

How to Clean an Inline Muzzleloader

How to Clean an Inline Muzzleloader By Randy Wakeman

I’ve received more correspondence regarding cleaning an inline muzzleloader than I expected. Apparently, some great mystery has been ascribed to this, although you would think that after all these years we would have figured it out by now. Though I’m hesitant to state there is only one “best” or even “better” way, it need not be a frightening or formidable task. You really don’t need any esoteric or unique concoctions, although those who sell them would rather you believe that is the case. Shooting an in-line muzzleloader causes two basic types of fouling: ignition-based and propellant based. The ignition-based residue is the bulk of the primer compound that coats actions and the inside of breech plugs. The primer energetic primarily leaves behind carbon composites, which can be dealt with efficiently by various automotive carburetor and parts cleaners–Permatex “Pro-Strength Brake & Parts Cleaner” is one specific example. The more aggressive gunmetal cleaners as Brownells “TCE” or “Gun Scrubber” work just as well, if not better. Most metal cleaners that contain trichloroethylene, used in conjunction with a bronze brush, break up the carbon crud quickly. An often-overlooked area is the internal breech plug threads of your barrel, which should receive the benefit of a good brushing. Any light machinery oil will protect the now bare metal, though I’ve long felt that a drop or two of Breakfree CLP is the best thing you can apply as a protectant. Contingent on gun, a wipe with Breakfree around the very lightly fouled areas (perhaps the trigger group) is all you need. The worst product ever applied to guns, in my experience, is WD-40. A good irrigant, squeak stopper and penetrant, it is a very poor lubricant or protectant, with a low film strength. You are far better off with motor oil than this aromatic gun-wrecker. Though WD-40 is not the pits for everything, it is a very good way to find them in your barrel. As for the barrel itself, water is touted as all you need for cleanup of Hodgdon’s “Triple Seven” from gun bores, though you really don’t need much more than that with black powder or Pyrodex. After all, spit patching between saboted projectile shots is all that is normally required, though some may be blessed with more cleansing spittle than others. A plastic pail of hot water with a few drops of laundry detergent added does the trick, just shoving your muzzle in the bucket and working your bore brush up and down a half dozen strokes is all you need. Finish with a dry patch, and then a Breakfree CLP patch (which is also a mild cleaner) and you are good to store your weapon. On the road, a bottle of any of the commercial black powder cleaners is handy. That, a handful of patches, your jag, and a small “to go” bottle of Breakfree is all you need. Windex (yes, with ammonia) is a very good bore cleaner. Dan Lilja of Lilja Precision Rifle barrels has never seen any damage in one of his barrels caused by the use of ammonia. Dan writes: “The rumor is that copper-removing cleaners with ammonia will pit and damage the interior surface of a barrel. Ammonia is very effective as a copper remover. We use solvents, such as Butch’s Bore Shine, to remove copper during the break-in. We routinely leave Butch’s solution in the barrel over night too. Again, I repeat, we have never seen a problem with ammonia in the concentrations found in commercial cleaners, in either our chrome-moly or stainless steel barrels. This includes examination with our borescope.” Black powder enthusiasts have universally praised Dan’s personal favorite barrel cleaning solvent, “Butch’s Bore Shine.” The snake oil “Bore Butter” concoctions of various animal fats and wax are better off left where they came from–the pot of rotting miscellaneous flesh and animal carcasses bubbling at your local rendering plant. The idea that your modern steel barrel can be seasoned like a cast iron skillet has no basis unless your barrel is also cast iron and you cook pizzas in it regularly. Some of the earlier lubricants were outstanding, like sperm whale oil. Bear grease and bacon drippings were never good, but when that’s all you have, that’s the best you can do. There are times when I wonder if the removable breech plug was invented just to give in-line muzzleloader shooters something to complain about. The Thompson “Hawken” breechplug is also removable, but few do, and so few carp about it. Any viscous, high temperature grease works for the fractions of a second our breech plugs see direct heat in a range session, but I’ve found Bostik “Never-Seez” and other readily available automotive “Anti-Seize” products that meet Mil-Spec 907E to be as good as can be had. Breechplugs vary by manufacturer, but the key seems to be just to be sure to coat all the threads. Triple Seven, a sugar-based propellant, has gained a reputation for causing problems in a few guns. To eliminate that problem, taking the time to crack and then retighten the breechplug after a few shots at the range will break the bond line it can form, and makes removal at the end of the day much, much easier. The “crack the plug then retighten” sequence helps in almost all inlines, regardless of propellant. The first time you try it you’ll be convinced as well. The issue of plastic fouling from sabots has been a bit overstated. With the latest formulations of polyethylene, it is not the issue that it once was. Yet, depending on gun and load, I have seen plastic fouling build-up after a couple of hundred shots. Plastic solvents, such as shotgun choke tube cleaner, run through with a patch after every hundred shots or so, will usually prevent it from becoming an issue. A metal cleaner with the warning “will harm plastics” applied to the bore also takes care of it, as that is the idea. A quick summary is that all you really need is hot water and elbow grease to clean, then Breakfree CLP to protect, with an anti-seize for your breech plug. Windex or Butch’s Bore Shine can speed along the barrel cleaning process a bit, as can Brownell’s TCE or Gunscrubber for the small, primer residue fouled parts. There really isn’t much more to it; it’s just important that you do it as soon as practical after making some smoke.

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