How To Clean A Muzzleloader Breech Plug

Vickery Monal1942 · Saturday, November 27, 2021

November 22nd, 2017,10:13 PM #1

Loyal Member

Question: cleaning flash hole of breech plug

Any secrets to cleaning the smallest part of the flash hole of a breech plug (I have a T/C Pro Hunter FX)? I assume a small wire would do the trick, but what type of wire would be best to avoid scratching/damaging the breech plug itself?
November 22nd, 201710:13 PM # ADS
November 22nd, 2017,11:41 PM #2

Has all the answers

I use a pipe cleaner with hot soapy water and a safety pin for the smallest opening. A toothpick can work in a pinch too.
November 23rd, 2017,03:09 AM #3

Member for Life

I use an air compressor; I soak the plug from my inline in a TC cleaning solution (hot soapy water will do) while I'm cleaning the rest of the gun. Then I put the rubber end of the air hose into the hole and just blow it out.
Do the same for my side locks...just , plug the vent hole, pour some ML cleaner down the barrel, let it soak. The put the air hose on the end of the barrel and blow it all out the vent hole.

I also have the special cleaning pik that is designed to clean the hole...it works. You can make one of those out of a piece of copper or brass wire, any softer metal will not scratch the harder metal of the plug.

Last edited by MikePal; November 23rd, 2017 at 03:32 AM.

Arte et marte (By Skill and by Fighting)...The RCEME motto
November 23rd, 2017,05:04 AM #4

Member for Life

All great advice.... A small drill bit can work too.... can't remember the exact size............. but 1/16 sounds familiar. Or even a torch tip cleaner tool works great

"Everything is easy when you know how"
"Meat is not grown in stores"
November 23rd, 2017,04:38 PM #5

Member for Life

After soaking the plug in Hoppe's #9 for a while I have been using a 1/8" drill bit turned with my fingers on the flame channel side and a sewing needle in the tiny hole on the exhaust side but hope to have one of these in my stocking come December 25th morning...
http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/ti...8130p.html#srp
November 23rd, 2017,04:45 PM #6

Borderline Spammer

Go to can. tire or any welding supply shop and get yourself a tip cleaning set for cutting torches, don't use a drill bit unless you know the exact size of the hole in your breech plug.

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst!
November 23rd, 2017,08:25 PM #7

Member for Life

Originally Posted by jlmorgan

Go to can. tire or any welding supply shop and get yourself a tip cleaning set for cutting torches, don't use a drill bit unless you know the exact size of the hole in your breech plug.

Myself and a few others that I know , have used these for years , they work extremely well.
November 23rd, 2017,08:52 PM #8

Member for Life

.....and then there is the give it a shake method....
November 26th, 2017,07:24 AM #9

Needs a new keyboard

Drill bit works awesome for my cva.
November 26th, 2017,08:24 AM #10

Elite Member

Unless you really go at it (with any hand tool)or use power tool,it is hard to imagine scratching the inside of the flashole.The guys above gave many good advice .......