Is a black powder gun really that hard to clean? ?

I'd like to get into black powder shooting, but reading about cleaning the darn things is a turn off. Is it that hard? Know any short cuts?Is a black powder gun really that hard to clean? ?
This is how I got into blackpower, and it worked fine for me.





I bought an all steel replica of a Colt 1860 revolver in 44 caliber. The nice thing about the cap and ball revolvers is that they are fairly straight forward to load and operate. And, for cleanign purposes, I just used a platic bucket with some hot water and some laundry detergent. Black powder is highly corrosive if you don't clean your gun after shooting. So, with the hand sized revolver, it was easier to get the job done by using a bucket. Just be prepared to wash and empty the bucket twice with detergent, then one final time with pure water for a rinse. I also have some ';dedicated'; bore brushes that I only use for black powder arms, as I don't want to ';pollute'; my other guns with any black powder residue from the brass bore brushes.





After you master the simple cap and ball revolvers, you can move up to the long guns.





A good source for reliable and affordable black powder revolvers is Cabela's. I presently own 2 from Cabela's and 2 from CVA, and they are all fine shooters.Is a black powder gun really that hard to clean? ?
Nope, just use hot soapy water and scrub it well. Then, dry thoroughly and oil it.


shoot safe
Not really hard. It does take time, but not much more than a cartridge firearm. You however HAVE to clean them after you shoot them. It isn't ';I'll do it later';, you need to clean it after you shoot it. Hodgedon's Triple 7 powder is to make cleaning easier, but I have know first hand knowledge as I only use black powder.
The newer powders like 777 and Pioneer powder don't have the sulfur that black powder and Pyrodex have. They burn cleaner and aren't corrosive but you still need to clean your gun but you can do it with just water. Keep the gun cleaned and it will last for years.
Depends on the powder you are using. If you make your own powder as I do then it is a bit more effort to clean than if you buy the new powder equivalents.
i have the CVA Optima that opens like a double barrel shotgun,then just unscrew the breach plug,i think it is probably the easiest powder rifle to clean,especially when using tripe 7.