alternative cleaner for blackhorn powder?

[FLINT]

Last year was my first year hunting with black powder and I used the pellets. Only problem was that I missed one buck - didn't know why until I cleaned the rifle later and found that one of the pellets had remained mostly unburned in the gun.

So, this year I wanted to ditch pellets for powder and had heard great things about blackhorn - so last week I went to the range to sight in the blackhorn powder and my 45 colt XTP bullets and some black crush rib sabots.

The combination shot great - really really well. I probably at least a half dozen shots or so without cleaning or anything and afterward, the barrel was definitely dirty, but not terrible.

anyways, so I get home to clean, and I open up the blackhorn cleaner - and holy stuff - what a smell - WOW - the smell was crazy powerful and familiar, but I couldn't remember where I had smelled it before. Anyways, my wife came home and had a fit because the smell was getting into the house. So we closed up all the doors and windows near the gun room to keep it out of the house and opened up the gun room window - but the smell wouldn't go away - it was evil.

my question, is there a less stinky way to clean blackhorn powder than their recommended cleaner? After all this, I'd be happier with the hot water cleaning I did last year - no odor and worked perfect - but the blackhorn website says not to clean up with water.

didn't know if you guys had success with an alternative.

Thanks!

[Nath]

So whats wrong with the real black powder then?
A front stuffer should never be this difficult!

Why not try water and see for yourself!

Nath.

[jmiller]

Maybe it's just me, but I've been using Blackhorn 209 for about three years and I've never heard of "blackhorn cleaner". Is this something special being sold to clean up guns that have had Blackhorn 209 fired out of them? Blackhorn 209 is a smokeless powder developed for muzzle loaders and an additive has been used to make it smoke. After cleaning my guns with regular Hoppes and Shooters Choice type cleaners I've never had a particular problem with any strange smells or any problems getting the barrels clean. Can you explain what "blackhorn cleaner" is?

jmiller IS NOT Joe Miller so don't blame him for my answers.

[Don McDowell]

Don't use any water based solvents with Blackhorn 209 .
Are you sure you have Montana Extreme's blackhorn 209 cleaner? I've used quite a bit of it and never noticed any odor such as you describe.
Any bore cleaner you might have on hand, that is not based on water will work.
To save you some steps, push a dry patch thru the bore first , then use a nylon brush wet with whatever bore cleaner you have on hand, and then follow with alternating dry and wet flannel patches until they come out clean.

[FLINT]

Thanks guys,

Yes, this is what I bought - just figured, why not get the recommended cleaner while I'm at it - might make things easier.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Montana- ... l+Products

Like everything else, smell is relative, but to me (and especially my wife) this stuff has a very strong odor - way stronger than anything else I've ever used on a firearm. I tried to place the smell again, maybe its kerosine, not sure - definitely too strong to use IN the house.

So, after I posted here, it occurred to me to try emailing the company - so I went to the blackhorn website and submitted their question form, and had a response very quickly.

The response said, "You can use any oil based cleaning slovent. Hoppe #9 or Birchwood to name a few".

So, I'm sure this is common sense, but I tend to err on the side of better safe than sorry.

Thanks!