Treating Your Black Powder Barrel

[Cgull]

I was told by an old timer when I bought my 1st muzzel loader that it is a must to treat / season my barrel. Season my barrel I asked? He said yea what do ya think they did when there were no gun cleaning kits and a wal mart to buy all the bore butter you'll ever need. I was clueless and reallyh thought the guy was pulling my leg but he went on to explain. Old timers treated thier barrels just as they'd treat a cast iron skillet, with bacon grease or lard. If you treat your barrel with lard, every time your fire, the burning powder will burn that lard into the barrel creating a non stick finish much like that of a cast iron skilet. Kind of made since, so I bought a dollar 2 lb block of lard and went home to treat my new blackpowder rifle. That was years ago and after much abuse, rain and too many days between cleaning, I can run some soapy hot water thru the barrel and then a lard coated patch adn look at what appeares to be a brand new barrel. This lard treatment really works!