Procedures to clean your M1861 Springfield Percussion Musket

Regimental Quartermaster, Inc. has prepared these instructions to assist you in the care and maintenance of
your black powder musket. For this purpose, we have used an old EuroArms M1861 Springfield made prior to
1992 which was in dire need of cleaning! As needed, there will be additional notes for other muskets if they
differ from the M1861. We do not recommend this type of indepth cleaning for an original/antique musket as
it will significantly devalue your musket.

You will need the following items to properly clean your musket (available items are hyperlinked):

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 Tools:
Wooden Handle Awl: Pictured
on the bottom is a wooden
handled awl; however, modern
awls may be used as well. The
awl is used for removing caked
black powder from around the
musket cone on the rear of the
barrel and other hard to reach
areas.

T-Handle Nipple/Cone Wrench:

Made of steel, these cone
wrenches are for the removal
and installation of the musket
cone. Use the wooden handled
or Musket wrench for cones
that are difficult to remove.

Wooden Handled Cone Wrench:

Made by John Zimmerman,
Master Gunsmith out of Harpers
Ferry, WV, this solid tool is
useful for removing the
nipple/cone from most barrels.
Ensure that the wrench seats
COMPLETELY to prevent
stripping the cone.
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 Tools (continued):

Wire Brush: The wire bristles

are perfect for cleaning black
powder and rust off of difficult
to reach areas but do not use it
on any blued surfaces or brass,
as the bristles are made of steel
and result in damage.

Rear Sight Screw Wrench: For use on

the rear sight of the M1855/61/63
Springfield Muskets. As the two pins on
the end are easily worn down or broken
off, use ballistol beforehand if the screw
is difficult to turn.
Revolver Wedge Punch: Made of
Aluminum, this tool is typically
used to remove the wedge from a
revolver; however, it is also great
to remove/knock loose your bands
from the musket if they are rusted
tight onto the barrel.

Mainspring Vise: Used to remove/install

the mainspring from the lockplate. A
must-have tool as the use of pliers or
vise grips will mar the metal of the
mainspring and potentially over stress
the spring, causing it to break.
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 Tools (continued):

Toothbrush: Great for cleaning

the small nooks and crannies of
your musket, especially around
the front and rear sight and on
the internal mechanisms inside
the lockplate.

Band Spring/Tumbler Punch:

Original punch set is perfectly
sized to fit both original and
reproduction muskets. Used to
punch out the band spring pins,
ramrod spring/trigger pins as
well as separating the hammer
from the tumbler.

Musket Wrench: Whether

original or reproduction, this
wrench is perfect to remove the
musket cone as well as the
screws of the musket. If
reproduction, we recommend
grinding down the ‘leafs’ with a
sander for a solid fit into screw
heads.
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 Tools (continued):

Cleaning Rod: Cheaper and more

durable than a ramrod, used to
run patches and brushes down
the inside of the barrel to remove
rust and black powder. Four
sections used for most muskets,
five sections for the Springfield
M1842 barrel.

Brass Button Jag: Used to run

cotton patches down the length
of the barrel. Ridges along the
side of the jag grip the cotton
patch and ensure the patch
comes out of the barrel. Ensure
you use the proper size jag for
your musket’s caliber.

Brushes: Used to remove rust

and black powder from the
barrel. Recommend you spray
the brushes with ballistol prior
to chasing it down the barrel to
prevent them from getting stuck
inside. The cotton brush can be
cleaned and reused multiple
times.
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 Tools (continued):

Hammer: A brass hammer is

effective while, at the same time,
made of a softer metal that will
not mar/damage the steel of
your musket.

Screwdriver: Flathead
screwdriver made of steel.
Screws on the muskets are
easily damaged. Recommend
using a screwdriver that fits
snugly into screw heads or use a
grinder to shape the screwdriver
head for a perfect fit.

Ballistol: Ballistol cleans and removes all

types of bore fouling, dissolves black
powder and corrosive residue. Ballistol is
fully compatible with all metals including
aluminum. Recommended for use with
original muskets as well as it is non-
abrasive and will not damage the patina of
original muskets.

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 Tools (continued):

Linseed Oil: Used to rejuvenate

the wood of the stock and
weather-proofing. Multiple
coats may be needed as the
wood will soak in the oil,
preventing it from drying out
and cracking.

Cone/Nipple Pick: Made of

steel, the long or short pick is
used to clear out the cone hole
of debris and black powder. As
noted to the right, the end may
be formed to facilitate cleaning
of the bolster’s ignition hole
into the barrel.

NEVR-DULL: Works wonders

on all types of metals, a little
wadding goes a very long way
and will simplify cleaning your
musket.

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 Tools (optional):

Steel Wool: Not for use on

blued steel unless you wish to
remove the bluing, or brass, as it
will scratch the soft metal.
Easily removes rust and
corrosion from metal, but use
sparingly and in conjunction
with ballistol.

Scouring Pads: Cheap but

effective, very useful if cut into
smaller, more manageable
squares. Use with ballistol to
remove caked grime, black
powder and/or rust. Will
remove the bluing off of a
blued barrel.

Dremel Tool: This versatile tool

will allow you to quickly polish
brass, grind down metal, and
shape the stock as needed.
Definitely a ‘force multiplier’
for your tool box. Cord and
cordless models are available.

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 Disassembly
Often a musket will receive a quick cleaning in the field. Typically this is done by
running hot water down the barrel to remove any black powder residue along with
a quick wipe of the exterior. However, we recommend the owner disassemble the
musket after use to remove any excess water from the inside of the lockplate and
underneath the barrel bands which may result in significant rust and potential
damage. Every 6-12 months the wood should receive a coat of linseed oil to ensure
the wood does not dry out and begin forming cracks. We begin with our EuroArms
M1861 Springfield:

STEP 1: Ramrod
This musket has seen little care in the past five years. Rust has formed underneath
the barrel bands, inside the lockplate, and the wood is very dry. To begin, remove
the ramrod and place it to the side. To clean the ramrod, use Ballistol and a couple
of cotton patches to remove surface rust. If there is significant rust, spray the
ramrod with Ballistol and wipe it down with wire wool or a wire brush.

STEP 2: Lockplate
Using a screwdriver or musket wrench, remove the lockplate screws from the stock
opposite the lockplate. Once removed, carefully use your awl to remove the
lockplate washers from the stock and set them aside with the lockplate screws. For
our purposes, we are using an original M1842 musket wrench as we have found
modern screw drivers tend to strip the heads. The screwdriver we use is over 40
years old and the head has been ground with our Dremel to ensure the screwdriver
fits perfectly into the screw heads to prevent accidentally damaging the heads.

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 LOCKPLATE

Hammer Bridle Tumbler Sear Spring

Mainspring Stirrup (attached

to tumbler) Sear

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STEP 2: Lockplate (continued)

‘Hammer Down’ ‘Hammer Safe’ ‘Hammer Fire’

Pull the hammer back to ‘safe’ and carefully remove the lockplate and its
components by sliding it out from the stock. If it is difficult to remove, reinsert the
lockplate screws and lightly tap on the screw head with the brass hammer to push
the lockplate out from its well. We recommend using a brass hammer as it is a
lighter metal and will not damage or mar the metal components on the musket.
Once removed, your components will look like this:

Note the significant rust found on the interior components of this lockplate. This is due to
water running into the lockplate from the barrel as well as humidity. As the rust eats into the
metal, screws will seize and the mainspring/sear spring will deteriorate to the point of
requiring replacement. We highly recommend cleaning your lockplate components at least
every 6 months.
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STEP 3: Lockplate Internals
Hold the lockplate in your hand and
with your thumb pushing up on the
sear, let the hammer fall back to the
‘down’ position which will release
tension on the mainspring. Using a
mainspring vise, slide it over the
mainspring and then tighten the vise
until it comes off of the stirrup (which is
attached to the tumbler). Using light
pressure, gently remove the mainspring
from the lockplate.

With the mainspring removed, use your screwdriver to first loosen the sear spring
screw and then pop the sear spring off of the lockplate. (Note: If there is persistent
rust, liberally spray the entire lockplate and its components with Ballistol. This will
help remove the rust while preventing damage from seized screws and potentially
having them break off). Continue to loosen the sear spring screw and remove.
Remove the sear and sear screw and the bridle and bridle screw (ensuring you keep
the screws with their corresponding parts). Turn the lockplate over and remove the
hammer screw. If the hammer does not come off of the tumbler, insert the
tumbler punch (large end) into the tumbler and loosen it with the brass head
hammer. Once the hammer comes off the tumbler, place it to the side and then
remove the tumbler from the lockplate. You are now ready to begin cleaning the
components:

All components should be sprayed with Ballistol and scoured using the wire brush.
Once all rust and/or black powder residue has been removed from the parts, wipe
them down and reassemble in reverse order from above.

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STEP 4: Band Springs and Bands
With the lockplate complete, set it aside along with the lockplate screws and
washers.

Take your musket and locate the band springs. With your thumb, depress the band
springs one at a time and remove the top, middle, and bottom band springs in that
order. If the bands do not budge, use the revolver wedge punch and hammer to
gently tap the band springs off of the barrel and stock. The revolver wedge punch is
made of aluminum and thus will not damage or mar the steel barrel and bands.

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STEP 5: Band Springs & Barrel (continued)
Once the bands are removed, locate the holes opposite the band springs and use
the thin end of the band spring/tumbler punch to remove the springs. Be very
careful of where the pins attach to the springs as the pins can easily snap off and
then have to be replaced. Place the band springs with their corresponding bands
as the pins’ length determines their placement in the stock. Unscrew the tang
screw from the back end of the barrel and remove the barrel carefully from the
stock.

Wipe down all the band springs, bands and tang screw with Ballistol and cotton
patches. Make sure the insides of the bands are cleaned well as the bands tend to
rust where they meet with the barrel. Excessive rust could permanently mar the
barrel and bands, potentially damaging them beyond repair. If necessary, rub down
the rough/rust spots with Ballistol and steel wool.

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STEP 6: Barrel and Rear Sight
With the barrel free from the stock, use the T-handle or musket/cone wrench to
remove the cone. The cone should then be cleaned with Ballistol and a wire brush.
Carefully remove the clean-out screw, located on the bolster underneath the cone.
A nipple/cone pick will help in clearing the inside of the cone of black powder
residue. Use the rear sight screw wrench and insert it into the two holes of the rear
sight screw. DO NOT FORCE THE SCREW OUT. If the screw does not turn, soak the
screw head in Ballistol and let it sit for 5 minutes before trying again. Once the
sight is removed, remove the long screw from the side and remove the sight leafs.

Use cotton swabs and Ballistol to remove any dirt/grime/rust from the base of the
rear sight and the leaf springs. A pipe cleaner should be used to clean the holes of
the leaf springs and rear sight base. Once finished, reassemble the rear sight and
place it to the side with the screw.
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STEP 6: Barrel

To clean the interior of the barrel, use a simple mix of soap and hot water.
(NOTE: We do not recommend using rubbing alcohol or hydrogen
peroxide in the barrel as it is very caustic and will result in pitting your
barrel.) Pour the hot water mixture down the barrel, plug the bolster hole
and barrel end, and shake the barrel allowing the water to loosen up any
black powder residue. Repeat several times until the water comes out
clear. Once the water runs clear, assemble your cleaning rod, attach a
nylon or brass brush, add water to the barrel and run the brush several
times up and down the bore. This will remove any caked on powder or
rust. Once done, remove the brush and pour out the water from the bore.
Remove the brush from the
cleaning rod and replace it with a
button jag. Apply some Ballistol to
a cotton patch. Run the patch
down the length of the barrel to
remove any remaining black
powder and rust. Repeat until the
patch comes out clean.
With the interior complete, use a steel wool pad or steel wool with
Ballistol to remove any rust and black powder from the exterior of the
barrel. Continue cleaning the exterior of the barrel until all rust and black
powder has been removed. Place the barrel to the side.

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STEP 7: Nose Cap
Locate the nose cap and nose cap screw. Unscrew the nose cap screw and then
slide the nose cap off of the stock. Clean the screw and nose cap with Ballistol and
wire brush as needed. Set them aside.

STEP 8 Trigger Guard Assembly:

Turn the stock and locate the trigger guard assembly. Unscrew the two wood
screws and then remove the assembly.

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STEP 8: Trigger Guard Assembly (continued)
Additional Ballistol may be needed on the trigger screw and trigger guard nuts.
Gently remove these as you do not want to strip these screws.

Once all parts have been removed, clean the metal with Ballistol and a wire
brush/steel wool. Once complete, reassemble the trigger guard assembly (make
sure that you put the trigger on BEFORE the trigger guard) and set it to the side.

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STEP 9: Buttplate
The buttplate receives some of the worst wear as a musket often rests on the
ground allowing moisture and dirt to get into the screws and between the butt
plate and stock. Clean off the screw heads with water or Ballistol removing all
debris from the heads themselves. Carefully unscrew and place the buttplate and
screws to the side. Liberally apply Ballistol to both sides of the buttplate and
remove all traces of rust. Clean the screws, particularly the undersides of the screw
heads (where they meet the metal of the buttplate), and set them aside. Once
completed, the wood stock is all that should remain.

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STEP 10: Stock

The least cared for part on your musket is most likely the wood stock. Constructed
from dark walnut, the wood is very susceptible to temperature and humidity
causing it to dry out. The remedy for this is several liberal applications of Linseed
Oil (natural is preferred, boiled is okay), which can be purchased from Lowe’s,
Home Depot, Walmart or even your local hardware store. However, linseed oil is
VERY flammable and care must be taken when applying. All linseed soaked
materials should be disposed of immediately after use. Using a cotton cloth or
paper towels, soak your material and ‘paint’ the oil onto the stock. Treat both
exposed areas as well as the barrel groove, ramrod trench, lockplate well, trigger
guard well and the buttplate with linseed. Set the stock aside to dry in a well
ventilated area, it may take several hours to be absorbed. Several applications may
be required. Continue applying until the wood ceases to absorb the surface oil.
Wipe down when complete. You are now ready to reassemble the musket.

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 Reassembly
STEP 11: Buttplate

Once the stock has been completely wiped

down, locate your buttplate and wood
screws and attach them to the stock. As
these are wood screws it is important NOT
to overtighten them as they will strip out
the wood. However, if it is already stripped
you can purchase stainable wood putty to
remedy this. Please follow the instructions
of the wood putty product!

STEP 12: Trigger Guard Assembly

Turn the stock over and locate

the trigger guard assembly
well. Gently insert your trigger
guard assembly, sling swivel to
the front, into the well. Then
screw the wood screws into the
stock. Again, if the wood has
been stripped, you should use
a wood putty so that the
trigger guard plate is securely
fastened to the stock. Do not
overtighten the screws

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 STEP 13: Nose Cap

Collect the nose cap and nose cap screw and slide the nose cap gently onto the
stock. Line up the hole in the stock with the nose cap and screw it into place.
STEP 14: Lockplate
At this point we accelerate the ‘reverse order’
reassembly by installing the lockplate BEFORE
the barrel. As the linseed oil may have caused
the stock to swell, it is simpler to install the
lockplate before the barrel due to the tight
tolerances found on most EuroArms and
Pedersoli models. Locate the lockplate
assembly, lockplate screws and lockplate
washers (escutcheons). Gently insert the
lockplate while, at the same time, pushing the
trigger forward so that the lockplate is fully
seated. Turn the stock over, insert the
lockplate washers into the wood and then
tighten down the lockplate screws. DO NOT
OVERTIGHTEN the screws as the wood will
expand and contract and overtightened screws
will prevent it from doing so, leading to cracks
in the wood around the lockplate washers.
Once assembled, perform a functions check on
your musket by pulling the hammer back to
the ‘safe’ position and then pull on the trigger. The hammer should not fall forward.
Pull the hammer back to the ‘fire’ position and pull the trigger. The hammer should
fall.
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STEP 15: Barrel Band Springs

Take your barrel band springs and place them next to the corresponding positions
of the stock. Make sure the longest pin is to the rear (due to the width of the stock)
and then second longest in the middle and shortest to the front. Gently insert the
barrel band springs into the holes until the band springs are flush with the wood of
the stock.

STEP 16: Rear Sight and Cone

Place the rear sight into the groove of
the barrel until the entire sight is flush
with the barrel. Line up the holes and,
using the rear sight wrench, tighten the
rear sight screw onto the barrel. Then
locate your cone and cone wrench and
screw the cone into the barrel. Do not
overtighten the cone as it is the most
susceptible to corrosion due to the use
of black powder. Then carefully screw in
the clean-out screw.
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STEP 17: Barrel & Barrel Bands

Place your barrel into the stock and line up the tang hole (located to the rear of the
barrel) with the receiving hole of the stock. Screw the tang screw into the barrel
until tight. Carefully slide the barrel bands (largest to smallest) onto the
stock/barrel until each barrel band ‘clicks’ into place. If needed, bend the barrel
band springs as mentioned previously to ensure a solid fit.

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STEP 18 Ramrod:

Slide your ramrod into the musket. Your musket is now clean and ready for your
next event!

For further information or questions please contact us at:

Regimental Quartermaster, Inc.

49 Steinwehr Avenue
Gettysburg, PA 17325
(717) 338-1864 (Store)
(717) 338-1850 (Mail Order)
regtqm@aol.com (email)
www.regtqm.com
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