How to clean a black-powder rifle (1861 Springfield repro)?

Hey,
I'm new to black-powder shooting and was wondering how to clean my gun (an 1861 Springfield three band repro) without a cleaning jag. Also I can't remove the breech-plug so my only access to the breech is through the nipple.
Any advice would help,
Thanks!
The Plug is non-removabile (only a gun smith can remove it)

If you don’t have a cleaning jag or cleaning rod you need to buy one. A standard gun cleaning kit for a .20 ga shotgun will work because .20 ga is .615 caliber and that gun is .58 caliber. You will also need a musket nipple wrench, not the smaller nipple wrench used on later made rifles.

Use the musket nipple wrench to free up the nipple and remove if it wont move don’t go ape use some liquid wrench penetrating oil and let it soak in for a few hours then remove it, place in a can of hot soapy water.
Now it better to remove the barrel from the stock to clean it. Then fill a small bucket with HOT soapy water dish soap works fine. Stick the barrel in the bucket breach end first so the vent hole where the nipple was in under water. Get you cleaning rod out and tie enough cloth to a cleaning tip for a tight fit slide this down the bore and work it back and forth so it works like a piston; drawing in the soapy water and expelling it out the nipple hole. Do this about a dozen times. Then get out the .20 ga brass brush and work it back and forth to the end of the bore. Repeat with another cloth (make sue its tied well you don’t want it to get stuck). Now take the barrel out of the bucket and run *Hot* water through it to flush it out. Stand barrel up muzzle down and let drain. Blow out the nipple hole with compressed air. Now run dry cloth through it till no water shows on the cloth. Lightly oil a cloth and run that through to give the bore a light coat of oil and stand muzzle up while you clean out the nipple with a paper clip or pipe cleaner. Put a drop of oil on the threads of the nipple and replace. The barrel can be installed now.
Before you load it to fire shoot two musket caps off to remove any oil in the nipple, then load as you would.
This is how I clean all my black powder guns and is the way many do. Do this and it will stay in mint shape as long as you live.

I know this sounds like a lot of work but once you get the hang of it you can clean your gun in 20 minutes while watching TV. But do NOT run water through it with out removing the cap nipple. Water will get in the threads and it will rust up and seize. You do not want that! Nipples wear out and have to be replaced sooner or later.
Make sure to give the lock/hammer and all metal a light coat of oil.

NOTE;
You don’t have to remove the breech plug. I have rifles that don’t have a breech plug, many are made without one. And many times the breech plug wont come out even if you have the right wrench. I have had some that I had to put in a barrel vice, heat the barrel carefully with a gas torch and then remove. DON’T try this unless you are a gun smith or have years of experience; I have 35 years experience. I build my own BP guns. If you over heat the barrel it WILL damage it.
Here is a link on how one guy cleans his musket you will find it very similar to my way;

http://arkansastoothpick.com/?p=59

Here is another and again similar to my way;

http://www.6nc.org/about6nc/musket_cleaning.htm

Here is another for a different kind of musket;

http://www.rarewinchesters.com/gunroom/long-guns/enfield/clean.shtml

See I didn’t feed you bull.

Gee I almost wrote a book for you...............

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