Black Powder in a SP Rifle

[MtnMike2]

I have a 45-70 lever gun in which I shoot smokeless powder cartridges. I'm considering shooting some black powder cartridges but it dawned on me that black powder has different cleaning fluids. Do you think it could hurt the rifle to shoot the black powder cartridges, then clean thoroughly before shooting smokeless again? I intend to use smokeless for almost everything (target and hunting). The black powder is just for fun - shooting steel.

Thanks,
Mike

[PJgunner]

Oh boy! Thats stuff is really hard to clean. :eek: Hot soapy water works just fine. :D
A word to the wise. Keep a bottle like one from Ocean Spray cranberry juice handy, about half full with half water and and half Windex. Drop the freshly fired cases into the bottle and shake a bit. The solution is also good for cleaning the barrel. You can even use just plain water, but the Windex makes it a bit easier.
Paul B.

[popplecop]

I clean my BP rifle barrels with Go-Jo hand cleaner. You use the one that is a cream style without pumice in it. Been using this for 10 years on both modern an antique BP rifles and it works good. After barrel is cleaned, I dry patch it and then use a lightly oiled patch. Brass goes in to a bottle of windshield washer fluid as I shoot, when I get home they get washed out with hot water, then dried, then tumbled. I also keep my BP cases separated from the smokeless powder ones.