ok, i think i'm gonna go with the hawken sporterized in 54 cal. what all do i need to get? i'm gonna start with roundballs, and buffalo ballets for bullets. anyone know what type of powder i need? suggestions for how much to use? also what basic cleaning supplies do i need, are those starter kits pretty inclusive? also somone said i should order a 54 cal cleaning jag since they are hard to find, but i haven't been able to find one. i'm not gonna be doin any hunting till the fall again most likely, but would like to get set up and spend some time shooting before then. possibly take it out for a hog or some varmits over the summer. just gotta scratch up a little more money and the order is goin through.
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Beginner supply list?
- Thread starter BUERICH
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Yep. You need a .54 jag. Shouldn't be too rare (I think .54 is the second most popular big-game caliber).
Percussion caps if it's a cap-gun or flints if it's a rock-lock. A couple hundred .530" lead balls.
You'll need some FFg blackpowder; Goex is good. You'll need a powder measure of some type. A load of 80 to 90 Gr or the FFg is plenty, and you can go to 100 if you really want power, but it might cost you some accuracy. You'll need a horn or flask to carry the powder hunting & to the range. Eventually, you'll probebly want a hunting pouch to carry all your gear in. Army surplus medical or gas-mask bags are great for starting out. ($4 or $5 at Cheaper Than Dirt will get you some good ones).
For the round balls you'll need patching. 0.015" or 0.018" cotton. You can get pre-lubed, but most folks like to do their own eventually for $ savings and a chance at better accuracy.
You'll need cleaning patches. Pieces of cotton or pre-cut GI cleaning patches. You can clean the bore entirely with boiling ot water with a bit of Ivory Soap or Murphy's Oil Soap added. If the barrel is held in with keys, take it off the gun, pull the nipple (you'll need a nipple wrench, too) and stick it on a coffee can half-full of the boiling water. Use a wet patch to suck the water up through the nipple hole & scrub the barrel well.
I rinse mine with another dose of clean hot water (no soap) and then set it muzzle down to drain. After 30 minutes I spritz it with WD-40, another 30 minutes muzzle down to drain, and then I run an oiled patch. If I'm going to leave her unshot a while I run a lubed patch to coat the bore well.
Wipe off the outside metal with oil on a patch & you're set.
Once you get going you'll probably get into fancier gear, so starting off cheap until you decide what you want/need/like can save costly mistakes.
Go have fun. :redthumb:
Percussion caps if it's a cap-gun or flints if it's a rock-lock. A couple hundred .530" lead balls.
You'll need some FFg blackpowder; Goex is good. You'll need a powder measure of some type. A load of 80 to 90 Gr or the FFg is plenty, and you can go to 100 if you really want power, but it might cost you some accuracy. You'll need a horn or flask to carry the powder hunting & to the range. Eventually, you'll probebly want a hunting pouch to carry all your gear in. Army surplus medical or gas-mask bags are great for starting out. ($4 or $5 at Cheaper Than Dirt will get you some good ones).
For the round balls you'll need patching. 0.015" or 0.018" cotton. You can get pre-lubed, but most folks like to do their own eventually for $ savings and a chance at better accuracy.
You'll need cleaning patches. Pieces of cotton or pre-cut GI cleaning patches. You can clean the bore entirely with boiling ot water with a bit of Ivory Soap or Murphy's Oil Soap added. If the barrel is held in with keys, take it off the gun, pull the nipple (you'll need a nipple wrench, too) and stick it on a coffee can half-full of the boiling water. Use a wet patch to suck the water up through the nipple hole & scrub the barrel well.
I rinse mine with another dose of clean hot water (no soap) and then set it muzzle down to drain. After 30 minutes I spritz it with WD-40, another 30 minutes muzzle down to drain, and then I run an oiled patch. If I'm going to leave her unshot a while I run a lubed patch to coat the bore well.
Wipe off the outside metal with oil on a patch & you're set.
Once you get going you'll probably get into fancier gear, so starting off cheap until you decide what you want/need/like can save costly mistakes.
Go have fun. :redthumb:
In case you don't know there is a section of Muzzleloading links in the forum. Lot's of suppliers listed there. One section deals with powder for mail order black powder. It is hard to find locally for a lot of us.
Some of the other stuff you want/need can be had through Cabela's when you order your gun. It is a Cabela's right, or did I just make that up? Mid south is a good place to buy many other things. They have some of the best prices around. One thing they have you might want to invest in, it's not a neccesity just real handy, is a cleaning kit they sell they specific to black powder guns. It has a sectioned brass rod with muzzle protector brush, screw and jag. Makes a nice range rod and is handy for heavy uses like pulling a ball.
There are other businesses listed there many carry a lot of the same stuff so you can shop around, but that is one idea.
Good shooting.
Some of the other stuff you want/need can be had through Cabela's when you order your gun. It is a Cabela's right, or did I just make that up? Mid south is a good place to buy many other things. They have some of the best prices around. One thing they have you might want to invest in, it's not a neccesity just real handy, is a cleaning kit they sell they specific to black powder guns. It has a sectioned brass rod with muzzle protector brush, screw and jag. Makes a nice range rod and is handy for heavy uses like pulling a ball.
There are other businesses listed there many carry a lot of the same stuff so you can shop around, but that is one idea.
Good shooting.
Guest
You will want to consider safety first and get ear plugs and shooting safety glasses first of all.
Then you will need a ball starter that has not been mentioned from anyone either.
And mostly go with the mind set that this is suppose to be fun and a learning curve and a load will be need to be worked up for what is the best one for your gun.
try different patch thickness and different powder amounts Guns are like women. all are a lil tepremental.
Enjoy and have fun but be safe,
Woody
Then you will need a ball starter that has not been mentioned from anyone either.
And mostly go with the mind set that this is suppose to be fun and a learning curve and a load will be need to be worked up for what is the best one for your gun.
try different patch thickness and different powder amounts Guns are like women. all are a lil tepremental.
Enjoy and have fun but be safe,
Woody
Also, here's some excellent sites to bookmark and pull information from:
http://blackpowderhunting.org/flint1.htm - top
http://www.hunting101.com/gunsandbows/muzzle/the%20complete%20hunter%20muzzleloading001.htm
http://members.aye.net/~bspen/flintlockfaq.html
And go to the FAQ section of this one:
http://members.aol.com/illinewek/index.htm
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