Cleaning between rounds

[tenngun]

I saw Ted Spring get off a box of cartridges with twelve second intervals. He was using British drill and kept all his shot on a paper plate at twentyfive yards
I’ve gotten off three rifle shot in a minute using a block.
However Ml is slow at the best of times.
This is a pipe smoking and twelve year old brandy sport. It’s a fire, dog , and Moby Dick in your lap.
Does it really cost much time to run a damp swab down your bore before your next shot.
In the tall timber I shoot a deer, then kick back. I take my time before I go to recover. Deer won’t go far, and won’t struggle to get away from you while meeting with the reaper.
On a line in a competition chances are you have plenty of time to get your shot.
Even shooting a timed challenge like the cabin fever challenge take your time and you will score higher.
So unless a line of blue bellied red coated French rebel Blackfoots are charging you you got plenty of time to load.
What advantage comes from loading without a swab?

 

[Spillikins]

What advantage comes from loading without a swab?

A great feeling of superiority.

 

[Grenadier1758]

For purposes of full disclosure, I must admit that when I shot muzzleloading silhouette matches, I shot four rounds in five minutes. After the first round, I relied on the damp patch to keep the fouling soft for the following shots. In the best of events, I could fire the four rounds in about 4 minutes. To prepare for the next four shots I used a damp patch to wipe the bore and a dry patch. I fired a percussion cap to clear the flash channel. There were shooters who were composed enough to wipe the bore between shots. The silhouette targets are relatively large, and the only scoring was a miss or a hit that knocked the silhouette off the stand. The ranges were from 50 yards for the crows to 200 yards for the bears.

 

[tenngun]

Got to call you out G, ain’t no one can see two hundred yards

 

[French Colonial]

Got to call you out G, ain’t no one can see two hundred yards

Used to with young eyes, not any more.

Curiosity question, how many of you believe it was common practice in the 1800's to wipe between shots when hunting or traveling to cain-tuck-ee.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

What advantage comes from loading without a swab?

IME when shooting a woods walk, not having to swab means that I can take more time reloading. I also get less fatigued over the course of a match, which means I score higher.

When shooting informally not having to swab allows me to shoot more. Shooting is more fun than swabbing.

FWIW, I swabbed between shots for decades. I've only recently converted to not swabbing and it's increased my enjoyment of the hobby.

 

[BillyC]

I’ve noticed when I don't swab between shots at the range there is a noticeable very rough spot right near the touch hole. Is thus the “ crud ring” ? Any way to avoid or reduce it? I know if I scrub with a wet patch it goes away, but if I skip this step for a few shots it gets harder and harder to get rid of.

 

[Sentry44]

This is a pipe smoking and twelve year old brandy sport. It’s a fire, dog , and Moby Dick in your lap.

Well stated, sir.

But...my dog's more of a "The Frontiersmen" sort, and he prefers bourbon.

To each dog his own, though...

 

[stephenprops1]

You are right about that. If everyone just used search until they found an answer, there would be much less discussion. Maybe that’s what they want. Don’t understand why if they don’t want to respond with an actual helpful answer, why can’t they just roll their eyes and keep scrolling? Maybe their idea of what a forum is maybe different than what I understand it to be. Happy smokepoling…….

Yes. Some people forget that they were once Greenhorns and had to learn. They are obviously not teachers. I taught school for about 5 years. Every quarter I had to reset my mindset to the beginner level for the new class.

 

[Twisted_1in66]

The wiping patch should be barely damp. Too much solution is a problem.
Personally I never wipe because I use a good lube and if a ball gets tight I add more lube to the next patch, have gone over 200 shots this way and won the shoots.

Here! here! I'm right there with @45man

I mix up some Stumpy's Moose Snot about once a year or two and use it. It's about the consistency of paste shoe polish. I rub some patching material in it until I can feel it come through a bit (liquifies a bit with the rubbing) and then used the rubbed side down with the ball on top of the drier side. Just like @45man, I shoot and keep repeating without wiping in between. If the ball is a little hard to get down, that means I didn't use enough lube on the previous patch so I'll use more on the subsequent patch. That patch lube cleans the fouling out of the barrel and puts it on top of the powder. The shot fires out that fouling with the ball and patch and leaves its own new bit of fouling behind. As long as I keep using that lube with every patch, I don't have to run a wiping patch down it and it will continue to load easily and fire all day long.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Got to call you out G, ain’t no one can see two hundred yards

As noted, my eyes were a lot younger (about 35 years ago) and my glasses were working well for me. And I may have to admit that I shot at times on a handgun silhouette range and the bears were set at 175 meters. My best out of the 20 targets shot between 50 meters and 175 meters was 14. I hit 3 bears, no turkeys at 150 meters, 3 buffaloes at 125 meters, 3 ground hogs at 100 meters, and 4 crows at 50 meters. I was in third place. The person who outshot me was a member on the Forum, but I haven't seen him on the Forum for several years.

Recently, I tried a shot (offhand) at the 200 yard bear target at my gun club. I missed. Tenngun is right in calling me out.

 

[southlandmechser]

Unfortunately there are a few on here that will take the time to answer with a non-answer like “this has been asked and answered in the past” which is discouraging to new shooters. I like reading the opinions of new posters. Sometimes you learn something new. Not everything has been answered in the past.

Hello,
Anytime I fire my BP rifles I judge when to clean by how hard loading becomes. Don't force a load, if difficult, clean! With patch and ball, be sure to use well lubricated patches to lengthen time between cleaning. I take a squeeze container of water and Dawn dishwashing soap and squirt it down the barrel followed by a large bore screw on cotton mop on a cleaning rod. Then use another screw on cotton mop with a light coat of CLP on it to lube and dry the barrel. Pop a cap on the nipple and clear it. Take plenty of cotton mops, they can be cleaned and reused!

 

[tenngun]

Well stated, sir.

But...my dog's more of a "The Frontiersmen" sort, and he prefers bourbon.

To each dog his own, though...

You give bourbon to your dog?????
Maybe I’m el cheapo but my dogs get canned beer
Except on holidays where they get wine in a box
‘Whisky for my friends
Beer for my horses’

 

[COTNTOP]

There is an elderly fella at the local range that uses a piece of yellow felt when he shoots a tournament. He says one swipe and the bore is perfect.

 

[Tenring]

I will run a wet patch down the pipe and follow up with a dry between shots when siting in that’s about all but when i am shooting a lot after site in I will clean the barrel and side plate action to keep things running smooth.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

When do you clean or how often while at the range

If done right you should not have to clean until you are done for the day.

Finding who to do it right takes a decade or so.

 

[ETipp]

The Traditions manual states to wipe the bore after each shot when sighting in the rifle. Makes perfect sense. Yet I have seen pictures of targets shot where a clean shot was off and the follow up shots grouped well with a dirty bore. Myself, I prefer to run a patch down the barrel when I notice a crud ring buildup.

 

[Tenring]

On modern rifles with copper jacket ammo it is best to run a fowled barrel to take up diameter bearing surface for greater accuracy. When I am shooting PRS comps I run a 6mm Dasher and a 6.5x47 Lapua at 1200 yards and would never ever run a clean barrel. With ML we have a lubed patch to take up that bearing surface in the barrel witch really in all retrospect can be ran a little fowled or clean, like I had said in the previous post I will clean shots when sitting in after that it’s just keep it clean just to keep it running, Ha Ha..

 

[45man]

My friend likes to dry patch. He gets the rod stuck so bad it takes both of us to get it out..

 

[French Colonial]

My friend likes to dry patch. He gets the rod stuck so bad it takes both of us to get it out..

That should only happen once..

The old saying, Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me is not directly applicable, but pretty close.