Cleaning between shots

[LME]

I am new to the BP world so here goes. I went to shoot my TC .50 val Hawkens for the second time.The first time I used pyrodex this time Schuetzen 2f. After three to five shots I ran a wad thru it and it got stuck so bad I had to end the day because I didn't have wad puller. Yesterday I changed to BP and the same thing happened. What am I doing wrong or should I clean after every shot ? .490 ball with .005 patch and 70 grs of BP.

I wipe with a dry patch after each shot. This gives me better repeatable accuracy. The main thing I do to keep my jag from getting stuck is to go down about 10 inches and pull it back a few inches then go down another 10 or so inches and pulling back until I am to the bottom. I never have a stuck jag using this method. When I emove the jag I aim the barrel at the ground and bump the stock several time to get any debri from the barrel.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

I coat the bore with bore butter before I shoot. Using No.13 cleaning solution on the patches cleans after each shot.
Ive done 75 shot trail walks and never have had to swab yet.
My Rice barrel has plenty deep grooves, nothing every stay long enough to collect.

 

[Ed C.]

A lot of advice has been given here. Pick and choose, experiment and find what works for you. I'm going to add one more little tip that helps to avoid stuck cleaning jags. On your first pass down the barrel stop about an inch or so above your load line on the ramrod and run it back up it. Flip the patch or run another one to the bottom. By going all the way to the bottom on the first pass you increase your chance of a stuck jag. This works well for me after dealing with stuck jags.

 

[mushka]

I run a spit patch down the barrel after every shot. I'm in no real hurry so I just wipe between shots regardless of which bp long gun I am using. It's just my system, find out what yours is.

 

[FishDFly]

"Ignore the people who tell you not to use Bore Butter and stay away from petroleum-based lubes. This one will"

2 like and 50 hate the stuff.

 

[painter]

Most of the time I just load with a spit patch. Saves ramrod strokes that way, and I don't push the crud all the way to the breech to clog the touch hole, or nipple.

 

[tgfrench]

? When you say you were running a wad through it I am assuming you were cleaning the barrel because it was getting tight to load. Do you use the same .005 material for cleaning patches? I am asking because I am curious whether your patch/jag combo might be too tight. Second, you don't mention using any type of lube, if you're in the act of a initial cleaning pass. NEVER use a dry patch on an initial cleaning pass.

 

[grimmpaul1]

? When you say you were running a wad through it I am assuming you were cleaning the barrel because it was getting tight to load. Do you use the same .005 material for cleaning patches? I am asking because I am curious whether your patch/jag combo might be too tight. Second, you don't mention using any type of lube, if you're in the act of a initial cleaning pass. NEVER use a dry patch on an initial cleaning pass.

No never noticed that it got hard to load just wanted to run a wad thru it. I used bore butter for the first wad then a dry one. But I am going to the first wad solvent method and see what happens.

 

[tgfrench]

What was your patch material for cleaning

 

[tgfrench]

Too large of amount of patch material along with improper size of jag will cause sticking

 

[SwanShot]

I am new to the BP world so here goes. I went to shoot my TC .50 val Hawkens for the second time.The first time I used pyrodex this time Schuetzen 2f. After three to five shots I ran a wad thru it and it got stuck so bad I had to end the day because I didn't have wad puller. Yesterday I changed to BP and the same thing happened. What am I doing wrong or should I clean after every shot ? .490 ball with .005 patch and 70 grs of BP.

Seriously, try dropping a charge cornmeal on top of your powder when you load. I had the same problem and that is what worked for me. Use about the same load as your powder. Try it, you've nothi g to lose.

 

[Daveboone]

I have been using bore butter shooting league weekly, with several day long shoots mixed in....minimum of 12 shots of black powder with patched balls (several different calibers) . It is not unusual to go a couple dozen shots before running a wet patch. Use bore butter for a patch lube, but not as a bore cleaner. Good old H2O is plenty good enough for that. Try a thicker patch, skip the bore butter in between. That is probably adding to your fouling. Fifty caliber...I like 60 grains, but some friends shoot 50 for league. Tighter patch equals higher pressure, more complete combustion, less fouling.

 

[Stub]

I use a jag one size smaller than the caliber I am using ( i.e. 50 jag in 54). This requires using a double cleaning patch when cleaning the gun after the match. Loading with the smaller jag works fine.
I have also had good luck pushing the patched ball down when loading with a wet (soap water patch) patch on a caliber size jag.
With my 32 caliber, I put the 32 jag in my electric drill and sand paper the jag down some. I seem to have less sticking that way.

 

[Daytime Smoker]

What about when you’re running and gunning? I.E. squirrel hunting? It seems non productive to clean between each shot. We have a 10 squirrel limit per day in Tennessee, so I plan to shoot a lot. Or in some cases miss a lot, depending on ol busy tail. Anyway, that seems like too many extra steps in the process. I can see it during a range session. But, not on the move. I’d rather hunt, not clean.

Anthony

 

[Stub]

I almost forgot. I have experienced sticking problems from using too large a patch on the ball. I am not talking too thick a patch but one that is too big in diameter. This would often stick my short starter and sometimes the ram rod. I had this problem with the 32 caliber.

 

[Stub]

What about when you’re running and gunning? I.E. squirrel hunting? It seems non productive to clean between each shot. We have a 10 squirrel limit per day in Tennessee, so I plan to shoot a lot. Or in some cases miss a lot, depending on ol busy tail. Anyway, that seems like too many extra steps in the process. I can see it during a range session. But, not on the move. I’d rather hunt, not clean.

Anthony

There is a simple solution to your problem. Move to Michigan We have a 5 squirrel limit and at least in my area, we don't have many squirrels this year. That gives a person lots of time to clean between shots.

 

[FishDFly]

What about when you’re running and gunning? I.E. squirrel hunting? It seems non productive to clean between each shot. We have a 10 squirrel limit per day in Tennessee, so I plan to shoot a lot. Or in some cases miss a lot, depending on ol busy tail. Anyway, that seems like too many extra steps in the process. I can see it during a range session. But, not on the move. I’d rather hunt, not clean.

Anthony

What does it take to clean, maybe 2 minutes tops?

 

[mushka]

I think that if I wanted to shoot a limit of 10 squirrels quickly, I'd take a 10-22.

 

[Bunk]

What are you using for lube? .005 is very thin for patches. I think I would try .010.

Take that (Profanity edited) jag and use it for a fish line sinker or a watch fob. Get a brass brush one caliber smaller than the bore. Wrap a patch around the brush covering it completely and swab using something containing water.
Moose milk (Ballistol and water 1:10) is my choice. Use a wet or greasy lubricant of some sort on the patch ,spit if nothing else.
Alcohol is not a lubricant exactly although some people drink enough alcohol to get pretty well lubricated, but that is another story.
With the patch caught on a brush it will not get lost and do a good job of cleaning.
Works for me...the brush, not alcohol
Respectfully
Bunk

 

[tgfrench]

What ever you happen to use for a lube, keep a eye on the nipple area if you see the slightest sign of dampness in the area fire off a couple of caps to dry the flame channel. And make sure to pay diligent attention to that area during cleaning.