coolest tricks?

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

I just wanna say I am thrilled to see a number of new guys taking an interest in these old guns!

Do not apologize for your elementary questions - we were all there ourselves.

As a welcome I want to start a thread where we can all post one of the coolest tricks that someone taught us about old-timey muzzleloaders.

I'll begin:

I was not long into the hobby when I loaded my first "dry-ball", that is, I seated a ball without putting any powder underneath. Well I found that these can be pulled with a ball puller. But Ho! what a colossal struggle that is.

I'll even confess that I dry-balled a number of times in the subsequent years, and I really came to dread the mistake.

Then one day it happened while I was shooting with a club from Eau Claire, Wisconsin and a flintlock shooter there told me to put my ball puller back in the bag. He then told me to point my gun downrange and remove the nipple. I did, and he took his flintlock pan-charger and sprinkled a bit of FFFFg powder in the nipple hole. He told me to gently screw on the nipple and fire a cap.

FOOOOOP!

The ball came spitting out of the barrel just like that. I have never used a ball puller since and dry-balling is now a minor inconvenience.

Best trick I ever learned from a seasoned Black Powder vet (wish I remembered his name). Thanks!

 

[Stumpkiller]

If you get a stuck cleaning jag or have a hard time gripping the rammer to pull a ball: keep a six foot length of stout cord in your shooting bag (I keep a length of 1/8" tarred marline cord). Tie one end to a branch near the trunk about eye level and put a timber hitche on the rammer. Then back steadily away from the tree holding the rifle.

You only want to try this with a pinned rammer tip, however.

A piece of leather about 1" x 12" also helps grip things with cold hands - and can make flint leathers as needed.

Learn how to use a flint nibbler. It's like a pin punch but has a shoulder near the tip. Plave the flint edge below the shoulder and press down to flake a fresh edge (unload the firearm first). A little 1/16 x 1/16" nick in the edge of the turn-screw/screwdriver works as well. I have a 1911 tool repurposed to turn-screw, pin punch (also great for top jaw screws that have the hole crosswise in the head) and the "nick" for flint dressing.

Here's my tool roll I carry in my rifle pouch. You'll see these additions.

 

[coloradoclyde]

If you get a stuck cleaning jag or have a hard time gripping the rammer to pull a ball: keep a six foot length of stout cord in your shooting bag (I keep a length of 1/8" tarred marline cord). Tie one end to a branch near the trunk about eye level and put a timber hitche on the rammer. Then back steadily away from the tree holding the rifle.
If I can't pull it free by hand then I tie it to a tree and pull.


You only want to try this with a pinned rammer tip, however.

I do something similar....no one taught me I just figured it out on my own...
I just take a piece of string and double it over and wrap it around the rod end. Then with two loops left sticking out I put a stick or my ball starter in them and twist it up tightly....it grips the rod well and creates a T handle...with no knots to remember.
Kind of like tightening a fence brace.

 

[SgtErv]

Awesome tricks. Wish I'd have run across this about a month ago when I had a stuck ball. Oh my goodness it was a struggle!

I read somewhere that the ball expands outward a little when you screw in the ball puller. It sure seemed so.

 

[Crewdawg445]

My favorite trick(s)... As I continue to learn, I see it's not so much about the "tricks" but more about gaining the knowledge and history of this passion, thus allowing it to live on. Yet my big trick I'd say is learning all I can for the wiser, more seasoned folk who have a far grander base of experience than myself!

 

[coloradoclyde]

One thing that I've learned is....if you don't like to learn new things you best not buy a muzzleloader.... :haha:

I've got a trick I've been saving but I have to go take a picture of it first... :grin:

 

[trent/OH]

Here are my "tricks" to share:

If you are loading at a loading bench, usually the floor is concrete or gravel. Put a small piece of carpet on the floor to rest your rifle butt upon. It saves the butt from getting marred and scratched.

I use a small plastic squeeze bottle from a swimming pool test kit to carry some Ballistol in my shooting box.

When hunting, I keep in my shooting pouch a couple of steel "S" hooks. I can clip two strands of fence wire together to make a low area to cross the fence much more easily. If left permanently in place (with the landowners permission), deer will learn that is the easiest place to hop the fence. Well placed, that becomes a good ambush spot!

 

[FishDFly]

"Yet my big trick I'd say is learning all I can for the wiser, more seasoned folk who have a far grander base of experience than myself!"



I believe that is the answer.

The older/more experienced folks have more to share.

I get to go to some large shoots and that is were the knowledge is, sit and listen and keep your mouth shut.

There is a lot of knowledge at times here and a lot of mis-information.

I look at the age of the poster and go from there.

From my learning's over the years, the older the shooter, more a person can learn and for the most part a blue color worker, Machinist, has better information about rifles.

Folks may not agree, just my learning's from many shoots.

 

[jamesthomas]

I make a handle out of deer antler and pin it to my range rod. If I dry ball at the range I just hook it to the overhead rafters and pull down easy peasy to get the ball out if I dry ball.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Here's a nifty way to clean your percussion muzzleloader using a flush nipple.
A 35mm film can with a short piece of hose attached. I keep patches inside of it and it weighs next to nothing and fits nicely in my bag. The removable lid makes refilling and cleaning a breeze...you can put whatever you want in it from water to your favorite concoction.
I didn't invent the concept....old boys taught me about 40 years ago....never take a dirty gun home again.... :grin:

 

[azmntman]

"Yet my big trick I'd say is learning all I can for the wiser, more seasoned folk who have a far grander base of experience than myself!"



I believe that is the answer.

The older/more experienced folks have more to share.

I get to go to some large shoots and that is were the knowledge is, sit and listen and keep your mouth shut.

There is a lot of knowledge at times here and a lot of mis-information.

I look at the age of the poster and go from there.

From my learning's over the years, the older the shooter, more a person can learn and for the most part a blue color worker, Machinist, has better information about rifles.

Folks may not agree, just my learning's from many shoots.

and yet we cant see yer age

 

[Stumpkiller]

It would be in Roman Numerals, anyway.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I like the "S" hook trick.....sure beats trying to roll two wires over each other.... :thumbsup:

 

[Crewdawg445]

One thing that I've learned is....if you don't like to learn new things you best not buy a muzzleloader.... :haha:

Absolutely 100% true, very well said good sir. :thumbsup:

Also, it's so true that the wiser folk hold so much information. Without them, none of the "tricks" would be here. At my last event, I got more enjoyment just watching the elder folk at our blanket shoot than actually shooting... To just see how each individual would shoulder their rifle, loading techniques, yatta, yatta it was one cool trick! Never take for granted being able to just watch and learn with your own eyeballs...

 

[Tom Compton]

"Yet my big trick I'd say is learning all I can for the wiser, more seasoned folk who have a far grander base of experience than myself!"



I believe that is the answer.

The older/more experienced folks have more to share.



I get to go to some large shoots and that is were the knowledge is, sit and listen and keep your mouth shut.

There is a lot of knowledge at times here and a lot of mis-information.

I look at the age of the poster and go from there.

From my learning's over the years, the older the shooter, more a person can learn and for the most part a blue color worker, Machinist, has better information about rifles.

Folks may not agree, just my learning's from many shoots.

A great general rule Richard. However there are those older folks who just recently started in traditional ML and really like to post what they believe to be true.

I'm also reminded of the characterization that "in 10 years he got one month's experience 120 times".

MERRY CHRISTMAS, Y'All !!
TC

 

[tom deinek]

"A 35mm film can"

Boy y'all are some old timers! Cannot remember when I last saw 35mm film.

 

[jamieorr]

"A 35mm film can"

Boy y'all are some old timers! Cannot remember when I last saw 35mm film.

Ouch!

 

[Billnpatti]

I am a well seasoned old fart and have been shooting all sorts of guns ever since I was a young pup. You are never too old to learn something. I served in the Marine Corps and there was ONE way and one way only to hold a rifle when shooting off hand. That was the way I held every rifle that I shot until one day just a few years ago, my good friend in Indiana, Chuck Paul, showed me a better way. Chuck showed me how to tuck my elbow into my ribs, turn my hand so that my fingers were on the side of the stock opposite the lock and the forestock was being supported by the heel of my hand. This more stable position added points to my score. Thanks Chuck ! :hatsoff:

 

[Artificer]

It would be in Roman Numerals, anyway.

:rotf: Yeah, it is bad enough when one has to begin their age with an "L" but even worse when one has to add an "X" and then some "I's" after it like I do. Now where exactly did I lay my Abacus?" :redface: :rotf:

Gus

 

[coloradoclyde]

"A 35mm film can"

Boy y'all are some old timers! Cannot remember when I last saw 35mm film.

Some day I'll find me a metal one and then I'll be in hog heaven... :haha:

They still make 35mm by the way....