DGW LH Hawkens Kit

[REX]

Well I Finely got a chance to take the completed DGW LH Hawkens flint out to the range, it's the frist time I've shot a muzzleloader, man! what a blast , spent most of the time getting down loading procedures, had a few flash in the pan but I think I'm getting the hang of it.
Now having said that, I have another question? ::What is the most recomened way to clean between shoots; how many patches do you use each time. the way I did it was clean after every 2nd shot, but one patch came out real cruddy and I used about 3 patches. I used birchwood casey no77 black powder solvent, the load was 45 grains of 3f and 4f in the pan. Thanks for helping the old man
The flint shot real good at 50 yrds and next trip I'll sight it in.

rex (westcoastBPgramps)
bp can be "REAL" fun :bull:

 

[Zonie]

West Coast: If 20 people answer this question you'll get 17 different answers (but you knew that).
I'm lazy, and only wipe when I feel fouling resistance during loading and then wipe after that shot.
When I used Swiss Powder, I shot 25 rounds without wiping at all! Great stuff!
I use plain old water for a fluid and the wet patch isn't real wet. It's wetter than damp but not dripping.
I follow this with one dry patch to mop up the crud and then another to dry the bore enough so that the next load of powder isn't contaminated with moisture.

Oh, be sure to clear the vent hole after doing this. Sometimes the fouling can plug it up.

 

WCG. Well here's #2 of a million different answers to your question.
Of course MINE is the right answer! :bull: :haha:
But it's only the right aswer for.....you guessed it, ME!
Here's what I do, but fist WHY I do it.
I got tired of stuck balls in the bore, inconsistant ballistics, the first shot going off mark and the others going right after the bore was fouled, I hunt starting with a clean bore, it takes little time to wipe beteen shots, it makes after range clean up easier, and so on.
I use ordinary drug store rubbing alcohol and DAMPEN a patch to run downbore, follow with a clean dry patch and you have swabbed the bore. Rubbing alcohol comes in different strengths, usually 70% and 91%, and the cost is only pennies a bottle.
I try to fine the 91% as it evaporates a tad faster.
Alcohol is a pretty good black powder solvent in its own right, but not suitable for thoroughly cleaning the gun after you are done shooting. If you use water to clean up with then after you dry the bore run an alcohol swab downbore. Alcohol is itself hygroscopic, meaning it will absorb water/moisture, then a dry patch then oil the bore.
I also use a patch wet with alcohol to clean the oil from the bore before shooting.
Keep asking questions. There is a TON of information here, and a million years of experience. ::

 

[Rocky Johnson]

Out of all the names I have been called in my life I like Grampa best. Sounds to me like you are doing ok on your own Gramps. Have fun. Rocky /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

I use spit on the patches at the range and bear oil or comercial mink oil for hunting. I clean my barrel when I get home and NEVER have to swab the bore while shooting, even while trying out bullets. I use Lyman BP lube or my own Beeswax/Vaseline on bullets which shoots almost as clean as patched RB. With the proper ball/patch combo, there is no need to clean between shots. Every time you load it, it cleans the shot prior. I've done it this way for going close to 35years now, and don't plan on changing. I can't think of a more useless waste of time - because, the way I load my rifle, it isn't necessary, nor is it necessary for the other 40 guys in our club here, NONE of them clean except for when the shooting's done. We all use GOEX as that's all we've ever seen since Curtis & Harvey disapeared from the scene. I live in a quite dry climate now, and before that, lived in a fairly moist one - I've not had to clean between shots at either.
: WE shoot a ball either .005" or .010" under bore size, with a .015" to .022" denim patch(depending on ball size) and have for those 35 years.
: My rifles have been fromm .36 cal to .69 & none of them has required cleaning between shots or before I went home. I found with large charges and slugs, the fouling would build a bit, then I load a normal charge with patched RB to clean it, and that shot also goes into centre and we're back to a clean, only 1-shot-fired-barrel again.
aryl

 

[REX]

thank's for all the input, I'll try out the different methods and find one that works for me.

rex (westcoastBPgramps)
bp can be fun

 

[Birddog6]

Gramps: I swab down & back one stroke of a modified jag, teeshirt patch (sometomes 2 depending on the tee shirt thickness) and using Lehigh Lube or a homemade sub. The jag is modified by sharpening the lands & tapering them & the first land of the jag going into the barrel is about .010 smaller in dia than the others, thus letting the patch push past the fouling & on the upstroke it gathers the material & pulls it & the fouling out with it. If you use too tight a patch it just shoves all the cruds into the breach.
It is important to swab exactly the same every time, same stroke, same lubricant & same amount of lubricant (regardless of it being water, spit, Lehigh).
Personally I don't use the 77 stuff as it is not necessary for swabbing. When you swab you are not trying to clean it you are trying to maintain a even barrel consistancy from shot to shot, thus the solvant is not needed to do this. Your patch is going to come out cruddy & that is fine, just swab one time, reload, swab again & keep it all consistant. Just about any wetting agent will work.

Good luck & have fun !

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