every other shot nipple clog

[Griz44Mag]

when wiping between shots, do you recommend just one wipe or multiple (till the patch comes out not as black). The reason I ask is because the first wipe is black.
thanks

As soon as the shot is fired, half cock, remove the spent primer. Moisten a patch very lightly. I only make one pass, and I do that as quickly as I can after the shot is fired. That way you can see smoke pouring out of the nipple. You know it's clear that way. Down the bore quickly, wait a few seconds, pull out slowly. DONE. anything you push down the barrel after that will drop gunk in the worm hole...
Griz

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

If you learn to control your moisture content on the patch, and use a patch ideally suited to the bore, there'll be no need to follow with a dry patch. In fact a too dry a patch can get stuck, making for a sore time and my cause upsetting emotions to bubble up.

 

[BigBoreBLR]

Ignition problems with muzzleloaders can be caused by another problem too. Too much patch lubricant.

Those goopy yellow pre-lubed patches gave me problems.

Lots of different methods to loading and keep a gun clean while shooting... lots.

2 or 3 drops of hopes #9 rubbed into a dry patch I a good method.

Overall, the good methods either wipe between shots (just one in and out) or the user does not wipe between shots and their patch lube is based out of some sort of cleaner. The hopes #9, a mixture of murphys soap, perxiode ,and alocohol, or using some sort of moose milk (water, oil based lube, and detergent) is common amoung the non wipe between shot folks...

 

[cotcrab]

I use the yellow patches. Maybe that's the problem.

 

[52Bore]

Every competition LR shooter I know swabs between shots - snaps a cap afterwards; before the next load.
You'll get away with it for a little while, but in a match - no one wants to risk or deal with a dead load.

 

[BigAl52]

If your using yellow patches sounds to me like your using the pre lubed patches. Throw those prelubed patches in the trash and get some pillow ticking patches .015 or.018 and use those with spit or one of the black powder lubes such as Hoppes or Lehigh Valley. I bet your problem will go away. I would also check the jag like has been mentioned.

 

[Zonie]

I can't think of one single way that someone could get enough pre-lubed patch grease on a nipple to plug it up.

When the pre-lubed patch is loaded it is between the ball and the gunpowder, no where close to the nipple.
Firing the load, almost all of the patch lube is blown out of the muzzle of the gun.

Now, if we were talking about poor accuracy, I would be one of the leaders in blaming pre-lubed patches if they were used.

Over time, the patch cloth weakens a lot over time if the pre-lube grease is on the patch.
A lot of these pre-lubed patches have sit on a dealers shelf for years so they basically don't have enough strength left in them to withstand the heat and pressures of being shot.

Gather some of your old fired patches and look at them. If they are ripped, torn or basically disintegrated (like I've seen before) toss them into the trash and get some unlubed patches or better yet, buy a yard of tight weave cotton cloth at your local sewing store.

 

[ZUG]

Hi
I have a traditions PA rifle and a vincent riffle. I am new to Black powder. Ive been shooting at the range and have only gone twice. I use Goex in the traditions and swiss in the Vincent. I swab between shots (spit method). the patch comes out black. After shooting 10 shots i noticed that the nipple clogs after every shot. Is this a break in issue with the rifles or amount of powder? Or is this a common muzzleloading issue.

thanks

I use a thinner cleaning patch on the range with my normal diameter brass jag which I make to correctly fit my bore with my normal thickness cleaning patches for cleaning at home. I wet (not dripping wet) the thinner cleaning patch with either spit or windshield washer fluid. I place it over the muzzle then push it down the bore slowly and pull it back slowly then reverse it and push it down the bore slowly and pull it back slowly - done - then I charge the rifle with powder then patched ball - shoot then start the process over.

 

[Scota4570]

"Don't wipe between shots"

A club I shoot at requires it. They believe it is a safety procedure. I don't agree, but it is their sandbox.

I use a slotted jag with a loose fitting, slightly damp patch. The patch can not fall off. When you pull back it tends to tighten and thus pull fouling out. Being loose it does not pack fouling against the breech plug. I use the same patch over an over.

I have watched a guy using sloppy wet tight patches and the rifle misfired most of the time. That kind of thing is a safety issue to my way of thinking.