Fairly new to muzzleloader's - Having loading issues - Help appreciated

[THREEDFLYER]

Hello, am fairly new to muzzle loading weapons and I own two percussion rifles and with my Pedersoli .36 Caliber I am having a difficult time loading consecutive loads after the first shot of the day with a clean bore.

I am using 40 grains of Goex FFFg powder with a lubed patch and standard lead round ball.
When I am ramming consecutive loads it becomes extremely difficult to get the ball/patch down the barrel......it seems to be worse from the muzzle to the middle of the barrel, then becomes slightly easier....but by the 3rd loading it's just about impossible without cleaning the bore.

What am I doing wrong?? Would I have better results with Pyrodex??

I cannot imagine having to clean the gun between shots, but maybe there's no other option?

Your help/guidance is greatly appreciated.

 

[TDM]

Got a few questions for you.
What size round balls?
What’s the thickness of your patches?
What lube are using?
Have you polished the inlet of the muzzle?

 

[THREEDFLYER]

Got a few questions for you.
What size round balls?
What’s the thickness of your patches?
What lube are using?
Have you polished the inlet of the muzzle?

Round ball are Hornady .350
Patches are pre-lubed 100% cotton "Muzzleloader Originals" and are .010"
No, I have done nothing to the muzzle

 

[fishmusic]

There are boatloads of posts on swabbing the bore between shots. Many target shooters do it. I recommend looking for posts for "moose milk" formulas for swabbing between shots. My understanding, not my experience, is that smaller bores like yours foul very quickly and may need to be swabbed between shots to remove excess fouling.

I personally use a very slick lube (spit) that softens the fouling and allows more shots before having to swab the bore.

 

[Urban Coyote]

Could be any number of things, but I find it interesting you're feeling tight and loose spots as your push the patch and ball down the bore. When I read this my first thought was a bore condition issue. Do you experience the tight/loose bore thing when you are cleaning the bore? A .36 bore might be kind of tough to inspect with a drop in reflector and pen light.

Beyond a bore condition issue it could be the patch and ball combo or the patch lube your using. What are you using for patch material and patch lube? It could be the charge you're shooting, 40 grains. In my .36 longrifles my loads run 30 to 35 grains FFFG, that's not to say they're not capable of handling heavier charges but more blackpowder usually equals more fouling. Humidity can also be a factor.

I'm sure others here will have some good information.

 

[TDM]

The prelubes tend to be too dry. I’d get a can of Track of the Wolf’s mink oil lube. In the mean time add a little olive oil, or canola oil, or Ballistol to your patches. Not dripping wet but saturated. Then take some 220, 320, & 400 grit sand paper and cut them in 1 1/2” to 2” squares and use firm thumb or finger tip pressure to rotate around the muzzle with each grit to polish. Rotate the barrel as you do this. The patch and ball will be easier to seat and will avoid patch tears.

 

[Freedom]

Ditch the factory pre-lubed patches.
Load using a wet patch.. 7:1 water/Napa cutting oil is a great way to shoot, and load, all day with ease.

 

[THREEDFLYER]

Could be any number of things, but I find it interesting you're feeling tight and loose spots as your push the patch and ball down the bore. When I read this my first thought was a bore condition issue. Do you experience the tight/loose bore thing when you are cleaning the bore? A .36 bore might be kind of tough to inspect with a drop in reflector and pen light.

Beyond a bore condition issue it could be the patch and ball combo or the patch lube your using. What are you using for patch material and patch lube? It could be the charge you're shooting, 40 grains. In my .36 longrifles my loads run 30 to 35 grains FFFG, that's not to say they're not capable of handling heavier charges but more blackpowder usually equals more fouling. Humidity can also be a factor.

I'm sure others here will have some good information.

Thanks, I will try applying extra lube to the patches and reducing my load to 30-35 grains.........

 

[mushka]

I'm one that uses a lightly dampend spit patch between each shot, I'm never in a hurry so it's not a big deal. I never have trouble seating a ball with my system.

 

[TDM]

That’s a good system @mushka, especially with the .36 & .32 cal rifles.

 

[Ed C.]

I just finished traveling the road you are on. Starting out I could not load 3 balls without swabbing at least every 2nd shot. After a lot of experimenting I shot 16 shots this week without swabbing. And the loading was still easy. Very consistent ragged hole at 50 yds. This is what worked for me: 50 cal. Hawken, 60 grains FFFg, .490 ball in a .015 patch dampened with Olde Turkey Track solvent and seated with a jag and patch dampened with a 1:5 ballistol/water solution and a touch of dawn. That way you are cleaning the bore every time you seat the ball. Shot a total of 16 shots, no swabbing and the last ball loaded as easily as the 2nd. You will find dozens of people here that have their own successful methods. Use their experience, experiment, and find what works for you.

 

[COTNTOP]

I have trouble with that same brand patch after first shot.

 

[Buckskinquin]

Not sure what you use in the barrel after cleaning. It’s mentioned often on this forum to first swab your barrel with an alcohol patch prior to loading. Some oils left in a cleaned barrel turn to a sticky fouling with your first shot. I seat my patched ball it’s a slightly moistened patch on the jag. You’ll be surprised at how much fouling you’ll pull out. I use Dawn and water for range shooting. This method works well for me in calibers 40 thru 50.

 

[COTNTOP]

What Buck said just might be my problem. After the first shot gives me more a problem than the rest.

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

IMO:

Back off that charge load. Drop it down to about 30 and see how it acts.

I use a 1/8" dry felt wad over my powder charge. This does a few positive things for you. Among them is a little extra help scrubbing the fouling as you load and shoot the gun. Also, you can drop your powder, seat a wad, and then swab your bore on top of it all with less of a chance of contaminating your powder load. Swabbing patches need be only lightly dampened.

Spit is my first patch lube/swab 'tween shots choice. Patches lubed in water/dish soap would be a close second.

Personally, I like a smaller ball/thicker patch (.020) relation. So I would be using .340 balls and .020 patches in yours. It has seemed to help me load easier during a longer string of shots.

I have a .37 cal I can load and shoot for a loooong time...for it I'm using 20g 3f, .125" felt OP wad, .020 patch spit lubed, .350" ball.

 

[ETipp]

I just finished traveling the road you are on. Starting out I could not load 3 balls without swabbing at least every 2nd shot. After a lot of experimenting I shot 16 shots this week without swabbing. And the loading was still easy. Very consistent ragged hole at 50 yds. This is what worked for me: 50 cal. Hawken, 60 grains FFFg, .490 ball in a .015 patch dampened with Olde Turkey Track solvent and seated with a jag and patch dampened with a 1:5 ballistol/water solution and a touch of dawn. That way you are cleaning the bore every time you seat the ball. Shot a total of 16 shots, no swabbing and the last ball loaded as easily as the 2nd. You will find dozens of people here that have their own successful methods. Use their experience, experiment, and find what works for you.

Good idea

 

[French Colonial]

It is the lube or lack thereof. Need something wetter.

 

[chorizo]

Spend $50, get a bore scope and see if you have bore issues...corrosion, pitting, leading in the clean bore.

Once you are assured that it isn't a gun issue then the above recommendations make sense...but if you have a bore issue you will be just chasing your tail until you remedy that.

 

[Ed C.]

Not sure what you use in the barrel after cleaning. It’s mentioned often on this forum to first swab your barrel with an alcohol patch prior to loading. Some oils left in a cleaned barrel turn to a sticky fouling with your first shot. I seat my patched ball it’s a slightly moistened patch on the jag. You’ll be surprised at how much fouling you’ll pull out. I use Dawn and water for range shooting. This method works well for me in calibers 40 thru 50.

You gave me this advice a while ago. It works! No more swabbing between shots and no loss of accuracy. Thanks!

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Seasoned my bore with T/C 1000+ bore butter, have used T/C No.13 cleaner only. I lube my patches with that.
I have never had to swab a bore ever.
I shoot up to 75 rounds per trail walk, and the last one fires the same as the first one.

Also using a Rice barrel, not some third world production barrel.