first BP shoot

[mickman15]

Took my Kentucky build .50 to my brothers land, Man I AM HOOKED! he has a modern in-line and said he has to get a more traditional rifle, he loved it as well. I was surprised at the accuracy, I hit the target at 50 yds within 2 inches if aim (75 gr 2f)I cranked it up to 100 grn and hit 2-3 inches above target, that is all I need with deer. When
I was cleaning I got some powder water on the brass nose cap and it tarnished it pretty good, I dried it off, is that enough, the tarnish actually looks good, but I want to make sure it does not degrade the brass, thanks for any thoughts on this..........MAN I LOVE shooting that rifle another addict here! :thumbsup:

 

[PreglerD]

Good to hear that another guy got hooked. Have fun with your rifle and get some meat when it is time over there! :thumbsup:

Regards

Kirrmeister

 

[MSW]

welcome to the community of smokemakers... by the way, your brother is right, he needs to get a more traditional rifle: one with a sidelock, maybe even in flint. there is no cure for the addiction- you can only treat the symptoms (usually with the purchase of just one more flintlock, and some extended range time). Nope: no twelve step program for us!!

as regards your question about the tarnish having a bad effect on the brass, the actual tarnish is perhaps a few thousands of an inch thick, so it's only bad if you think it's bad, and if you think it looks cool (i do as well) it won't hurt to leave it there.

as regards going from a 75 grain to 100, you may want to throttle back. Check out Dutch Schoultz' treatise on how to get the very best accuracy out of your rifle. his website is www.blackpowderrifleaccuracy.com, and the booklet is $15, which sounds like a lot but is really money very spent: you will spend about ten times that in powder alone, and be no closer to a repeatable load, if you do it on your own (please don't ask how i know this :redface: )

you will be able to take deer with .50 cal with no problem, assuming decent shot placement. if you can't get a decent pattern, it doesn't really matter how hard you push the bullet. i suspect that a 100 grain charge would be considered a bit on the stiff side, but get the booklet, follow the instructions, and do what works best for you.

if you're not already, try as best you can to get real black powder. i prefer Goex brand, but that's just a personal preference and there are several good black powders out there. the substitutes are harder to ignite, not as stable, and cost more.

then, of course, you will have to take your rifle to the range as often as possible and practice, which will have the same effect as playing a counrty-western record backwards: your bank will return your reposessed pick up, your dog will come home, your brother in law will get out of jail, the bank will call and explain that the foreclosure notice was all a big mistake, and so on. Shooting black powder will also make you thinner, funnier, more interesting to be around, richer, more attractive to members of the opposite sex, and generally just plain more cool. (Shooting centerfire, however, just makes you deaf.)

good luck, and make good smoke

 

[ohio ramrod]

Just a warning! one of the side effects of shooting black powder and cleaning the gun afterward is DIVORCE. If you use the bath tub as a convient place to clean the rifle. You need an outside sink to prevent DIVORCE.SWMBO seldom appreciates the smell of black powder smoke that we find so intoxicating!

 

[musketman]

Just a warning! one of the side effects of shooting black powder and cleaning the gun afterward is DIVORCE. If you use the bath tub as a convient place to clean the rifle. You need an outside sink to prevent DIVORCE.SWMBO seldom appreciates the smell of black powder smoke that we find so intoxicating!

One member here on the forum uses the toilet to clean his muzzleloader, then flushes the sooty water away when he's done.

I was cleaning I got some powder water on the brass nose cap and it tarnished it pretty good, I dried it off, is that enough, the tarnish actually looks good, but I want to make sure it does not degrade the brass, thanks for any thoughts on this.

Sooty (powder) water on the brass will not degrade the metal in any way, it will tarnish it though, in fact some people purposely coat the brass with it to get that "aged" look.

 

[Mulebrain]

Hooked says I :grin:

What gun are you shooting? CVA?

Sounds like your reeling in your shooting friend from the dark side :thumbsup:

Modern contraptions have not justified there existence!

One pull of the trigger was all it took for me :thumbsup:

I am hooked till I am pushing up daisies.

 

[rafterob]

Unless you want to keep that brass shiny all the time don't worry about it. In a few months of shooting all the brass will be nicely tarnished. Otherwise a little brasso will keep it spiffy. 75 grns. is a good load, you really don't need any more than that for hunting.

 

Once you get the black powder bug, you're hooked for life!

 

[rkmeyer]

Welcome to the asylum :blah: :youcrazy: you will now be known as being nuts about black powder. :haha:
Dusty :wink:

 

[MFP308]

I prefer shooting my GPR to any other rifle I own. Makes me a better hunter as well. Can't count on a long shot with a hot load and a high power scope. More fun too!


Mike