fng reporting

[Jac Spring]

Hey, I'm new to the board here - just saying howdy.

I've been shooting BP for some time (TC Omega, cap and ball pistols) but just got a Pedersoli 50 cal kentucky flinter. This is to allow me to shoot traditional bp matches at my club. Could have gone with a percussion model but decided what the heck.

Only had it to the range once so far and the accuracy wasn't too wonderful - mostly because there was a delay in ignition and moisture kept forming in the flash pan after shooting.

I've been reading posts and learning a lot. Going to apply this next time out.

ETA: OK do have one question for ya - do you have to do the hot water flush after every shooting session? Again, this is a flint lock. I was under the impression that if you shoot say every month that using a pb solvent on a swab, drying when clean and finishing with a coat of bore butter would stay any rusting until the next session - but what about the patent breach/chamber area? That wouldn't get cleaned and stay fouled right? I do hope that the hot water isn't required...

 

[roundball]

Hey, I'm new to the board here - just saying howdy.

I've been shooting BP for some time (TC Omega, cap and ball pistols) but just got a Pedersoli 50 cal kentucky flinter. This is to allow me to shoot traditional bp matches at my club. Could have gone with a percussion model but decided what the heck.

Only had it to the range once so far and the accuracy wasn't too wonderful - mostly because there was a delay in ignition and moisture kept forming in the flash pan after shooting.

I've been reading posts and learning a lot. Going to apply this next time out.

ETA: OK do have one question for ya - do you have to do the hot water flush after every shooting session? Again, this is a flint lock. I was under the impression that if you shoot say every month that using a pb solvent on a swab, drying when clean and finishing with a coat of bore butter would stay any rusting until the next session - but what about the patent breach/chamber area? That wouldn't get cleaned and stay fouled right? I do hope that the hot water isn't required...

In my opinion, a muzzleloader needs to be 100% cleaned the same day it's used...and particularly if the patent breech isn't getting thoroughly flushed out every time, it can be getting clogged and causing your delayed ignition;

Also, IMO, hot soapy water is about the best cleaner/flushing agent there is for BP residue.
:grin:


Also:

Are you using real BP...ie: Goex?

Is the amount of priming powder in the pan below the hole in the vent liner?

If yes to both, you may want to drill out the vent hole to 1/16".

 

[blacksmithman64]

Welcome to the forum! You will probably find 15 bajillion different ways to clean ML's, and theres a fella waitin fer his money for his particular brand of " black powder residue cleaning formula",other fellas mix up their own concoctions.I do it fast and simple, I pour hot (not boiling) water down the muzzle and swab until the patches come out clean. Then I dry it with more patches until they're dry.Then I run a couple patches dripping with bear grease down and get it all greasy. Tow works if you got it really dirty.Folks been cleanin' guns this way since the 1500's,quite a few wars been fought cleanin' this way,and I see no reason to give some corporation my hard earned cash for something that doesn't work any better than the old ways.(plus ya gotta carry around a plastic bottle!)And yep, you should clean after every range session, but if yer shootin' two days in a row , I don't think a thorough cleaning is necessary, just swab it good.Just my humble opinion!

 

[paulvallandigham]

You may differ in what you call " Hot " water. I use tepid water, that is, water that is about the same temperature as my skin. I don't get burned, and My hand doesn't freeze to the barrel using cold water, either. A drop of dish soap is all that is needed to speed cleaning, but the water is the solvent, and removes the salts, sulphur, and carbon, only it will do it slower with out the soap. The point of cleaning is to flush the barrel and powder chamber with water, so that all the salts, and sulphur, and carbon deposits are dissolved in the water.

You can use a bore brush to knock the crud loose, and then just water, if you don't want to use soap. It works fine. Just use dry patches to thoroughly dry the barrel when you are done flushing, and then oil or lube the barrel for storage. Wipe the fingerprints, and dirt off the outside of the barrel and action, too. I use the same lube that I put in the barrel to wipe down the outside of the barrel, and action. Some use a separate product. You are fighting corrosion, which requires either an acid, ( like the sweat from your own hands, and fingers.) or some a strong alkalid, which can be the salts from the inncomplete burning of the potassium nitrate component in the black powder.

The substitute powders are based on ascorbic acid, and will corrode steel even faster than black powder, so clean guns where you use substitute powders EVERY time you shoot, and do it as soon as possible after you finish shooting.

If cleaning a rifle or shotgun every time you use it is too much work for you, then you want to find another shooting sport. This is part of the deal with Black Powder guns. But, its probably the fastest way for a shooter to really get to know his gun, and how it works, that I can imagine.

 

[tg]

"I do hope that the hot water isn't required... "

cold water will work fine, just clean as soon as possible whatever method you chose, and completely dry and lube to protect bore again there are many lubes that will work for this, either natural or plain gun oil, if using petro lubes make sure to get it all out before loading again.

 

[AeroncaTAL]

I clean my GPR after every shooting session, though I use cold water instead of hot. You want to make sure that you dry the barrel completely and swab it with your favorite oil/grease/lube. I usually run another patch down the barrel a few day later, then swab it again. I once looked at a TC that was in an ad in the paper. The gentleman who owned it had shot it a couple of days before and said he cleaned it with soapy water. However he didn't swab the barrel afterword. I dropped my bore light down the barrel and it was already rusting up pretty good...
Scott

 

[renovato]

You really do need to clean a muzzleloader each time it's been shot. That even applies to those Pyrodex shooting modern things. Powder (even substitutes) leaves behind corrosive salts that need flushed out to prevent rust. Solvents, even those designed for muzzleloaders, don't actually "rinse" the salts out. That's where good ol' water comes in. It's actually fast and easy to do, and water is cheaper than solvent.

As for your delayed ignition, spend a little time poking around the forums and asking questions, and you'll find tons of tips on priming for fastest ignition and finding the most accurate load for your gun. I'm a newcomer to flint also, but these fine, knowledgeable folks made my first attempts a resounding success and I've been hopelessly addicted every since.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

Yes, U need to clean the bore after every shooting session but it need not be lengthy or difficult. run a few patches in-out after done shooting (or bore brush) being careful not to get the jag stuck, then plug the vent with a splinter or toothpick or feather - what have U. fill the barrel with windsheild washer fluid (a tip I found here, I used hot soapy water until I tryed this stuff and at 99 c. gallon water ain't much cheaper) and let it soak few minutes dump out and repeat then patch or bore mop until clean dry good, clean the lock area with the same stuff then lube wuth your favorite, I always cone back next day and run a lube patch in-out few times. you will likely get many tips here, good luck some of these fellas really know the sport.

 

[boar]

You might want to get one of those flushers that works with a hose screwed into the touchhole to a container of water. These are nice for none hook breeches. I made one for couple of my guns. Dilly

 

[MikeChapin]

I haven't done a hot water clean for about 20 years. It was a pain and had a tendency to get flash rusting in the barrel.

I use TOW Bore Clean mixed 50/50 with water at room temprature. About three or four patches will get the barrel clean. I follow that with two patches of Ballistol and water mix to remove the soap and catch the last of the graphite. I follow that with two patches to dry the barrel then a patch sopping with straight Ballistol.

For those rifles with patent breeches, I use a .22 brush with a patch wadded around it. To break loose the crud, I use the patches I just cleaned the barrel with. I do final cleanup of the breach with the Ballistol water patches.

 

[Jac Spring]

Thanks ya'll.

I was at a two day NRA Instructor course this weekend (I'm a BSA Scoutmaster) and they wanted me to bring my flinter for a demo.

Well, after reading here, I decided to drill my vent hole out and also releive the back side of the screw too. I am using Graf's ffg for propelant and Goex fffg for the flash pan. I was using the proper technique cause I read here first

The thing worked 100% and another guy with a percusion rifle had several no-gos lol.

Now, I need to figure out my load and get the sights on - I'm one of those guys that wants the sights on - not into Kentuky windage.

 

[Stumpkiller]

OK do have one question for ya - do you have to do the hot water flush after every shooting session? Again, this is a flint lock. I was under the impression that if you shoot say every month that using a pb solvent on a swab, drying when clean and finishing with a coat of bore butter would stay any rusting until the next session - but what about the patent breach/chamber area? That wouldn't get cleaned and stay fouled right? I do hope that the hot water isn't required...

I shoot many days that I just come home, pull the lock off and wipe up with a black powder solvent (water & alcohol based) and run alternating wet and dry patches until I get clean results, followed by a few alcohol patches to chase out the water and then B.C. Sheath to coat the bore. The next day I'll run another Sheath patch or a grease lube as a follow-up.

If I've fired more than a dozen shots I'll flush, but I am guilty of the above on the light use days. Hasn't bit me, yet. Some days the fouling seems "easier" than others. Probably has something to do with humidity.

 

[philo426]

I like to use hot water and a little black powder solvent. I remove the nipple and pump the bore with a .50 casliber bore brush .Then I run patches until the bore is clean and dry,finishing with a patch doused in gun oil. I then wipe down the barrel with a solvent dampened rag and clean the hammer face and lock area with a Q-tip dunked in the solvent.I finish with wiping down the barrel and lock with an oil-soaked rag. Works well and ensures that the bore and action is ready for the next shooting session.

 

[Jac Spring]

Ok, so with the flinter you are removing the lock to clean every time? I was thinking that would really wear on the threads - mine is attached via two cross-screws to a brass side plate. Didn't want to end up with that plate's holes getting stripped. Or am I being too cautious?

If I did remove the lock, then the touch hole screw would be easy to remove and this would facilitate the hot water flush.

I was spoiled by the removable breach plug on my TC Omega...

 

[Slake]

Removable breech plug! E Gads! What kind of fool rifle would ya wanna do a thing like that with!!