Help with my gun

[paulvallandigham]

If you can't find your spent patches, have someone stand behind you when you shoot the gun and spot where the patch falls, under the smoke. It flutters down through the air. Expect the patch to land 15-20 feet in front of the muzzle if you are standing when the shot is fired; 10-15 feet if you are shooting off a rest.

I once shot at a range where no one apparently ever cleaned up the place. There were old patches, among all kinds of garbage from the firing line to the 25 yard line. I took a rake with me the next visit to the range, and raked up the garbage to give me a clean " drop zone" so I could find my spent patches. Someone else showed up at the range while I was raking garbage and gave me one of those " are you out of your mind?" looks. No offer to help, of course. :cursing: :surrender: :thumbsup:

 

[woodse guy]

Leaves where my problem I will have to take a rake with me the next time. I do love the smell of black powder.

 

[William O.]

O.k. started out with a .015 patch preluded. Starting the patch was kind of hard at about 8 inches down the barrel it was real hard had to ram it down. Then at about maybe a foot or so down it was like the ball just dropped down on its own. Then about three to four inches from the bottom it was very hard again. At 25 yards it shot to the left all the time messed up and moved the sight the wrong way (not use to iron sights any more) :redface: it still hit in the same place. Could not find any patches to see what they looked like I was shooting 60 grains of 2f powder. Also while out shooting how many shots before you run a patch thru the barrel to clean out the fouling and do you put anything on it to help clean or just use a dry patch.

When I'm at the range I keep a can of alcohol soaked cleaning patches on the table for swabbing between shots. Keeps the loading easy too, but this is not how you clean your rifle, just cutting down on the majority of powder fouling until you get home. You might want to change to a .010 patch if the .015 is really hard to get down, but try swabbing between shots first before changing to a thinner patch.

 

[woodse guy]

I cleaned my rifle when I got back to the house. I had some stuff left over from dad worked pretty good. I also used some hobbs not sure it worked any different but I tried it any way. I will try the patches soaked in alcohol. Do you use just regular rubbing alcohol or something special.

 

[FPDoc]

Plain water (doesn't need to be hot) is the best thing for cleaning black powder fouling at the end of the day. Alcohol can help dry it all out once its clean, then something to grease the bore to prevent it rusting. You might run a patch the next day to make sure it isn't rusting when you think you're all done and have put it up for a while. Don't forget to take the lock off and clean it as well once in a while.

 

[woodse guy]

I have a lot of pillow ticking what do you guys use to cut it and how big do you cut it. Also what do you use as lube other then spit. I tried bore butter but it was to hard to get out of the tube while I was out shooting would like to start off with something that I can buy until I get the hang of what I'm doing. And how do you put it on as well.

 

[Zonie]

Pillow ticking or any tight weave cotton patching can be cut at the muzzle by placing it across the bore, starting the ball into the bore so that the top is flush to 1/8 inch down the bore and cutting off any material that is still sticking out of the barrel with a sharp knife.

To make pre-cut patches use a knife, scissors or any other thing that is made to cut cloth.
They can be round or square. It doesn't matter which shape you use.

For your .50 cal rifle the patches should be around 1 1/4 inch round or square.

If you want a lube that is easy to get you might want to try Olive Oil. You don't need the Virgin stuff. The cheapest oil is just as good for muzzleloading.

If you want to make yourself some really good patch lube you might want to make up some of Stumpkillers Moose Juice. http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/203261/

Moose Juice can be applied and allowed to dry or applied just before you load your gun.
IMO the patch should be wet but not dripping wet if you lubricate the patch while your loading.

 

[woodse guy]

Will those work if I use the gun for hunting or should I use preluded patches from the store.

 

[Zonie]

I can't see where a pre-lubed patch from a store will be better than one you've made yourself.

If you choose to use something like olive oil you can make your own "pre-lubed" patches and just drop them into a zip-lock or some other kind of plastic bag. You can keep them in your pocket or in your possibles bag until you need them and you know they are fresh and the material hasn't broken down from being lubed years ago and sit on a shelf.

 

[woodse guy]

I meant it as earlier someone said that spit would work for just shooting but not if I where hunting. So olive oil won't hurt to hunt with? How wide of a strip should I have to start with to cut my patches 1 1/4 inch wide strip work. I seen a wad cutter for a 50 cal. would that work to precut my patches with or is that something different.

 

[Zonie]

Spit will work but if the gun stays loaded with a spit lubricated patch for over a couple of minutes the wetness will start to cause rust in the bore.

You don't want rust anywhere in your bore so use something that won't cause rust to lube your patches with.

A "wad cutter" for a .50 caliber gun will cut a wad (or patch) that is 1/2 inch in diameter.

It is made for cutting fiber wads which some folks place between the gun powder and the rear of their patched ball or their bullet.

These wads do not wrap around the ball and they do not hold the ball tightly in the barrel.
They only help seal off the hot powder gasses from the rear of the patched ball or bullet.

In other words, no, that .50 cal. wad cutter won't cut a usable patch for your gun.

Like the 1 1/4 inch square or the 1 1/4 inch diameter, a 1 1/4 inch wide strip of material would work fine.
If your cutting at the muzzle from a strip you could even use a wider strip if you wanted to.

 

[woodse guy]

Zonie thanks for the help. What kind of rod can I use to hunt with I have a big long fiber glass that I carry with me while at the range, but would like something more user friendly for hunting.

 

[Zonie]

Nothing wrong with just using your fiber glass rod that I can see.

If you were going to a formal rendezvous where folks care about things being historically and period correct it would matter but when a guy is out hunting, who cares?

I've known folks who had a stout stainless steel cleaning rod that used them without a problem but they did put a brass cleaning jag in the end to keep the rod from scratching up the inside of their barrel.

Traditionally, a hickory rod would have been used but at this late date I don't know that you have time to get one.
Follow this link to see what TOTW has available and just for the record I don't like "ramon" for anything except a decorative ramrod. http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/TableList.aspx?catID=14&subID=161&styleID=731

 

[woodse guy]

Why don't you like the ramon rods?

 

[Zonie]

In my opinion they are much weaker and more apt to break even if they are being used correctly.

 

[woodse guy]

To hunt with would I be able to find one that would replace the factory one on my gun or do you have to carry them separately.

 

[Zonie]

If your gun already has a ramrod, why not use it?

If it is in shabby condition, measure its diameter and length and go to the Track of the Wolf's website that I gave the link to and order a new one with a metal tip on it that matches the dimensions of your existing ramrod.

If they offer one that is too long, you can always cut it off. Then install it in your gun.

By the way, if you get a new ramrod from them it will probably not have a finish on it.
Applying a coat or two of boiled linseed oil will give it some protection.

 

[MSW]

I do love the smell of black powder.

ayup... he's hooked ... just wait until he fires a flinter for the first time

(insert mad scientist laugh here)

as regards the ramrod, i agree completely with Zonie... the 'el- cheap- o' ramrods are really not more than a bunch of dowel with some fittings at the end, and there may or may not be substantial 'run out' of the grain: in other words the grain does not necessarily run the whole axis of the rod. When such a rod breaks (not if, but when) it will do so suddenly, and there will be a very sharp pointy end, which will leave a nasty and embarrasing scar in your hand (inevitable your dominant hand) and this will (because Murphy's Law is alive and well) happen right before you really need that dominant hand, like to shake on a life changing deal, or give away your daughter at her wedding, or sign an important document, or not have to answer the question "What happened to you [sotto voce; you dumbxxx]?" ... and the pain?

well, pain is the body's way of releasing weakness. (a Drill Instructor told me that. I just didn't have the heard to tell him that my track coach had released all the weakness there was to be had, and some time ago as well, so i just shut up and did the pushups). as regards the scar on my right hand (yes, i'm stongly right handed).... i will neither confirm nor deny the use of an el- cheap- o ramrod at this or any other time... i am not now nor have i ever been a memeber of the communist party or any other group advocating the violent or unlawful overthrow of the duly elected government... (oops! wrong disclaimer)...

so, by way of winding down the tirade: don't be a cheapskate... go to the Track website and get a proper hickory ramrod. They come in a number of different diameters, so be sure to order the right size, and they will come with a variety of ends (also, remember that there are several sizes of threads for the various cleaning jags, so don't make the mistake of getting the wrong threadsize on the end of your rod: please don't ask me how i know this stuff :redface: ). Additionally, you want to be sure that the end is 'pinned' and not just glued on, or it will fail and you will end up with a cleaning jag and the back end of a fitting stuck in your barrel.

Murphy's Law will cause this to happen on the morning of opening day, just as the zillion point, Boone & Crocket buck struts across your trail... deer do not flip you the bird because they do not have fingers, but you will most surely get the 'flipped off' feeling. BTDT.

If you don't already have a subscription, check out MuzzleBlast magazine, which comes with a membership to the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Assn. ... there's a fellow who sells 'spilt hickory' ramrods but there's a minimum order of ten, if memory serves ... might be worth a look.

by the way, welcome to the coolest hobby in the free world! Go forth, have fun, and make good smoke!

 

[woodse guy]

Dad told me not to said it was for looks not to use. And I already have my far share of scares on my hands so I think I will by a hickory one from track of the wolf thanks for the link. Would tung oil work to put on the rod, I have that to put on my duck calls.

 

[Zonie]

Tung oil? Sure it will work and it's more water proof than Linseed.

As for your existing ramrod being for looks rather than for use, here's what to look for.

If you see stripes like those shown in my drawing the ramrod is good only for looks.

If these 'grain runouts' do not exist and the wood looks like the grain is running the full length of the ramrod then it is safe to use and, in my opinion it is not "just for looks".