How many shots until you clean the barrel?

[MikeChapin]

After reading the responses to the Pedersoli ignition fix it occured to me that there are plenty here who think shooting is more labour intensive then it needs to be.

How many shots until you clean barrel? I myself clean the barrel when the ball feels like its hanging up. It gets worse after about half way down. I get about 10 shots off before this happens.

If I never have to clean when shooting I would be happier. Any ideas out there?

Lube of course helps keep the fouling soft.

Overly tight patch ball combinations makes things worse. If I need to use a ball starter to start the ball its too tight for me. I can load with a ramrod alone.

...

I never clean between shots even in competition. I use spit for lube but you can use any water based lube like Hoppies, Windex, moose milk, Ballistol and water or many others to get the same effect.

A snug patch and ball combination adds to accuracy but also keeps the barrel in the same condition from shot to shot. Most of my rifles require a slap on the short starter to get it in the barrel but they load easy enough after that. One rifle requires me to hit the ball with the short starter to get it in the barrel. It will still shoot all day with a looser patch/ball combination but it is not quite tight enough to retain accuracy. Accuracy goes to pooh after about five shots with a looser patch/ball combination.

 

[F.G. Ford]

If you want to hit something consistantly, swab/clean between shots.
If you want to go "Bang" just throw some powder down the barrel and shoot, you don't really need a ball, cause you won't hit what you are aiming at anyway.
Just watch the target shooters, that score 5 shots in the ten ring, and then you will understand.
In any kind of shooting consistancy is all important, whether it is muzzleloading or cartridge.
Take that for what it is worth!
Best regards
Old Ford

 

[skunkskinner]

If I never have to clean when shooting I would be happier. Any ideas out there?

I hesitate to say this, if you blow down the barrel after each shot you can shoot all day without cleaning.

I shoot a .50 with a .490 ball, pillow ticking and spit for a lube, i never clean while at the range.

Guys, if anyone feels the need to explain the dangers of this routine to me , please do so VIA PT, thanks.

 

[Sully]

I do not have to clean between shots but for me to get the best accuracy out of my rifle I run a damp patch down the barrel followed by a dry patch after each shot. I would think that ole Daniel would dump powder and ball down the barrel and forget about the patch when needing to reload really fast. Also i believe that the drum would be harder to get to ignite the charge than a patent breach.

 

[vern faulkner]

More out of a force of habit (just how I started out long-long ago in a far away place) I always send a wet (spit) patch followed by 2 dry patches after each shot. Never needed a quick follow-up shot. Squirrels around here ain't that aggressive.

Vern

 

[D Sanders]

I can shoot indefinately with out cleaning.

I can shoot all day without cleaning also, but can you hold any kind of groups that way? :hmm:

HH 60

 

[B.Habermehl]

Using Simple Green soap, I can shoot a 20 shot woods walk with out cleaning. For paper work I will clean after each relay about 5 shots. The big problem for me is under specific humidity conditions a carbon cake will form at the breech face requireing a go-round with a breech scraper. This even happens with wipeing between relays. I usually run into this sort of thing when I am running a youth field day type event with the gun being fired 100 or more times a day. I really like Simple Green for this type of shooting

 

[jerrywh]

I can shoot all day without cleaning and I usually come in the top three on the shoot in rifle.
The secret is the patch lube but most guys won't believe it. Everybody I know who tried it switched.

 

[fitter]

exactly!

 

[Short Arm]

Never

 

[Mike Brooks]

I can shoot indefinately with out cleaning.

I can shoot all day without cleaning also, but can you hold any kind of groups that way? :hmm:

HH 60

A pile of medals from the Illinois territorial championships should be proof enough.

 

[RiverRat]

I use grease made with rendered bear fat and bee's wax mixed to a consistency of paste car wax.
I can shoot a entire match, 20 or 30 shots then wipe with ballistol and water mix then off to my next shoot. Some rondy's I'll shoot 60 shots in one day before I give her a good cleaning. I use 3f and patches that are not ridculously tight. A tight patch/ball fit is over rated.

 

[Twowithone]

3 shots out of my TC.50 and Im fighting to get the ball down the barrel.

 

[ebiggs1]

3 shots out of my TC.50 and Im fighting to get the ball down the barrel.

You need to try some regular across the counter TC Bore Butter. If that doesn't correct the three shot limit, you have something else seriously wrong.

 

[jlap380]

My patches, I like the bore butter and spit patch between each shot dry patch and reload. Maby its not needed, but its works for me. Besides Its part of my routine and the whole process is my own therapy. Proof for me is always on the target. Thats why I love this sport so much- alot like the rifels and muskets each is its own distinct piece of craftmanship much like each shot. However you do it each shot is crafted to be the same for optimal accuracy. I would also include if I needed another shot as quick as possible for a giant whitetail I'm sure I would forego the spitpatch part. :thumbsup:

 

[RiverRat]

Sounds to me like your patch/ball configuration is way too tight, or you lubrication is failing.
There are sooooo many recipes for patch lube and they all work. I never seen the advantage of buying bore butter. If you can't get any bear grease, use olive oil instead. I believe that the round ball obturation(sp) is more important than a tight patch. :wink:

 

[hanshi]

You need another lube. Spit patch is as good as anything on the market; you just can't leave it in the barrel past a short while. Hoppes #9 Plus BP lube will let you shoot all day without cleaning provided your ball/patch isn't too tight to begin with. Though my first load of the day - when hunting - is lubed with a grease, ALL reloads are with Hoppes or spit.

 

[flaming canvas]

If you want to hit something consistantly, swab/clean between shots.
If you want to go "Bang" just throw some powder down the barrel and shoot, you don't really need a ball, cause you won't hit what you are aiming at anyway.
Just watch the target shooters, that score 5 shots in the ten ring, and then you will understand.

I guess no one ever told my Santa Fe Hawken about that. The most I ever shot it was 82 times over two days at a rendezvous. Would have gone more but we ran out of events. I almost got run out of camp for winning all but one of them. I shoot a very tight combination that takes a rap or two on the short starter with a knife or mallet. Spit patched and plenty wet.

 

[Twowithone]

That is what I use TC. Bore butter.Any suggestions greatly appreciated. :bow:

 

[Twowithone]

the way we were told when we got into this sport was, 50 cal 490 roundball .010 patch and somehow that equates 50 caliber.