Newbie questions regarding cleaning, shooting, and different ignitions

[tamara]

Hello everyone. I am a new-new-newbie to muzzleloading, as I'm sure my questions will soon reveal! Please forgive me if these questions have been asked over and over again. I've googled and googled, and found only partial answers or advertisements.

First, I see percussion guns seem to use either a #11 cap or a 209 primer for ignition, and there are conversion kits out there. Can someone please explain what the technical and practical differences are between them?

Second, everything I've read says that you need to clean your ML "after every time you shoot it." Does this mean at the end of a shooting session, or does this mean after every shot(!)? If it means a session, after about how many rounds should you clean it?

Third, the main complaint (of few) that I've heard about MLs is that "reloading is slooooow!" How slow is slow? Are we talking just a couple minutes? 10 minutes? 30?

Fourth, I am mainly interested in double side-by-side shotguns for upland hunting. I've read warnings that the recoil from the first barrel firing could move the charge in the second barrel, so you ought to make sure the second charge is still seated. Does this mean each time the first barrel is fired, or after several shots? Is it possible with a double shotgun to have both barrels loaded and to shoot them one right after the other? Say a grouse gets up, and you miss on the first shot, can you safely fire the other barrel at the grouse?

Fifth, I don't know anyone who uses a muzzleloading shotgun (which is my primary interest). Should I take the NRA course on muzzleloading, or would it be a waste of time?

Sixth, I've read a bit about misfires: dealing with them, preventing them, etc. How common / frequent are misfires? I know this will probably get a "it depends" answer... I guess I should say on a reproduction double shotgun with 209 primers, if that helps any.

Finally, since I'm obviously so new to this, can you recommend any books or videos that cover the basic-basics?

Sorry this is so long... so much to learn!

 

First off Tamara welcome to the site. Let's try your Q's in order. The odds are the shotgun you pick will be set up for no. 11 caps, they work fine. (besides we're a traditional site, and leave that new fangled 209 stuff to others.) Second cleaning is generally done at the end of a session. that being said, we sometimes wipe the barrlels between shots (this is done more with rifles, and target shooting, as the more you shoot the more the barrel will foul, and make loading harder) Third, loading a single barrel, sould only take between 30 seconds, and a minute. depending if you are loading from a pouch, or a bench at a range. A double barrel wont be much longer, It would be powder, powder, overpowder card, overpowder card, wad, wad, shot load, shot load, over shot card, overshot card, no.11 cap, no. 11 cap. Your ramrood would be used each time to seat down the cards and wads. the powder and shot would have to be measured, either before hand, or at the time of loading. When hunting with my smoothie, I keep my loads in small plastic pilol bottles all premeasured. Fourth, unless you are using very heavy loads, or loose cards, your load won't shift, If it does it would be because of the loading technique, or heavy charge. Fifth, any class will help, but you have the one site on the web that has hundreds, nay thousands of years of practical experience, Just keep asking away, you'll get all the answers ya need. If your main interest is smoothie, the peruse that section, lotsa help. Sixth, misfires shouldn't be a problem with a properly, cleaned, and tuned gun, aside from real blackpowder, there are substitutes, that have higher ignition temps, and these can cause them sometimes, but generally, keep it cleaned and tuned, and no problem. But if ya do have some, ask away on the forum, and someone will come to yer aid. Last the lyman black powder books, are pretty good for starters, or save some money and ask yer Q's here :winking: Bill

 

[Stumpkiller]

Third, the main complaint (of few) that I've heard about MLs is that "reloading is slooooow!" How slow is slow? Are we talking just a couple minutes? 10 minutes? 30?

I'd say less than a minute with seperate wads if you plan your shot pouch properly. Less if you use paper cartridges.

My shotgun bags are set up with a large pocket in front for wads and a smaller pocket behind that on a split inner panel for the over powder and over shot wads. With a shot snake and a horn I can reload my single-barrel 12 ga in less than a minute. I've never owned a double muzzleloader, but I usually jump single birds and rabbits so it dosen't hinder me much.

I can reload my flintlock rife in about 30 seconds for as long as I have pre-patched balls in wood loading blocks in "hurry" mode. A minute is a leisurely pace. Depends a lot on how tightly you patch (and perhaps need a short starter) and how well you lube the patch. Some rifles need to be wiped after every shot, some can shoot all day without wiping. All should be cleaned well at the end of the day with soapy water and then oiled (or whatever variation for cleaning you prefer).

 

[tamara]

Thank you for the information!

Sounds like reloading times are actually really quick! I think this weekend I will visit some of the local shops and see if they have any ML shotguns in stock I can look at, or if they have any classes.

This should be an exciting new adventure. I enjoy traditional archery, and will certainly keep at it, but boy is it hard to make a meal of quail with a bow!