Non Wipers Only.

[Kansas Jake]

I think a notched breech would not be ideal, but I suspect it would cause less problems than some of the patent style breeches used by some manufacturers, especially the Traditions style breech.

 

[Eutycus]

The manufacturers put it there for a reason. Did they not know what they were doing?

 

[Kansas Kid]

The manufacturers put it there for a reason. Did they not know what they were doing?

This is mainly found on custom/parts set guns with pre carved stocks, so it is the builder that does it to buy a little more room between breech plug and T hole.

 

[Eutycus]

Ball pullers, as simple as that sounds, I got to admit that I havent tried that one.

 

[azmntman]

In a pinch a papar clip twisted up will work.......and once I even stuck a pine tree twig with sap on down the bore. Yes it works. Ashamed to admit I did it twice, the second time it came outta the screw hole and I ended up shooting a patch and a twig out in the garage

 

[Eutycus]

In a pinch a papar clip twisted up will work.......and once I even stuck a pine tree twig with sap on down the bore. Yes it works. Ashamed to admit I did it twice, the second time it came outta the screw hole and I ended up shooting a patch and a twig out in the garage

They may not be HC but you can almost bet a paper clip is gonna be found in my shooting bag.

 

[WRustyLane]

They may not be HC but you can almost bet a paper clip is gonna be found in my shooting bag.

Yeah, mine too!

 

[Eutycus]

Sometimes that little piece of twisted wire sure comes in handy.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

You're right about losing the patch doesnt haopen very often but arent you grateful for that worm when it does happen.It happened to me several years ago and the incident caught me without a worm. I quickly constructed one. I unwrapped an old bore brush, the kind with the wire spiraled or twisted around the center or core of the brush.Its not the prettiest thing in the world but it has gotten the job done. And has several times.

Well darn! Here I thought I invented the patch worm made from a bore brush! I guess great minds do think alike. I cut off the brush and put it in a cordless drill. When I spun it with a pair of pliers on the bristols they came right off. Then it was just a matter of bending the brass wires so they'd grab the patch. I trust it a lot more than the steel worms which can scratch a bore.

JS

 

[Eutycus]

I was really surprised at how stiff that wire was. Believe me you will need pliars.

 

[Travler]

Just to add a new one for lube and for cleaning. A vetetan shooter got me started on Formula 409. Works great for me. I have tried various water soluable oil moose milk or the like as well. I never wipe between shots, but i do intend to try out Dutchs methods at the bench and see what the targets tell me.

 

[Kansas Kid]

I’ve considered trying 409 as it’s a good cleaner.

 

[SDSmlf]

Just to add a new one for lube and for cleaning. A vetetan shooter got me started on Formula 409. Works great for me.

Don’t know about 409, but some the more aggressive cleaners can peel the hide off of a wood stock. Would test as to what it does to your stock finish in some inconspicuous spot, as anything you use as a patch lube will be on your hands and likely find it way to your stock.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I agree it probably could collect fouling. But don't most manufacturers have a engineer on hand who would know just where the touch hole is to be placed?

I think you are giving manufacturers far too much credit.

My 1803 Harpers Ferry kit had an engineered pre carved stock. The pre inlet lock was perfectly aligned with the fence on the lock, but the breech plug was threaded too far for the touch hole to clear the face of the breech plug. The barrel is tapered so moving the barrel back would leave gaps in the barrel channel. The only choice was to notch the face of the breech plug and dish out the face of breech plug. Before I did the notching of the face of the breech plug, I consulted with several knowledgeable builders and the universal choice based on my pre inlet stock and barrel configuration was to notch the breech plug. I do have very fast ignition. I do my best to keep the notch clean and use a good rust inhibiting lubricant after cleaning.

It is important to note that a lot of original guns have notches in the face of the breech plug. Maybe its not so dreadful after all.

 

[Eutycus]

Would it be safe to say probably about half the MLs out there are notched?

 

[Kansas Kid]

Would it be safe to say probably about half the MLs out there are notched?

Flintlocks? I would say yes. But IMHO that doesn’t mean it’s THE thing to do. It’s just a bandage for improperly aligned parts whose dimensions have grown over the years in the name of safety.

Come to think of it I have four flint guns and two are notched two are not. None of my cap guns that are flint plug and drum are notched.

 

[Dr5x]

If you can shoot repeatedly without the quick wipe between shots and load without difficulty with nice tight groups as a result. HOORAY! I COULD NEVER DO THAT.
THE RESIDUE FROM EACH SHOT WOULD BAKE ON TO THE BORE MAKING EACH SHOT HARDER TO LOAD, THE FIFTH SHOT WOULD HAVE REQUIRE AMMER..
TOO SLICK A PATCH LUBE HAS THE AME EFFECT AS A SMALLER POWDER CHARGE AND AN OPENING GROUP.

IF YOU CAN AVOID THE QUICK WIPE and get tight groups, Please tell us how, with pictures of those one inch or less groups you produced.

Dutch Schoultz

Just to add a new one for lube and for cleaning. A vetetan shooter got me started on Formula 409. Works great for me. I have tried various water soluable oil moose milk or the like as well. I never wipe between shots, but i do intend to try out Dutchs methods at the bench and see what the targets tell me.

 

[okawbow]

I shoot most of my club matches without wiping between shots. I use a ball that is .010” under bore size. My flintlock has deep rifling and round bottom grooves. I use a .025”denim patch with 6-1 water/ Balistol patch lube. The ball and patch is tight and needs a ball starter, but once started, it goes down good with a stout rod. The fit is tight enough to push the fouling down with each loading, so each time I reload, the effort remains the same.

A recent match that included 5 shots each at 25, 50, and 125 yards, using my .54 flintlock, against everyone else shooting percussion and most wiping between shots; I kept all shot in the black, and won by more than 10 points. I don’t think it made any difference in my group size with that rifle, not wiping, compared to wiping.

When I shoot over the log and use Teflon coated patches, I have to wipe between shots or the load will not go down.

 

[Dr5x]

BRAVO!
YUOUR POST makes great good sense.I know it's possible to shoot consistently without wiping between shots, but it's only a rare combination of things that will allow it.

What puzzles me it why the wipe would be required for chuck gun shooting and not the other.

You apparently think things through and I would like to send you my eBook at no charge to a fellow thoughtful rifleman.

Send me na email at

[email protected]

and I'll get a copy on its way immediately.

Dutch Schoultz

I shoot most of my club matches without wiping between shots. I use a ball that is .010” under bore size. My flintlock has deep rifling and round bottom grooves. I use a .025”denim patch with 6-1 water/ Balistol patch lube. The ball and patch is tight and needs a ball starter, but once started, it goes down good with a stout rod. The fit is tight enough to push the fouling down with each loading, so each time I reload, the effort remains the same.

A recent match that included 5 shots each at 25, 50, and 125 yards, using my .54 flintlock, against everyone else shooting percussion and most wiping between shots; I kept all shot in the black, and won by more than 10 points. I don’t think it made any difference in my group size with that rifle, not wiping, compared to wiping.

When I shoot over the log and use Teflon coated patches, I have to wipe between shots or the load will not go down.

 

[Kansas Kid]

Looks like he is using Teflon patching on the chunk gun and Balistol/Water wet patching for the other. Going to have to wipe with a dry patching.