Hey Jim,
Sounds like you are off to a good start. A real live mentor is the very best way to go. Reading is one thing; having an old hand looking over your shoulder while you try it for the first time is another.
I'm sure that there are things that are absolutely necessary (powder, shot, patches, etc.) and other things that are in the "nice things to have, but not absolutely necessary at first" catagory. I would appreciate any advice on which items go in which category and what are some of the beter names, brands or sources for shooting accessories.
For suppliers, I generally turn to either
Track of the Wolf or
The Log Cabin. You can find other suppliers listed in the links section of this forum.
I usually end up with Hornady balls, but most brands will do just fine. I prefer GOEX black powder. I'm less picky on my patches -- as long as they are the right thickness and appear to be tightly woven I don't pay any attention to brand name.
As for what you need:
To Shoot:
- powder. Some guys like 2F for calibers over .50 and 3F for calibers .50 and under. I use 3F in my .54 with no problem.
- balls. If you are shooting a common size (such as .50) you can usually get your balls either 0.010" or 0.005" under bore size (e.g. balls of 0.490" or .495" diameter for a .50). Some calibers are hard to find in both variations and you're stuck with what the market offers (for example, I can get 0.395" balls for my .40, but 0.390" balls are hard to find).
- shooting patches. They come in different thicknesses. If your ball is .010" under bore size (e.g. a 0.490" ball in a .50 caliber bore) you probably want a patch that is 0.015" thick. If your ball is 0.005" under bore size (e.g. a 0.495" ball in a .50 caliber bore) then you probably want a patch is 0.010" thick. You might want to get a small quantity of each size and see what works best for you. If the gun is new, the thinner patches might be better until the bore gets "broken in."
- patch lube. Commercial products (such as Bore Butter) work fine, but Stumpkiller's Moose Milk recipe works just as well or better. (you can find the recipe on the forum). Spit works fine, if you want to go that route.
- priming powder. You should be able to use the same powder for priming that you use in your main charge. Some guys like using 4F instead.
- flints. I prefer Black English Flints, available from a number of suppliers. If your lock is set up well, you can get 40+ shots out of a single flint. Some have lasted me 100+ shots. So you don't need to buy more than a handful right away.
- a scrap of leather for holding the flint in the cock's jaws. Some people prefer lead for this job. The leather doesn't have to be real thick, only enough to have some "give" in it so that it will truly grip the flint. Don't buy that "flint leather" that DGW sells... not up to the task and certainly not worth the cost.
- a screw driver with a blade that fits the screw which holds the flint in the cock's jaws. Make sure it is a good fit or you'll bugger up that slot in no time.
- a horn or flask to hold the powder. You don't need this right away, so take your time and find something you really like. For the time being, you can pour your powder from the can into the measure. A little gizmo like
this one will make that easier.
- a powder measure. Captain Saftey says:
Pour your powder from the horn into a measure, and then from the measure into the bore. Always. It ensures you get the right amount of powder, and prevents the whole flask from going up in a ball of flame if there should be some ember alive in the bore. One of the first things you are going to do with your new rifle is "work up a load." Part of that is figuring out just how much powder best suits the gun at different ranges, etc. For that will really want an adjustable powder measure like
this one. Once you've worked up your load(s) you can carve or make measures to exactly the right charge.
- a primer. If you want to use 4F as a prime, you may want a small horn or other device to put it in the pan. I like
this kind. If you are going to use your regular powder to prime the pan, just use your powder measure to get it there (that gizmo on the can will probably be too big and awkward to get powder in the pan; if you are going to use your horn for that job, think about how well size / shape of the tip will work while you are shopping for it).
- a short starter. Some guys don't like them because they believe they were not used back in the day. I won't try to load without mine.
- a ramrod. The gun should have one on it, along with a suitable jag-style button on the end. It is dished out to fit neatly on the ball for loading. You may want a "range rod" too -- a longer rod of metal or wood, with a drilled and tapped end that will hold various tips for loading, cleaning, etc. If you get a range rod, you probably want a bore protector to go with it.
- a way to pull a stuck ball. You could load the ball without powder under it, or the powder might fail to ignite for some reason (usually dampness). You can use a screw that fits on the end of your ramrod and pull the ball manually, or you can get one of those CO2 gizmos and blow it out.
- a vent pick. At its basic level it is just a piece of wire. Cut a 3" piece of safety wire and you're good to go for now. You use it to pick debris out of the vent, or to loosen up packed powder in there if it causes a misfire.
To Clean: the residue left behind by burning black powder (and pyrodex) is very corrosive. The cure is to clean the rifle after every range session, or at the end of the day if you fired it while hunting. Don't fire your new rifle until you have the stuff you need to clean it.
- a cleaning jag that fits the end of your ramrod or range rod.
- a bore brush. Many folks don't like using brushes (for fear of damaging the bore), so you might consider it optional. I use one.
- cleaning patches. Absorbant, and bigger than the shooting patches. They should fit snug in the bore, but not so snug they will get jammed up.
- a patch retriever. A coiled piece of wire that fits on the end of your ramrod, used to fish out cleaning patches that fall off the rod on the way out.
- a fouling scraper (optional). Used to scrap away any crud that accumulates on the face of the breech plug so the water will rinse it away. Make sure it fits... for example, Lyman recommends a .36 cal scraper for the GPR because of the way the breech area is shaped.
- water. The best cleaning solution is water, with or without soap as you desire. You can follow the water with good ol' Hoppes #9 (or something similar). Some cleaners will screw up the finish on the stock, so be careful if you use them. Water is all you really need unless you have a problem with lead fouling.
Things you'll get down the line:
- a pouch to carry your shooting gear in. Take your time and find something you really like. A fishing tackle box will suffice for getting it all out to a shooting bench on the range while you are looking.
- a separate pouch for the balls.
Things you DON'T need:
- a "flint wallet."
- a flint knapping tool. You can use the frizzen, the back of your knive or, if you get desperate, a dremel tool or diamond file.
Good luck, and welcome to a great new hobby.
