Shooting without wiping

[Col. Batguano]

Now get off the bench and start shooting offhand. Flint takes some adjusting to. If your shots that should have been 10's are in the 4:00 position that's due to the "flintlock flinch". It takes some getting used to before you find the right trick to make it go away. For myself, I know that if I start exhaling and lean a little bit in to it just as I'm breaking the shot it helps me keep my eyes open, and eliminate the flinches, but everyone is a little bit different in what works for them.

 

[glw]

This is pretty interesting to read. I went to the range Friday (5/9/14) and didn’t wipe enough; I ended up with a ball stuck so tight I thought I’d never get it out or down the rest of the way. The ball puller just pulled right out of the ball. I had to take it home and ram it down with a piece of all-thread and then shoot it out later. Frustrating.

I was shooting my .45 percussion rifle with 3f Goex. I was using store-bought pre-lubed patches and I tried swabbing with a cleaning patch rubbed with Bore Butter at one point but that didn’t seem to pull up much crud. After about four shots (post-wiping), the next ball stuck tight.
I think that next time, I’ll take along some Ballistol or something to swab with every so often.

Something about my routine seems to mandate that I wipe things down regularly. Up until then, the rifle was shooting pretty straight.

 

[azmntman]

Get the ductch system and read it and use it. Use moose milk (recipe in the system book). Bore butter will only make things worse used as a between shot wipe. Moose milk is great. Bore butter is a lube type thing (like for lubing dry patches) loved or hated by many but will NOT remove the fouling.

If you decide NOT to get the system you may wanna try Hoppes #9 patch lube (NOT the regular # 9 solvent) as a patch lube on dry patches. Many of us have never had any issues using it and shooting all day in .45 caliber and larger. It basically swipes the bore as you load and keeps it clean enough.

Good luck!

 

[jamesthomas]

Bore butter is not meant to be used for wiping the bore. It is a patch lube only. If you wipe, use a cleaning pad soaked with alcohol and make one trip down an up followed by a dry patch, DO NOT pump the patch up an down as this will either clog the touch hole liner or clog the drum with fouling. You can also try changing powders like I did which for me solved ALL my problems. Btw, that's Hoppes #9 Plus Blackpowder Solvent and Patch Lubricant, it comes in a tall Orange, black and white 8oz. bottle.

 

[Ohio Joe]

There is documentation of shooters wiping between shots during over the log matches, even from Crockett's day.

I know that at Rendezvous I've attended and at those shooting matches where we are loading from the bag, and I'm using a spit patch,,, on a hot day I've had to stop before my next load and slobber up a patch to wipe my bore. During a line shoot like that at a Rondy I'll use this type of ramrod so I don't have to dig out my jag to swab;


This works pretty good for me. I have found that using a spit patch you don't need to swab very often, but on a hot day - sometimes you do.

Now when it comes to loading from your shooting box at the loading bench, there really is no reason not to wipe between shots. Same holds true with over the log matches.

 

[ryoung14]

I use to shoot pyrodex P and use spit for lube on a .015 patch in my 45 and I could shoot all day.

Light loads of Pyro P with TC or Ox Yoke pre-lubed patches always allowed me to shoot 'all day'. For target shooting I use 30 gr. of Pyro P behind a .50 PRB or 20 gr. of P behind a .350 PRB in my TCs. Patches look good enough to re-use, accuracy holds up fine and NO WIPING!

For me, "all day" is about 25 to 30 shots. Things were getting a mite sloppy at that point; might've been me, might've been the gun...

I've tried the same thing with 3f Goex. It didn't work; probably needed to wipe every shot. Never noticed Pyrodex P being any harder to clean up after than Goex.

 

[M. De Land]

I don't like wiping between shots with percussion guns that have patten breech because I pretty much need to fire a cap after each wiping to insure the flash channel is clear in my guns.
No need for this with a flintlock or underhammer as a pick can be used to clear the flash channel. Mike D.

 

[dikman]

Just make sure that you don't run the "cleaning" patch all the way down to the bottom of the barrel - not a good idea!

My Pedersoli flinter has a patent breech, and I swab between shots. I must have pushed it just a little too far once, as it took me 6 tries to get it to fire, I figure I must have fouled the breech area. Now I'm more careful just how far down I swab.

 

[ryoung14]

I don't like wiping between shots with percussion guns that have patten breech because I pretty much need to fire a cap after each wiping to insure the flash channel is clear in my guns.

Amen. That's the biggest reason I try to avoid wiping.

 

[Snakebite]

I don't like wiping between shots with percussion guns that have patten breech because I pretty much need to fire a cap after each wiping to insure the flash channel is clear in my guns.
No need for this with a flintlock or underhammer as a pick can be used to clear the flash channel. Mike D.

If you're using a rod with a jag on it at the range, you can use a damp patch between the jag and the ball when you load. I started doing that a long time ago and it works pretty well.

I will also say I've gone multiple loading, up to 15 or so with out wiping and it was no problem.

I really think its just whatever works for you.

 

[Billnpatti]

I've been reading over all of the answers on this thread. Some say that they don't need to wipe between shots. Others say to wipe but to use this or that on your patch. Some say to wet the patch and some say to dampen the patch. So on and so forth. In the end, it all depends on what is working for you and what you consider to be acceptable accuracy.

Personally, I have found that the recommendations in Dutch Schoultz' "Black Powder Accuracy System" have worked the best for me. A patch damp with the Moose Milk mixture that he recommends, one smooth stroke in and one smooth stroke out between every shot keeps the bore exactly the same from shot to shot. Consistency is one of the basic requirements for accuracy when shooting a muzzleloader. Dutch has literally written the book on muzzleloading accuracy. He has forgotten more than I will ever know on the subject. His writings on the subject of muzzleloading accuracy are my bible on the subject. But, if you have a system that works better for you, that is what you ought to be using and I know that Dutch will agree with me on that. :hatsoff:

 

[Rifleman1776]

Good reply. But the question and another thread will come up again in a few weeks. :dead:
I am a swab between every shot guy.
I remember the day I converted. I was in a Simon Kenton run (yes, long time ago when I could still actually run. :wink: ) I shot two stations then at the third I could not seat the ball. Using the wood rod on the rifle I could not do anything with the stuck ball. Broke the rod, fortunately didn't hurt myself (only time I ever broke a rod) and had to quit the competition.
Taking a few seconds to swab is good insurance, even during a timed compettion like that or in the woods while hunting. Can save the day.
BTW, I also started searching for rod material that was unbreakable. Shortly afterwards I was selling Delrin rods and still use them.

 

[hanshi]

I don't like wiping between shots with percussion guns that have patten breech because I pretty much need to fire a cap after each wiping to insure the flash channel is clear in my guns.
No need for this with a flintlock or underhammer as a pick can be used to clear the flash channel. Mike D.

If you're using a rod with a jag on it at the range, you can use a damp patch between the jag and the ball when you load. I started doing that a long time ago and it works pretty well.

I will also say I've gone multiple loading, up to 15 or so with out wiping and it was no problem.

I really think its just whatever works for you.

:hmm: Interesting idea!