Two virgins at the range!

[Shadowalker164]

My first trip to the range with my Kibler Colonial. I have never discharged a flintlock before, and my Kibler long rifle is brand new! She is 50 cal with a one in 70 twist. I used a 0.49 ball and 0.015 prelubed patch. 60 grains of black powder with open iron sights. I also used a bench rest on all shots. All shots at the 25 yard range.

I have charged and discharged a Pedersoli caplock Kentucky before, but no experience with a flinter.

My first target was like a first date, I had no idea what to expect. But I thought things went well. My second target was our second date, and my third target was me getting to 3rd base but being the bone head I am, I dry balled her on our 3rd date! But I think she will forgive me!

Having too much fun!

 

[user 55620]

That is good shooting. Keep it up.
OSF

 

[Shadowalker164]

Thanks Frank, for our 4th date, I hope to take her to the 50 yard range

 

[BillKilgore]

Good shooting. We all remember our first.

Hopefully this is the beginning of a long and beautiful relationship.

 

[user 55620]

How are you going to convince your wife that cleaning muzzle loaders is housework? Shooting it is the easy part!

 

[Shadowalker164]

Housework! Frank rower, It took 15 or more cleaning patches to get an almost clean one out of her. I was firing Schuetzen FFF, and priming with Schuetzen FFFF. Dirty, dirty! By the time I dry balled her, I looked like a coal miner! After clearing the dry ball I started to clean her. I tried Bore Butter first, but found Thompson Center T17 bore cleaner to work better.
I use Pyrodex P with my cap locks, and it does burn cleaner, but I believe flint loves real black powder. Again, having too much fun!

 

[Shadowalker164]

@#%&$ spellcheck… Frankbrowett

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

Nice shooting!

 

[longcruise]

I tried Bore Butter first, but found Thompson Center T17 bore cleaner to work better.

Old secret recipe (shhhh) water (shhhh)!

Next time you clean any of your charcoal guns do a little experiment. Pick out a dirty crusty area around the lock. Rub half of it with a cloth wet with water and the other half with a cloth wet with any of the stuff marketed as bp cleaners. When I did this it surprised me.

Some of those bp cleaners make a good patch lube though.

 

[user 55620]

@#%&$ spellcheck… Frankbrowett

It’ll do.

 

[user 55620]

Housework! Frank rower, It took 15 or more cleaning patches to get an almost clean one out of her. I was firing Schuetzen FFF, and priming with Schuetzen FFFF. Dirty, dirty! By the time I dry balled her, I looked like a coal miner! After clearing the dry ball I started to clean her. I tried Bore Butter first, but found Thompson Center T17 bore cleaner to work better.
I use Pyrodex P with my cap locks, and it does burn cleaner, but I believe flint loves real black powder. Again, having too much fun!

If the Police stop you, they won’t check you for gunshot residue, they will check you for soot. Soap and water is the thing to use. The fouling is hydroscopic and will cause rust. It has to be removed.

 

[Shadowalker164]

Longcruse, Frankbowet: I will go thru her with hot water. I do not like a dirty gun. I enjoy building them, love shooting ‘em, and take some pride in knowing they are clean when I lock them up.

 

[user 55620]

What I do and this is not the only way, is remove the barrel and the nipple and put the nipple end into a bucket of hot soapy water. I use my cleaning rod with a well fitting AVG wad bolted to it. Running it up and down the bore sucks up the soapy water, a bit like a bicycle pump and blows it out again into the bucket.
Dry and oil with patches as normal.
If you pour very hot water down the barrel, be careful as the barrel gets very hot. I use PTFE tape on the nipple threads.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Longcruse, Frankbowet: I will go thru her with hot water. I do not like a dirty gun. I enjoy building them, love shooting ‘em, and take some pride in knowing they are clean when I lock them up.

Absolutely no need for HOT water... and it can actually cause MORE issues.

All it really does anyways is to make your hands more comfortable, LOL !

 

[TDM]

Your off to good start!

 

[Shadowalker164]

It is also my first outing with putting a peep on my shooting glasses. I got bad eyes, and a peep gives me maybe 2 degrees of clear sight picture. I can hold the front sight and the target easily! Your mileage may very.

 

[Shadowalker164]

I’m a lefty

 

[BigD63]

I'll be de-virginifying myself with a flintlock on Saturday. I hope I'll shoot half as good as you!
Good shooting.

 

[Shadowalker164]

BigD63… post pix

 

[nchawkeye]

To clean forget hot water, forget soap...Take the lock off, spray it with a bottle of rubbing alcohol, then rub off the soot, spay with WD-40 and wipe again...If you want to later add a drop of oil on the frizzen pivot point that's fine but that's about all there is to cleaning the lock...For the barrel, leave it on the rifle, put a toothpick in the touch hole, pour cold water in it let it sit (This is when I clean my lock)...Pour the water out...Refill again, let it sit a few minutes, pour it out again...Take a cleaning patch, hold the rifle so the touch hole is down, or put it on a bench, tail gate, etc...Run a few patches down it, most of the fouling is now out...Spray or pour a little rubbing alcohol down the barrel, clean with patches again, now spray the inside of the barrel with WD-40, run a couple of patches down so it is dry, run a oiled patch down the barrel. done...I use a cleaning rod I made years ago and simply leave this in the barrel with the patch on it...Check it a few days later to make sure you have no residue left and before shooting, run a couple of patches down the barrel and wipe any oil off the frizzen and go shoot...