Well clearly you are in the UK and your gun may had some varient Pattern breech ? Maybe none? But the UK International shooters at least at the first Quantico MLAIC World shot my guns (Of my make ) with the classic Nocks and ile say shot the poop out of them '.Col Hawker' viz Mike Brooks shot no other guns. he once shot 11 clays driven in a double percussion match IE two birds at once & to my disaprouval they would'nt allow his top score "Because it was for double cap guns !."
However this is a bit of topic ish .Is your gun of your make or has it a 'Patent breech proper IE Nocks not the machine disgorged nonesence most call it ' patent '. I did a lot of wandering UK farm land with all sorts of wierd & wonderfull old guns .cant recall much field cleaning .If I did want to wash out a pinned barrel full stock Ide either peg the vent or drink a gobfull of water angle the gun so the water pours out of the vent and thusly wash out the barrel if the rod suited a worm or jag affair . Be interesting to see what'Felt Wad' did he really put some rounds out of MLs in the UK still does I expect .
Regards Rudyard
Well clearly you are in the UK and your gun may had some varient Pattern breech ? Maybe none? But the UK International shooters at least at the first Quantico MLAIC World shot my guns (Of my make ) with the classic Nocks and ile say shot the poop out of them '.Col Hawker' viz Mike Brooks shot no other guns. he once shot 11 clays driven in a double percussion match IE two birds at once & to my disaprouval they would'nt allow his top score "Because it was for double cap guns !."
However this is a bit of topic ish .Is your gun of your make or has it a 'Patent breech proper IE Nocks not the machine disgorged nonesence most call it ' patent '. I did a lot of wandering UK farm land with all sorts of wierd & wonderfull old guns .cant recall much field cleaning .If I did want to wash out a pinned barrel full stock Ide either peg the vent or drink a gobfull of water angle the gun so the water pours out of the vent and thusly wash out the barrel if the rod suited a worm or jag affair . Be interesting to see what'Felt Wad' did he really put some rounds out of MLs in the UK still does I expect .
Regards Rudyard
Actually, I am from the midwestern U.S.
I have had a couple of reproduction guns with patent breeches. One worked fairly well and was not too difficult to clean. The other was a real pain about half the time.
The original designs were probably better than modern versions, but the performance of guns with standard breeches was always satisfactory to me, and were easier to clean.
I am aware of the original claims of higher velocities with heavier loads, and do not doubt most of the claimed advantages.