How to clean a MUZZLE LOADER

[diskaon]

Hey all,

I am keen to know how does one clean a muzzle loader. As its open only on one side (the muzzle). What about the percussion cap assembly. how does one clean that. I have learnt that some kind of pin is available for clearing this.


Diskaon.

[diskaon]

source - www.bp-outdoors.com

General cleaning instructions:

Cleaning your muzzleloader is really a simple procedure that can be summarized as follows:

1. Clean the bore of black powder residue.

2. Protect the bore after cleaning.

3. Lubricate the trigger mechanism and other moving parts.

4. Clean and protect the exterior.

The details of the procedure and the specific cleaners used are detailed in the links below. The procedures are written to be applicable to any muzzleloader but the application may vary slightly depending on the manufacturer. Use these directions as an aid but not in lieu of the instructions provided with your muzzleloader. Cleaning the bore between firings (step 1 above) will improve accuracy, prevent fouling and reduce cleaning at the end.

Before you shoot:

1. Operation: Be sure you understand how the mechanisms work. Verify that you can operate the safety, understand how the gun is cocked and how to safely un-cock the firing mechanism.

2. Tools: Understand and become familiar with how to disassemble and re-assemble your muzzleloader using the manufacturers supplied tools and accessories.

3. Safety Tip: Insert the ram rod into the bore of the empty barrel and scribe a mark on the ram rod at the open end of the barrel. Use this as an empty barrel gauge to verify the barrel is free of obstructions and is not already loaded. It is important to have this means of verifying your muzzleloader is empty to prevent installing a load in an already loaded barrel resulting in a very dangerous condition.

[Mark]

Diskaon,

If you can remove the barrel it is quite simple and easy-

Remove the barrel by driving out the pins holding it in (traditionally, this is done from left to right when looking from the back of the gun towards the front however over the years the pins may have been removed from the other direction so do whatever way seems to work best) Sometimes there is a screw that has to be removed from the tang, other times the tang is 2 piece and the barrel lifts out without removing the screw.

set the barrel in a pot with about 3 liters of boiling water so the nipple is covered with water. depending on how the cleaning rod end is, you either use a patch or simply wrap some cotton string around the end until it is a snug fit into the barrel. Now all you need to do is make long strokes with the cleaning rod, and it will draw the water up into the barrel and push it back out with your strokes. You will need to hold the barrel with a towel as it very quickly gets too hot to hold. The water also gets black almost immediately but will still clean well. after a few minutes of stroking, take the barrel and place it muzzle end down in a corner. It will dry very quickly and when dry rub with an oiled cloth and a lightly oiled patch in the bore and it is done. To clean the lock all I usually do is wipe it down with an oiled rag, but you can also remove it and clean the back thoroughly with a small wire brush and oil.

If you do not have a good gun oil, my favorite recipe is to use about 90% transmission fluid (called ATF you buy it at a gas station, it is the red stuff they use in automatic transmissions. Buy any brand and cheap stuff works as well as any other ) and 10% mineral spirits (paint thinner). That mixture gives as good a gun oil as any you can purchase and for a fraction of the price of commercial gun oil. One last thought about oiling after cleaning, be sparing. I like to have a rag that is just slightly damp wth oil and just wipe it down.

Hope that helps a little! Also, you can use soapy water first just make sure it is hot, as close to boiling as possible has been best in my experience.

[diskaon]

thanks mark.. Can serious "hunting" be done with a Muzzy? I mean at 50 mtrs can you whack out a coconut or a tin can?


diskaon.

[MoA]

Diskaon,

Yes a lot of people do hunt with muzzle loaders, and some of them can be accurate to 300 meters.

There are special 'keys' available to remove the nipple. You might be able to find them at Cabela's.

I have several cap and ball revolvers that I shoot regularly. For cleaning them this is the process I follow:

1. Liberal application of Windex, which dissolves the residue quite easily.
2. Lots of liquid soap, almost any used for utensils will do.
3. Scrub with brass brush.
4. Rinse with hot water. (Hotter the better).
5. Dry them out completely. Using paper towels, wads through the barrel. Wads in the cylinders.

Then if I am going to be resuing them within the month: I liberally apply olive oil.
Long term storage.. i.e. anything over a month:
ATF, WD40, Mobil-1 any of them will do. Apply very liberally and then store in plastic packets, sandwich bags, or even the ones that you get in shops.

Muzzle loaders are great fun to shoot. While rifles are generally accurate... revolvers require a great deal of kentucky windage.

[Mark]

thanks mark.. Can serious "hunting" be done with a Muzzy? I mean at 50 mtrs can you whack out a coconut or a tin can?


diskaon.

By all means yes...

[Vikram]

I know that I am stating the obvious, but, there are smooth bore muzzle loaders too. In which case accuracy takes a different meaning. Ball/slugs can be fired in them but accuracy and power can be,lets say, very different from a modern muzzle loading rifle.

Best-
Vikram

[diskaon]

wow..

great shot Mark. from how far did you knock the deer (its deer right?)

MoA, What do you mean by cap and ball revolvers? are you saying you can have multiple shots with a muzzle loader? I have seen DBML and that's it.

Vikram,

I have a permit for a smooth bore muzzle loader only.. so i suppose i can have one of the modern "rifles" but I was wondering if one can have reverse rfling on the shot so that it gains a spin when fired?

[The Doc]

I have a permit for a smooth bore muzzle loader only..

Disk,

Are you serious about buying a ML ??

best,

RP.

[Vikram]

What do you mean by cap and ball revolvers? are you saying you can have multiple shots with a muzzle loader? I have seen DBML and that's it.

Vikram,

I have a permit for a smooth bore muzzle loader only.. so i suppose i can have one of the modern "rifles" but I was wondering if one can have reverse rfling on the shot so that it gains a spin when fired?

Disk,

The cap & Ball revolvers are one of the earlier versions.Instead of loading cartridges, you would load the chambers in the cylinder with powder and a ball/bullet and prime them with a cap.So, you have multiple shots. They are not, strictly speaking, muzzle loaders.Muzzle loading pistols are mostly single shot and loaded as such.There is plenty of stuff on the web on cap n ball guns.

Check this video on how to load and shoot one.

[youtube][/youtube]

If you are into Country music, google Johnny Cash's ''Devil's Right Hand''.

Re your second question, I do not understand you clearly. Are you meaning to get the smooth bore rifled and intend to impart spin to lead shot? I doubt you can do that in India and it does not help shooting shot through rifled barrels.The patterns are shot to hell is what I Read. All the best with your muzzle loader.I heard there some very good ones coming out of India.Especially Curiohouse(?) from Rajasthan.

Best-
Vikram

Best-
Vikram

[indian]

might be a little OT but i have seen well made indian SBML guns being sold for an expensive price of $600 at the toronto sportsmen show last year.

cheers

[Vikram]

Certainly not OT and I did read quite a few good reports about the quality of muzzle loaders exported from India. If Diskaon does a bit of research, he can get a nice one for himself. I believe, Curious House of Rajasthan are on our dealers list.

Best-
Vikram

[indian]

They were copies of the Brown bess and the seller even mentioned that its difficult to get such fine quality MLs.the look and finish were excellent.i saw some with a dealer in bellary but didnt bother to take a close look.

cheers

[diskaon]

Doc,

I was wondering. More like a novelty rather than self defense. Having a Muzzy for self defense will be like the kung fu expert who takes 45 min warm up before beating up the bad guys.

more over it will be much cheaper to plink and anyways all forms of hunting are banned in India.


I had done some 0.22 shooting last weekend. after around 30 shots I realised I had blown up Rs. 350 in less than half hour.




What is the economics of muzzle loader shooting in India? what would one shot come up to.. assuming a 10 - 15 mm bore dia.

[Mack The Knife]

Never mind the cost, where is the backstop?