Mendi .45 rifle, first try out

Taffyman · Oct 30, 2020

Finally got the bits needed to shoot my cheap Spanish reproduction. Took it down the range today for the first time. Using Hornady .440 balls, 60g of 3f Goex, with wonderlube patches, I could only get patches for 50 cal, but I assume they are OK, but I still trimmed down the diameter a bit. At 75 yards I was getting a 9" group, if you can call that a group. My only problem was loading the ball and patch, really tight, had to use a 3/8" wooden dowel and rubber mallet to get it started, and even then some taps on the ramrod to get it all the way down.
This was my first attempt at muzzle loading, in fact I am the only one at my gun club to do so. great experience, I'm hooked. Any advise on the tight fit, and also the rifle can fire on half cock, will have that fixed before going out again.
Thanks

springfield art · Oct 30, 2020

Taffyman said:
Finally got the bits needed to shoot my cheap Spanish reproduction. Took it down the range today for the first time. Using Hornady .440 balls, 60g of 3f Goex, with wonderlube patches, I could only get patches for 50 cal, but I assume they are OK, but I still trimmed down the diameter a bit. At 75 yards I was getting a 9" group, if you can call that a group. My only problem was loading the ball and patch, really tight, had to use a 3/8" wooden dowel and rubber mallet to get it started, and even then some taps on the ramrod to get it all the way down.
This was my first attempt at muzzle loading, in fact I am the only one at my gun club to do so. great experience, I'm hooked. Any advise on the tight fit, and also the rifle can fire on half cock, will have that fixed before going out again.
Thanks

Yeah, good! Using thinner patches, smaller balls, etc., muzzleloading is as much art as science! Good for you.

rafterob · Oct 30, 2020

Some of the early import muzzleloaders were .44 caliber, that could possibly be your issue. But if you can drop a bare .440 ball in your barrel and it goes right down and comes back out then it is most likely .45. The pre-lubed patch may not have enough lube? You mention using a dowel and a mallet. Most of us use a "short starter". That gets the ball loaded into the barrel about 6" at which point you switch to your ramrod. You'll get it figured out, keep reading the forum for more tips.

Jaeger · Oct 30, 2020

Sounds like your ball and patch combination is way too tight. Try using thinner patches: make your own by cutting up an old bedsheet or some other thin cloth and try that combo. Lube the patch with your own saliva (slightly wet, not sopping! ) if the weather isn't freezing. a 1 to 1.5 inch square patch is fine. Your powder charge sounds about right or you could go to 70 grains of 3F.

Grenadier1758 · Oct 30, 2020

You do want to use 100% cotton patching. Any synthetic fibers will melt into the grooves of your rifle and be very difficult to remove.

Do get a short starter. the stubby knob will get the ball in the barrel to cut your patch. Then the long leg starts the ball in the barrel getting the patch and ball to engrave on the lands. Now the ram rod can push the ball to the breech. Accept the fact that it is best to use a short 6 to 8" push until the ball is on the powder.

arcticap · Oct 31, 2020

You didn't mention the size of the patches.
If it is a tight bore then you can switch to .433 balls which are common.
Otherwise you'll need a thinner patch.
But if it's too thin then it won't hold much lube and may tear easily.
I would try the .433 if you can find some, or a ,010 patch if that's thinner than what you're using.
There are some .45 barrels that simply need .433 balls such as the Hopkins & Allen barrels by Numrich among others.
It seems like they measure the bore diameter groove to groove instead of land to land.

76 yards is a far distance for shooting although 9 inches is fairly good.
Setting up the target at 50 yards if possible sounds like it would help to tighten up the point of impact.

mooman76 · Oct 31, 2020

Look for you fired patches. They should look good enough to use again. Not saying you should, just that if the patches are getting holes, burned or shredded, it indicates a problem.

Johnny Tremain · Oct 31, 2020

Clean your bore with hot soapy water (dawn soap) then when you have gotten all the boogers out. Lube with T/C 1000+ bore butter. use number 13 cleaners, their pre soaked patches.

Now that you have all that out of the way, now you can start trying loads.

If the ball and patch dont do down with two fingers pressure, you barrel is dragging on the patch. Some itmes you even rip the patch. Let not do that.

hanshi · Oct 31, 2020

Those imported barrels are capable of much better accuracy than that. Polish the barrel crown really well and use a short starter. If seating is still too difficult just follow the advice given previously.

The lube makes a difference in loading. I use TOW mink oil in the woods and Hoppes #9 BP lube at the range. Hoppes makes for easy loading. I use a .440" or .445" ball and .023" patch in my .45 and loading is quite safely done with the wood underbarrel rod.

Taffyman · Nov 1, 2020

Thanks everybody, good advice

Mendi .45 rifle, first try out

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