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Cleaning between rounds

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chola

32 Cal
Joined
Dec 27, 2022
Messages
5
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Location
canada
I am new to muzzle loading and have a tc renegade 50 cal
I have triple 7 and pyrodex rs for powders. Will be shooting patched round balls,basically all ready to go to the range

When do you clean or how often while at the range..,.I am still learning and am gathering as much info as I can before I shoot it
 
Some guns shoot better cleaning between shots. Some shoot better just using a well lubed patch and not cleaning between shots. Try both and find out. If you decide not to clean between shots I suggest using a patch well lubed or you’re gonna have troubles. Consistency is what creates accuracy. Your barrel condition should be the same for each shot regardless of how you do it.
 
If you shoot PRBs you can shoot 3-5 times of so and not swab. The issue is the fouling makes ramrodding the ball more difficult. If you shoot a conical bullet you need to swab every shot, or bring a mallet to hammer on the ramrod.
ISSUE: if you swab you push all that fouling down the bore and IT CAN CLOG the passage from nipple to bore. You need to "snap a cap" to clean out after swabbing and before pouring the charge, and then ramming the ball.
There are a lot of different options. A lot of guys use wadding (wasp's nest, a felt wad, etc.) Okay so you fire the rifle and there is fouling in the bore. If you swab you need to snap a cap. Let's say you don't want to do that so you don't swab. You pour a powder charge THEN the wad (or wasp's nest) and that pushes fouling on top of the powder, then the PRB. It works pretty good but as I said you ought to be able to load 3-5 times even without any wadding.
 
Shoot thinnest patch that works. Every now and then use the thickest patch that works. Helps to push the crud on top of powder instead of possibly getting in the flash channel.
 
I am new to muzzle loading and have a tc renegade 50 cal
I have triple 7 and pyrodex rs for powders. Will be shooting patched round balls,basically all ready to go to the range

When do you clean or how often while at the range..,.I am still learning and am gathering as much info as I can before I shoot it
Good replies already. One thing to remember when shooting either cap or flint: When the cleaning patch goes down, so does some of the fowling. Can't stop that 100%. Alway keep that in mind, as sometimes you will get an obstruction in the inginion passageway. Flint, use a pick,.... Cap, pop a cap on a non loaded barrel. Just my two cents
Larry
 
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@chola is shooting the substitute powders Tripple 7 and Pyrodex. The good new is there is less apparent fouling than with real black powder. That means that cleaning between shots is not needed very often if at all. The bad news is that the fouling that is left is very corrosive and a very thorough cleaning is required immediately when the shooting session is over. Water and soap will clean out the fouling and a very good rust inhibiting oil such as Barricade needs to be used for when the rifle is in storage.

Enjoy your new muzzleloaders. Keep them clean!
 
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ISSUE: if you swab you push all that fouling down the bore and IT CAN CLOG the passage from nipple to bore. You need to "snap a cap" to clean out after
You could not be more wrong. If what you describe happens, you are using too large a jag. My practice has always been to swab between every shot. Hundreds of thousands of times and never the issue you describe. I know there are others who believe there is a special spot for them in heaven because they almost never swab.
 
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Humidity will play a big part in how often a between shots swabbing is needed. On a dry winter day (30% or less RH) I can shoot up to 15 or 20 shots without swabbing bore. On a hot muggy July day with a RH of 80% or higher , I'll need to swab after about 5 shots.
 
You are going to have to experiment with your powder load, patch lubes, and cleaning methods to find which one gives you the best accuracy. If you are starting out, play it safe and swab between each shot and go from there. This will help you avoid stuck balls and jags until you get a good feel for how your gun should load. Read through all the posts on this and find what works best for you. Good luck and have fun!
 
Never thought of pouring the powder in ahead of wiping the bore . Will go to the range and investigate this development.
If you use a damp patch to swab you should use a thin cardboard disc over the powder to protect it. Maybe also with a dry patch as some powder would no doubt stick to it. I have never tried this with a PRB. The idea I suggested comes from how I load paper-patched bullets, but I see no reason why it should not work for PRB.
 
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