Help with my gun

[Pete Gaimari]

I'd try some .015 patches.

 

[woodse guy]

Thats what I was thinking. I read on here how to measure with calipers. I could pull the patch out and fell a little pressure if some one else would like to measure then also send me a PM. I'm not sure that I was doing it right any way.

 

[woodse guy]

I will try and post a picture of the ball after I get it started. I think that I'm leaving to deep of a mark in the ball to just be starting the ball.

 

[ol vern]

What are you using for patch lube?

I like spit for the range & lard hunting

 

[woodse guy]

Stumpy's moose juice It works well the first two shots then I don't think that anything would work well after that.

 

[ol vern]

Are you starting out with a clean oil free barrel? A little 3 in 1
or other oil left in a barrel will give you fits! Fire a couple of shots and the damn stuff will turn rock hard like asphalt .

 

[Pete Gaimari]

Are you starting out with a clean oil free barrel? A little 3 in 1
or other oil left in a barrel will give you fits! Fire a couple of shots and the damn stuff will turn rock hard like asphalt .

Which is why it shouldn't be used.

 

[woodse guy]

I have been using Rem oil and run at least 3 alcohol patches down the bore before I start.

 

[shootrj2003]

Woodse guy,If it wasn't answered it's called ''pillow Ticking'' any fabric store has more than you'll ever use for about 3.00 a yard and if you like the smell of black powder you already are hooked on this thing of ours good luck you'll do fine!

 

[paulvallandigham]

Running alcohol patches down the bore ONLY WORKS on flat faced breeches.

If you have a Patent style breech, with the smaller powder chamber, and then a smaller hole in the back of the chamber, leading to a small flash channel, which then goes over and under the Nipple, You need to FLUSH the barrel, chamber, and small holes, with alcohol to get the oil of those regions.

 

[David W.]

I second what Paul said. I have a special cleaning jag for my Patent breech. I never use Rem 40, or anything petroleum based oil in the bore. Ballistol cleans and lubes better than anything I've tried. It's the only thing that will leave a clean patch the next day, in my experience.

 

[woodse guy]

How do I find this out?

 

[paulvallandigham]

How do you find out if you have a powder chamber? First, look at the manufacturer's literature, or their website. If the gun is made by Lyman, Cabelas, T/C, Investment Arms, Pedersoli, or any of the European companies that make the guns for American companies, it almost certainly has a powder chamber.

How Big( diameter) the powder chamber is for a particular caliber, varies from company to company. The .50 and .54 caliber guns usually- but not always-- have a powder chamber cut with a 3/8" ( .375 caliber) drill. When you go smaller, the powder chambers tend to also be smaller. Those on the small caliber guns( ie..32& .36) often range from .25-.27 caliber.

You usually have to run a variety of rods and jags of different diameters to find out what you have. Using a bore brush of the right caliber, putting the cleaning patch in front of the brush, so that the brush grabs the patch with its bristles, and drives the patch down into the powder chamber, to clean it, makes much more sense than trying to get a jag of the Exact size, IMHO. Some of the .40 and .45 caliber barrels fit a .30 caliber size brush to clean their chambers, for instance. Use pipe cleaners to clean the flash channel under the nipple( remove the nipple to gain access, and/or remove the "clean out screw" if you have one for that purpose).