Just a few questions ?

[Ken Cormier]

After reading a lot of post here and other parts of this forum some from knowalbe people and alot of new shooters. just a quick run down on my self.
Bought first m/l in 1978 now have 4 flinters an 2 percussion guns. ( still have first one) And have done most of the screw ups involed in m/l that a guy doses not want to do.
I have broken stocks ,locks and ram rods and have shot my r/r at a gong on a woods walk.
And lived long enough to become one of the grey beards at the rondy and range clubs that I belong to.
Sorry about the ramble just wanted to let ya know that I wasn't a newbie.
1? why do people use a range rod when shooting
I have only used linseed soaked ram rods that fit the gun. soaked in a tube .
2? shooting boxes ? I have only shot out of a single pouch bag with a small pocket.The pouch is 8x8 not one that makes the wifes purse look like a chsnge purse. The only thing on the out side is a small patch knife on the strap.
3? over powder cards/wads then patched round ball. I only shoot spit lubed pillow ticking my whole m/l shooting life. ( I don't get this one as proper fitting patch and ball combo does the job.'
4? Super secert cleaning chemial fluids. I have only used water to clean my weapons and the bores of my weapons are spotless. I probaly only shoot 200 rds or less a month. Most of the orginals were only cleaned with water and some are still shootable.
With this ramle is just my way of asking why when I read these ? on this forum to me most of the answers get kinda techical and over explained.
The way it used to be out of the pouch with the gun r/r spit patches and water cleaning they way it should be.
Sorry about the ramble But I was just wondering why ? If I am out of line just shoot the delete button . Latetr Ken

 

[ohio ramrod]

For what it is worth (you paid nothing for it ) I'll give my answers to your questions. 1. The range rod should have a tapered bushing to protect the crown and center the rod. Even a wooden rod gets dirt embeded and can wear the crown after several thousand strokes. 2. Shooting boxes help us clumsy klutzes keep things some what organised, 3. Over powder wads help with the gas seal and prevent the patch lube from damping the powder. Which is a factor if you use a heavily lubed patch and a low powder charge.4. Secret cleaning fluids keep the other guys from finding out you just use hot water and save money while getting them to waste time and money trying different solutions instead of practicing so they can beat you! :idunno: :idunno:

 

[napolean]

kennyc,
Like you, I use the K.I.S.S. method.
BTY, did you HIT the gong?
Jon D

 

[tg]

You are of the old school that figured the way THEY did it was good enough for them it is good enough for you, a great many now have to try and improve on every aspect of the hobby, always with many justifications/rationalizations to help them feel the changes are needed and somehow still of a traditional nature :idunno: , FWIW I have a great respect for those like yourself you try and keep the tradition alive, keep it up and enjoy the journey, you are OK, the rest of the world is all screwed up :youcrazy:

 

[roundball]

I like to get to my little range at first light and be gone before the heat & humidity get up too high, or a lot of other shooters start showing up.
So I do a lot of things to simplify and make my 50 shot range sessions on the weekends more efficient and that includes having a set of 4 brass range rods with nylon muzzle guides laying on the table, each with the following attachments:

Caliber size cleaning/seating jag;
Caliber size ball puller attachment;
Small diameter (.32cal) brush to slide a patch down into the patent breech;
Worm attachment;

I set a couple boxes of stuff in the car because I use several Flintlocks in different calibers and gauges, have all their unique items in one central place...and I park right next to a pole shelter and a shooting table;

I use lubed patches for hunting, so I use the same lubed patches practicing with the same Flintlocks at the range;

I clean with hot soapy water and hot water rinse;

 

[Stumpkiller]

I pack light myself and use the same bag (and nothing but the bag) target shooting, plinking and hunting. I do sometimes carry a seperate ball bag in my haversack if I'm shooting more than 40 shots in a day. I have a 48" wood rod at home for cleaning but no range rod except the rammer in the thimbles.

I put a few drops of Pine-Sol (I am using up a bottle I bought to play with in making lubes) in warm water for cleaning the bore and then oil with Barricade.

Here's my whole "range box". Nothing plastic. Nothing Nylon.

I have since eliminated the patch knife on the horn strap as redundant and just go with a belt knife. I keep the folding knife shown for patch cutting or dressing out game.

When I go shotgun hunting - even less.

I put this in my pocket (wads/cards for nine shots and field gear) and wear the shot bag and powder flask.

Swap a couple flints for the cap safe & wrench with a flint fowling piece.

 

[Pete Gaimari]

Are some of you saying they didn't use lubed patches back in the day? (whenever that was?)

 

[Stumpkiller]

They certainly did. The question is what lubes were used. ;-)

Spit is guaranteed. Bear oil is likely. From there it rapidly spins wild.

The little tin can contain the rancid rendered animal by-product of your choice. :thumbsup:

If I'm spending a night I put my homemade blackpowder solvent in the little bottle and rinse up well with that.


Note - my shotgun wads are lightly rolled , not dipped, in molten beeswax/mutton tallow in a 50/50 mix. It squishes out and lubes the bore. I have been informed this was the "original" minie ball lube in the CW.

 

[Pete Gaimari]

I can't see spit as a lube if it isn't shot right away. Even then it would be my last choice.

I sure don't want water sitting on my powder. I only use spit to clean.


I like your stuff Stump.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Thanky. That's years worth of buying, makin and tryin stuff and keeping only what works and is used.

That 18" strip of leather has helped pull MANY dry-balled or stuck ramrods. And for really stuck rods the three feet of tarred codline around an overhead branch and tied to the rammer saves the day. :redface:

 

[Zonie]

"...
With this ramle is just my way of asking why when I read these ? on this forum to me most of the answers get kinda techical and over explained...."
-------------
Yup. You are correct.
A lot of the answers to questions on the forum seem to get "over explained". I know that I am one of those who over explain things.

My reason for this is throughout my life I've always hated answers that don't really answer the question. Oh yeah, they tell you what their answer is but without knowing their reason(s) for it they could be just pounding sand for all I know. :grin:

Take your question, "Why do people use a range rod when shooting?"

Some folks would say, "Because." or if they were feeling wordy they might say, "Because its the best thing to use.".
Neither of these answers really answer the question. They just give that persons belief.

Someone else might answer, "Because, being steel they are much stronger. They can be used to 'pull balls' if you "dry ball" and they aren't effected by water so they can be used for cleaning without damaging them.
They will never break or wear out.
They usually have a nice handle so if your pulling a ball there is something to get a good grip on.
If they are used with a muzzle guide they won't damage the mouth of the bore when your loading or cleaning your gun.
About the only negatives about them is traditionally. as we know it, they weren't much used in the early 19th century and earlier and they are awkward to carry out in the field if your away from a shooting range.

I think this kind of an answer is better.

In other words, I think if the reasons are explained they will tell you where the person is coming from. By knowing the reasoning behind an answer the reader can decide if it makes sense to him or if it is just a bunch of hooey coming from a BS'er.

 

[Pete Gaimari]

I assume they're smart enough to understand my short answers. :idunno:

 

[Ken Cormier]

Hey thanks for the replies folks. I was just ranting while waiting to go to a ole geezer Doc appoint. And maybe should been a little more clearer on my explaining .
1 Range rod yes I do use one at home when cleaninga nice steel one with a centering bushing and a handle. but when out shooting I use only the guns r/r
2 I do have anice 30 yr old wooden box that I keep all of the things I bought that I thought ya needed out of about every catalog you could find.
3 Powder wads I should have said all my rifles are 45 cal. and the smoothbore is 20 ga. each rifle was mic'ed land and groves then using 15 tho. patching ball was matched to optium fit. All but 1 take 440. and 1 435. (douglass barrel. the others aqre G/M except for the first cva) Each gun has it's own bag and horn with the following
1. cleaning jag
2 a ballpuller
3 a worm to fetch patches
4tin of bee's wax just in case
5 a bullet bag with 60 rds ( got to be ready in a minutes notice.)LOL
6 ok I get the cleaning trick.
Also I did not mention in the first post as to why I only shoot out of the pouch is for 2 reasons
1. HUNTING gotta be ready at a minutes notice no running around finding this or that.
2. I will drive 300 miles for a GOOD woodswalk.
A couple of things
Jon D no I did noy hit the gong BUT did break the rod.
TG thanks for straighting that out I spent 60 yrs trying to figure out why I was marching to a different drum beat.
I guess when I started this fantasic jorney of shooting muzzle loaders I always wanted to stand up to and a long side of men of by-gone days.
OR I am a old man trying to live my Walt Disney Daniel Boone . fanisty life Just ramablin Ken

 

[hanshi]

FWIW, I like to try and do things as they might have been done when my gun was the standard. But I'm not a reenactor and don't have to satisfy anyone but myself. Water is my cleaning agent as it was and still is best for cleaning bp residue; sometimes with a little soap. But just because something was done "thisaway" 200 years ago doesn't mean it's always the best way and/or my way.

If something is superior in the way of gun care that's what I use. What was the best then isn't necessarily best now. I protect with Barricade, do gun work with modern tools and won't let the doctor "bleed" me when I'm sick. There's a reason so few originals have lasted until today.

 

[ebiggs1]

This is my stuff and I take as little as possible. Just got used to the bag and stay that way.

Sometimes I take my home made loading block but always when hunting. Kinda makes a little range rod out of the under barrel ram rod.

I usually carry this little “T” handle when hunting but I seldom ever need it since you shoot very little when deer hunting.

 

[ebiggs1]

That stuff is way cool, man!

 

[east texas]

i dont own a range rod :shocked2: i thought i was supposed to use the wooden stick stuck up under my barrel :hmm:

 

[Pete Gaimari]

i dont own a range rod :shocked2: i thought i was supposed to use the wooden stick stuck up under my barrel :hmm:

That's all I use.

 

[DanC]

FWIW, I like to try and do things as they might have been done when my gun was the standard. But I'm not a reenactor and don't have to satisfy anyone but myself. ... But just because something was done "thisaway" 200 years ago doesn't mean it's always the best way and/or my way.

If something is superior in the way of gun care that's what I use.

Pretty much says it. I'm not as experienced as many here, so I still do a lot of experimenting. Things get changed, but always tried out of my range box before I modify my bag or acroutriments. And since I'm not married to one way of doing things, it's sometimes easier to sort equipment and suplies in a range box when I want to compare mthods or work up a load, or just check something. I'm trying to get things more to the traditional "way", but not limmited to one HC period.

Dan

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

You already have a second one then, as back-up, right? :wink: