It was nice to bring in the new year making smoke. I did it once 30+ years ago, and it seems like a fine tradition to take up again.
Along the way I was able to speak to another newbie flintlock shooter at the range. He needed some help and I was able to do a little, based on my own mistakes and the answers you all have provided. Thank you from both of us!
I do have some questions from today though. Still shooting Goex out of a 50 cal. 490 ball and a .008" pre-lubed patch. Too small, but it does lead to an issue.
Between each shot I would dry wipe twice; flipping the .010" cleaning patch over. Both times the last 12" or so were very tight. I'm a big fella and it took all of me to get things out. Should I use something to cut the upper crust?
Another issue happened at the first shot. I had set off some powder by itself to get the bore started, and then dry wiped. Loaded up and sure enough, after three or four tries, the charge didn't ignite. Put some powder down the touch hole and she finally went boom. My guess is that when I dry wiped the first time I pushed some crud down and it sat between the powder and the flash hole.
I am very thankful Traditions puts a removable flash hole liner in. The other fellow had dry-balled and his flash hole was angled forward and very tiny.
What should I do about the difficulty cleaning the muzzle end, and am I likely correct about the not firing issue on the first shot?
Thanks!
Leam
Along the way I was able to speak to another newbie flintlock shooter at the range. He needed some help and I was able to do a little, based on my own mistakes and the answers you all have provided. Thank you from both of us!
I do have some questions from today though. Still shooting Goex out of a 50 cal. 490 ball and a .008" pre-lubed patch. Too small, but it does lead to an issue.
Between each shot I would dry wipe twice; flipping the .010" cleaning patch over. Both times the last 12" or so were very tight. I'm a big fella and it took all of me to get things out. Should I use something to cut the upper crust?
Another issue happened at the first shot. I had set off some powder by itself to get the bore started, and then dry wiped. Loaded up and sure enough, after three or four tries, the charge didn't ignite. Put some powder down the touch hole and she finally went boom. My guess is that when I dry wiped the first time I pushed some crud down and it sat between the powder and the flash hole.
I am very thankful Traditions puts a removable flash hole liner in. The other fellow had dry-balled and his flash hole was angled forward and very tiny.
What should I do about the difficulty cleaning the muzzle end, and am I likely correct about the not firing issue on the first shot?
Thanks!
Leam