What am I doing wrong? Confused

[Zonie]

You can fix that problem by using MAP and swabbing after each shot. or you can forego swabbing and use Pyrodex P

Might be good advice for a percussion lock gun but using Pyrodex for any powder used in a flintlock is definitely a bad idea.
In a flintlock, you'll be doing good to get Pyrodex to fire 30 percent of the time.

 

[user 36911]

Wonder Lube. Catchy name. It's a Wonder anybody still uses that stuff.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Might be good advice for a percussion lock gun but using Pyrodex for any powder used in a flintlock is definitely a bad idea.
In a flintlock, you'll be doing good to get Pyrodex to fire 30 percent of the time.

True the Pyrodex won't work in a flintlock but MAP, AKA speed juice will.
Thank you for clarifying that for me.

 

[Woody Morgan]

I like good old olive oil. Cheap, effective and get it at the corner market.

wm

 

[GREENSWLDE]

Why wipe between shots with a Fun Gun?? . Reduce the fouling by using minimum charge of the finest powder to get the results you want. No point in wasting powder. Old method is to put a white sheet on the ground in front of the muzzle,shoot and count the un-burnt grains and reduce charge by several grains. Where permitted load with the pan closed. This has stood this old duffer in good Stead for the last 60 years. As to Flint management,always wipe the underneath of the stone with a damp finger and the steel with a spit damp thumb,(saliver is the finest cutting agent you will find) . 40 grains of No.2 drove a 20b ball 4"s into a 6" pine post at 40yds from my park rifle. 25 shots should be OK for Paper or Clays. Up the load a few grains for Soft skinned game out to 100yds. when your only likely to be taking ONE shot. OLD DOG..

 

[J. Paul]

I use a homemade wonder lube for shooting and for stabbing about every 10 to 15 shots, primarily between rounds after completing shots at a target. Keeps me from carrying something else with me. It's worked for me almost 30 years now with zero problems

 

[GriscomRun]

You could use Hoppes black powder lube and solvent as a patch lube and keep on shooting without any swabbing, each shot cleans after the last one.

Some say not to leave a ball patched with this stuff in the barrel for an extended period of time (months) as it might form a rust ring. If you are going to clean after you shoot it won't be a problem.

Eric - I've used it as a cleaner a big while ago. And just got some more. I was wondering if used as a patch lube do you use it as a dry lube like Dutch's system ? Or as a damp patch. Curious.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I'm not Eric. But I will comment.

I use a damp patch with a mix similar to Dutch's dry patch. The damp patch will wipe the fouling to a consistent state and keep the remaining fouling soft. I also won't have my dry patches getting stuck in the barrel.

 

[Josephg]

Back in the eighties I had a wife, a Lummi about 4'6" tall. Coal black hair. She loved going with me to the range to shoot my muzzleloader. She would sit right next to me with both cheeks bulging with patches. When I needed a patch she would work one out so I could pull it out like a vending machine. She got the biggest kick out of doing that for me. I always told her how much I loved her for helping me. It made her giggle which made her wiggle and I would warn her, yer gonna spill my beer baby! Her head was flat on top and that's where I set my beer. I sure miss her and those times. She's gone to roam the plains in heaven now. I never stuck a ball when she was there. Her spit was so slippery sometimes I couldn't hang onto one. Yep, spit patch is the way to go.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Was it lighting the pan everytime?

I have never swabbed a gun or rifle during shooting or hunting.
If you have to swab, your loading is inadequate in fouling management. Swabbing is treating the symptom and like therapy that treats symptoms, there is often side effects!

 

[Crow-Feather]

I'm not a fan of using an acid such as vinegar for cleaning or wiping the barrel. Unless the vinegar is thoroughly washed out, there is a possibility of forming rust. For wiping between shots, rubbing alcohol does a great job and dries quickly. Too much anti petroleum based misinformation out there. Advocates of the animal based lubes use WD40, Ballistol and Barricade, all petroleum based. Use a good neutral ph based lubricant and you will be protecting your barrel from fouling build up.

Whatever works for you. You might blame your rust on Windex with vinegar (50/50 mix with water), but I have cleaned my BPCR's barrels at the range tween shots for the last 10 years without any rust. When I get home, I use the standard cleaning methods.

 

[Crow-Feather]

Was it lighting the pan everytime?

I have never swabbed a gun or rifle during shooting or hunting.
If you have to swab, your loading is inadequate in fouling management. Swabbing is treating the symptom and like therapy that treats symptoms, there is often side effects!

I agree 100% for muzzle loading rifles. BPCR's need to be swabbed at least every 5 shots for accuracy. And a blow tube tween every shot.

 

[GriscomRun]

I'm not Eric. But I will comment.

I use a damp patch with a mix similar to Dutch's dry patch. The damp patch will wipe the fouling to a consistent state and keep the remaining fouling soft. I also won't have my dry patches getting stuck in the barrel.

Grenadier what is your mix ? Are you mixing HBP with Ballistol ?

 

[azmntman]

Eric - I've used it as a cleaner a big while ago. And just got some more. I was wondering if used as a patch lube do you use it as a dry lube like Dutch's system ? Or as a damp patch. Curious.

Damp. Its ugly dried. I don't use to clean, water to easy! Have loaded n hunted all day...no rust. I do fire the load every night though.

 

[GriscomRun]

Thanks, I prefer water to clean. Didn't mean to mislead. Damp it is.

 

[drstrangelove]

I use a fine mist of moose milk on every patch before the ball goes in.
No rough bore loading, no failures to fire. I detest pyrodex and 777.
I use FFg goex.
Wonderlube works for storing a projectile in a bore for hunting (where a spit patch would induce rusting) but is not recommended for cleaning; it softens but does not dissolve powder fouling. It is very likely your flashhole is caking up with blackened wonderlube.

 

[Grenadier1758]

The mix I use is an old standard. It is the historical mix of the NAPA cutting oil (before the formula changed and is now replaced by Ballistol). Its also the formula recommended by @Dr5x, Dutch Schoultz, when his system only came in the printed form. Its one part water soluble oil (WSO) to seven parts of water. What is important is that the oil emulsifies (turns milky) when mixed with water. It is less important what specific WSO is used. Good results can be obtained from mixes of 1 to 4 through 1 to 10. Options include one part of soap or one part of rubbing alcohol. Or whatever you think might work. If you believe your mix works for you, then that is the correct mix. What is important is that the loading procedure is consistent.

If you have a good jag and patch that will slide a damp cleaning patch over the fouling to bunch up and pull the fouling out, you can let the oiled patches dry out and use the dried patches to wrap your round ball. You can use the mix as a wet, but not dripping wet round ball patch, and not have to wipe the bore between shots. The wet patch does the wiping and softening of the fouling.

Other than taking a shot and trying to load a patched round ball in a dry patch or wipe the fouling from the bore with a dry cleaning patch and being surprised when the patch and ball get stuck in the barrel. I'll let the interested reader search the forums to the solutions for removal of various stuck items in the barrel.

 

[Rusnapperhead]

Thanks all for the various information on how everyone fires their ball. There is 10 or more methods for me to sort out and test. No having any additional materials to vary my shooting yesterday I went back out to shoot here was my process and results:
Freshly cleaned and oiled barrel from night before
Ran 1 dry patch down barrel to remove any remaining oil; it came out 90% clean
Used this patch to wipe down frizzen, flint and pan
Loaded 50 grains fff goex down tube
Spit patch and ball
Short and long ball started; finished with brass range rod (it has my brass cleaning jag attached to it, concave with ball)
Pushed to bottom with light tap, dropping the rod at bottom
Noticed a little powder came from vent hole to pan
Filled pan with three pours from little brass priming tool
Fired; perfectly 1” low at 30 yards; great!
50 more grains, spit patch and ball fired 4 more times no issues
6th shot didn’t fire or burn powder in pan
Found bottom of flint oily and dirty; wiped and gun fired
7&8th shots followed same process no issues
My little pan powder primer plugged up from oil in pan; had to take apart and pick clean
9th shot didn’t fire or burn powder in pan; flint was clean but frizzen had oil on it; wiped it clean and it shot
Started using clean patch every other shot to wipe down flint, pan, and frizzen
Started to wonder how long my flint should spark and if I should turn it over; I don’t know what type it is; it’s tan colored others I have are more black
Shot total of 12 times; happy with results, it’s getting more predictable now. I’m not going to file front sight yet I want to increase my powder load get on a bench and see what the groups do, eventually zero at 50 or 75 yards
Brought back to shop disassembled cleaned with hot water and dawn; dried off and coated everything with crc oil including inside barrel and lock. Reassembled and placed upside down.

couple of things I need to fix is how to better control my powder from horn to measuring tube; overfilled and wasted powder every time.
stay with spit or try something else.
I didn’t feel need to swab barren during shooting, ball pushed fine, that may change with increased powder loads. I am surprised of excess oil from burning powder.
More to come. Chris

 

[Britsmoothy]

There is no excess oil from burning powder. It is however very hygroscopic and will turn to slime from the water.
It also reacts badly to any petroleum oil product.
I never oil my frizzens. Even if they rust its better than oil for reliability!
You can knap the flint to freshen the edge with a small brass bar.