People will either never learn, or refuse to learn. Probably more of the latter
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Wiping between shots
- Thread starter French Colonial
- Start date
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Johnny Tremain
Silversmith in training
Then how come some of us can fire over 75 rounds hit the 100 yard rebar, go right thru the middle of the 150 yard 6 inch gong, and NEVER wipe.
Inferior materials bring inferior results.
Inferior materials bring inferior results.
I guess some of us are inferior or have inferior equipment. But we enjoy what we are doing, be it wipe or don't wipe, shoot one ragged hole or pepper the target.
If we are loading a patched round ball, we are wiping between shots. The difference lies in the method.
One method is as @French Colonial describes. A damp patch on a slightly undersized jag will slide over the fouling in the barrel and bunch up to pull the fouling out of the grooves as the jag and patch are withdrawn. The streaks in the wiping patch verify the removal of fouling and leaves the bore in uniform condition for the next shot. It will also address and remove the crusty ring of built-up fouling.
The never wiping method uses a nearly wet patch on the ball to loosen the fouling wand wipe the bore as the ball and patch are seated on the powder. This method pushes fouling down the barrel to rest between the powder and the ball. This can build up the crusty ring, but if the patch is wet enough the crusty ring is softened and if the shot is quick enough the wet patch will not adversely affect the powder charge and maintain a consistent bore condition.
Both methods work well and have their place on the target range. Not so much for hunting. The wiping between shots before loading can make a slight difference in accuracy and if you are using a dry patched round ball, wiping with a damp patch is a necessity. Loading with a wet patch is great for a woods walk as the shots are frequent and loading is done from the shot pouch. Getting the four shots off for a silhouette match in three minutes lends to a preference to loading with a wet patched ball.
When wiping between shots with a damp patch, we have to be careful to avoid pushing fouling into the flash channel. I did that often enough to learn about adjusting the diameter of the wiping jag to the right size to prevent that. By the way, my 50 caliber cleaning jags measure 0.465". I can almost get away without turning them down slightly.
This old dog has learned that both methods have their place in our shooting repertoire.
Much better to discuss this around a campfire and suitable libations.
One method is as @French Colonial describes. A damp patch on a slightly undersized jag will slide over the fouling in the barrel and bunch up to pull the fouling out of the grooves as the jag and patch are withdrawn. The streaks in the wiping patch verify the removal of fouling and leaves the bore in uniform condition for the next shot. It will also address and remove the crusty ring of built-up fouling.
The never wiping method uses a nearly wet patch on the ball to loosen the fouling wand wipe the bore as the ball and patch are seated on the powder. This method pushes fouling down the barrel to rest between the powder and the ball. This can build up the crusty ring, but if the patch is wet enough the crusty ring is softened and if the shot is quick enough the wet patch will not adversely affect the powder charge and maintain a consistent bore condition.
Both methods work well and have their place on the target range. Not so much for hunting. The wiping between shots before loading can make a slight difference in accuracy and if you are using a dry patched round ball, wiping with a damp patch is a necessity. Loading with a wet patch is great for a woods walk as the shots are frequent and loading is done from the shot pouch. Getting the four shots off for a silhouette match in three minutes lends to a preference to loading with a wet patched ball.
When wiping between shots with a damp patch, we have to be careful to avoid pushing fouling into the flash channel. I did that often enough to learn about adjusting the diameter of the wiping jag to the right size to prevent that. By the way, my 50 caliber cleaning jags measure 0.465". I can almost get away without turning them down slightly.
This old dog has learned that both methods have their place in our shooting repertoire.
Much better to discuss this around a campfire and suitable libations.
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A wet patch with proper lube negates any and all wiping period
I learned this from a champion in rifle, pistol, musket and smoothbore
John Mouzon
I am not referencing hunting game, only repetitive shooting conditions
I learned this from a champion in rifle, pistol, musket and smoothbore
John Mouzon
I am not referencing hunting game, only repetitive shooting conditions
longcruise
70 Cal.
Stake shooting comes to mind. Haven't shot a stake shoot for years but if I do another I'll be loading and shooting a wet patch as fast as possible. I may be a "wiper" but I know when to be flexible
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How far are you shooting?
That's the whole deal, in a nutshell.
- Joined
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Try shooting on an inch grid target. It is hard to tell how well you are shooting on the target you used.
A much cussed and discussed subject. I always swab between shots, even when in the field. But, there are others who believe there will be a special place for them in ml heaven for not swabbing. Go figger.
64Springer
75 Cal.
Everyone knows the spirits of Kit Carson, Davey Crockett and Daniel Boone reside in that black powder fouling and swabbing them out is heretical.
‘I shoot 20 grains three f with a .350 and eighteen thousandth patch, mink oil and it’s the best’
‘Nope, I shoot a .355 with fifteen thousandth on olive oil patch over twenty five grains’
‘Best group comes with custum .358, then thousandth patch spit lubed and thirty five grains two f’
‘You all are wrong, you need twenty grains three with a .345 ball and old denim 24 thousandths and uncle mikes lube’
Ml are forgiving. As long as your safe there isn’t a wrong way or a best way
‘Nope, I shoot a .355 with fifteen thousandth on olive oil patch over twenty five grains’
‘Best group comes with custum .358, then thousandth patch spit lubed and thirty five grains two f’
‘You all are wrong, you need twenty grains three with a .345 ball and old denim 24 thousandths and uncle mikes lube’
Ml are forgiving. As long as your safe there isn’t a wrong way or a best way
For me, it is a simple matter of what works. I don't like the idea of pushing fouling into the flash chamber by swabbing between shots. I'd rather push that junk on top of the powder to be discharged and by loading with a damp patch under the ball and a damp patch and jag over the ball I shoot out of a pretty clean barrel so in one stroke I dispose of the junk, load and clean. I like simple.
Why swab between shots if you don't need to? I just don't understand doing something you don't need to be doing!
Maybe it's psychological thing, I just don't know
If people quit swabbing, it would help improve their shooting. That wasted energy would be much better put to use on marksmanship skills.
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Spoil sport.
I hear ya, and I am getting tired lolSpoil sport.
After I found the Stumpy's Moose Snot here on The Muzzleloading Forum, I have let the next load clean the last one depositing the fouling on top of the powder to blow out with the next shot. If I have a hard time loading once, I just make sure I have more thoroughly lubed the next patch and keep shooting.
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