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Tips for first match using black powder...


Croc Holiday

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Howdy

 

Be prepared to move if you can't see the targets.

 

You must keep one foot planted, but you may have to bob and weave to see through the smoke to see your targets.  Especially if you are shooting into the sun.

 

Just keep one foot planted. You can move the other foot as needed to move around a little bit to see the targets.

 

If it is a dump target, you may get away with blasting through the cloud where you remember the target was. Or, you may rack up a few misses.

 

Regarding vinegar: I never let it near any of my guns. I don't care what it is mixed in, or what the strength. I just stay away from it.

 

I use Murphy's Mix for all my BP cleaning. As a matter of fact, I think I am the one who invented the name.

 

You DO NOT have to completely tear your guns apart to clean up after shooting BP, if you have previously treated them to shoot Black Powder.

 

I tear down all my guns that I shoot with Black Powder and remove all traces of any old oils and lubricants with a strong solvent.

 

Then, I relube everything with Ballistol before re assembling them.

 

Once that has been done, there will be no rust down inside the mechanism from any BP fouling that got down inside.

 

There will be plenty of black, oily guck, but there will be no rust.

 

I only completely tear my BP guns apart every year or two to remove all the black, oily guck that winds up inside.

 

Clean with Murphy's Mix and just leave it down inside, don't worry about trying to dry it out. A squirt of Ballistol down inside where you can get it will help.

 

After I am done cleaning with Murphy's Mix I run a patch soaked with Ballistol down the bores and chambers. Then I wipe out most of the Ballistol with a dry patch, leaving a thin film of Ballistol behind.

 

 

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4 hours ago, T-Bone Shorty said:

So.... how'd it go?   We need a range report.   'Yur gonna shoot the State BP Match, right?

 

It was a total blast.  I'm going to shoot the BP match for sure.  You coming down for that one?

 

Targets disappear faster than I expected (never stood directly behind a BP shooter).  That threw me a little, especially with SG.  Boom, sweep to the next target...  what target haha.   I also found the phrase "BP is messier than smokeless" is an understatement lol.  I was surprised at just how much messier.  My pistols need the cylinder wiped about every 2-3 stages.  Tyrel's baby wipe tip was all win as was the WD-40 tip.  I'll try the bore butter tip next time to see how that helps.  Cleaning after the match was also...  different...  More towels / rags next time.  A lot more...    Really, I dug it a lot.  I'll go back to smokeless after our BP match just long enough to get the brass and hulls from what I have already loaded with smokeless.  After that, I'm sticking with the BP.

 

I got to shoot a little cap and ball too.  Those are next on my list.

 

Thanks to everyone who dropped me a tip.  I really appreciate it!

 

 

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Oh...   On another note, I was using a wet tumble method I found on YouTube to clean my brass.  Get jug, fill with casings, hot water and a little bit of Tide, shake and leave it to soak for 15-20 or so.  Shake again for a couple minutes and add apple cider vinegar, shake to mix, soak again for 5-10 min and rinse.  If you're going to say "that's too much work", you're be right haha.  A tumbler is in my future.  Anyway, this worked awesome with smokeless brass.  Did it when I got back from shooting this weekend and it turned my brass a purplish color.  Is this just the color of brass before before it gets tumbled when using BP?  I don't think I care much.  I read here somewhere that dark brass shoots as good as shiny brass.  Just curious though...

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Purple brass is weird. ;)  Keep it simple. This is what I have done for years without experiences any problems.

 

Use the murphy's mix in a spray bottle.  At any point the gun feels like it is dragging, go to the ULT of an unused stage and  pull the cylinder out of a revolver, spray everything out generously, wipe the exterior of all parts with a dry paper towel removing whatever you can and reassemble.  Gun will run for several stages without a problem-mine will shoot 4-5 stages between cleaning.  Repeat with other pistol and move on to the rifle.,, just spray out the action and turn it upside down to drain,  no need for WD-40 or stinky Ballistol.

 

My Murphy's mix is a bastardization, I substitute water for the peroxide (which is 98% water in the 1st place.)  Works just fine.

 

a short cleaning rod with a mop on the end is great for keeping the shotgun chambers clean, just a quick pass after each stage is a good practice.  On low humidity days you might need a spritz of mix to clean the chambers.

 

a wooden ramrod to push a wet wipe or paper towel through the shotgun is handy if shooting a double.  If you are shooting BP through a 97. . . prepare for adventures in cleaning.

 

A garden hose attached to the drain of a water heater makes a handy way to rinse guns with hot water outside (If you are lucky enough to have a hot water heater in unfinished basement space like I am)

 

If you have access to compressed air, pulling the revolver grips and blowing the gun out after cleaning is an easy way to get the bulk of the moisture out of the gun.  Stand the rifle muzzle down on an old towel after getting it clean and let anything that remains drain out.

 

You will be shocked at some point to see that water doesn't hurt your guns when used in this manner.

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Yea...  Ballistol is not a pleasant scent.  I may have to try the Murphy's mix.

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55 minutes ago, Tyrel Cody said:

Some of us think Ballistol smells wonderful...

 

+1

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57 minutes ago, Tyrel Cody said:

Some of us think Ballistol smells wonderful...

 

2 minutes ago, Smokey Dave said:

 

+1

 

Acquired smell?  Or did it's funk break your sense of smell?

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Just now, Croc Holiday said:

 

 

Acquired smell?  Or did it's funk break your sense of smell?

 

Hmmmm, maybe a little of both! LOL!

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48 minutes ago, Croc Holiday said:

 

 

Acquired smell?  Or did it's funk break your sense of smell?

 

 

Well I don't remember ever being appalled by its smell; but, now it means I'm shoot black powder so I've grown to love it. It's almost an aphrodisiac at this point :ph34r:

 

My boss doesn't care for it. I drove when we went to lunch last week and he asked me what smelled like dirty gym socks in my truck :lol: :lol: :lol:

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11 minutes ago, Croc Holiday said:

At least he was polite and sugar coated it :D.  

 

How do you know that I didn't sugar coat it?

 

This is a family forum don't ya know ;)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I didn't though, that was his exact words.:lol::lol::lol:

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20 hours ago, Croc Holiday said:

 

It was a total blast.  I'm going to shoot the BP match for sure.  You coming down for that one?

 

Targets disappear faster than I expected (never stood directly behind a BP shooter).  That threw me a little, especially with SG.  Boom, sweep to the next target...  what target haha.   I also found the phrase "BP is messier than smokeless" is an understatement lol.  I was surprised at just how much messier.  My pistols need the cylinder wiped about every 2-3 stages.  Tyrel's baby wipe tip was all win as was the WD-40 tip.  I'll try the bore butter tip next time to see how that helps.  Cleaning after the match was also...  different...  More towels / rags next time.  A lot more...    Really, I dug it a lot.  I'll go back to smokeless after our BP match just long enough to get the brass and hulls from what I have already loaded with smokeless.  After that, I'm sticking with the BP.

 

I got to shoot a little cap and ball too.  Those are next on my list.

 

Thanks to everyone who dropped me a tip.  I really appreciate it!

 

 

 

Unfortunately I have a "hobby conflict" that will not allow my attendance at this years Oregon State BP Match with my good Pards in Redmond, OR.    I've only shot BP (subs) once in a local monthly, it was a ton of fun and something I would like to pursue in the future.    No doubt the clean-up is a bit different but fortunately there are plenty of great experienced cowboys willing to share their knowledge and experience on the dark side.   

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5 hours ago, T-Bone Shorty said:

 

Unfortunately I have a "hobby conflict" that will not allow my attendance at this years Oregon State BP Match with my good Pards in Redmond, OR.    I've only shot BP (subs) once in a local monthly, it was a ton of fun and something I would like to pursue in the future.    No doubt the clean-up is a bit different but fortunately there are plenty of great experienced cowboys willing to share their knowledge and experience on the dark side.   

 

Bummer.  I'll see ya on one of your trips this way then.

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You guys who don't like the smell of Ballistol, have you smelled Hoppe's #9 recently?

 

I think Hoppe's smells real bad. Good thing I don't shoot much Smokeless so I don't have to smell it very often.

 

I have been using Ballistol for years. I do not object to the smell. It is very pungent and actually makes me sneeze, but I don't get out the Ballistol until the end of the cleaning session, so my exposure to it is not very much.

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