Jabez Cowboy,SASS # 50129 Posted October 8, 2023 Share Posted October 8, 2023 I had a Custom "Sharron" barrel in .54 cal. with a 1-72 twist, superb Roundball gun, used 90 grains for targets and 120 grains for hunting... Collected a mess of bear skins with it... Bears destroying bee Hives have no limits on them, shot 9 in one day... Took 3 practised skinners a good parts of the night to get them done... I used 200 grains of Curtis and Harvey 3f under that 610 gr. Minnie ( the same Minnie used by Val Forget on Elephant ) for hunting and 1,000 yard Buffalo Matches... Used 60 or 90 grains under the ball in the .50 ... Jabez Cowboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Joker Posted October 8, 2023 Share Posted October 8, 2023 On 10/7/2023 at 12:41 AM, Michigan Slim said: You can. I will pull the nipple and put FFg in the flash hole and then reinstall the nipple. Works every time. If this misfire seems to happen on first load a lot, oil in the barrel settles into the breech face and fouls your powder. Dry fire a cap before loading to help burn off excess oil. If you have a noticeable lag after putting fresh grains in the nipple I bet that's what's happening. I have almost no lock time when I shoot flinters. Caps should be able to punch through most crud in the firehole. They'll really do a number on your finger. 2nd track of the wolf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted October 8, 2023 Author Share Posted October 8, 2023 25 minutes ago, Texas Joker said: If this misfire seems to happen on first load a lot, oil in the barrel settles into the breech face and fouls your powder. Dry fire a cap before loading to help burn off excess oil. If you have a noticeable lag after putting fresh grains in the nipple I bet that's what's happening. I have almost no lock time when I shoot flinters. Caps should be able to punch through most crud in the firehole. They'll really do a number on your finger. 2nd track of the wolf. Thank you. You just answered part of a question I was going to ask regarding oil in the bore. What would be a better bore protection? Ballistol? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michigan Slim Posted October 8, 2023 Share Posted October 8, 2023 37 minutes ago, Texas Joker said: If this misfire seems to happen on first load a lot, oil in the barrel settles into the breech face and fouls your powder. Dry fire a cap before loading to help burn off excess oil. If you have a noticeable lag after putting fresh grains in the nipple I bet that's what's happening. I have almost no lock time when I shoot flinters. Caps should be able to punch through most crud in the firehole. They'll really do a number on your finger. 2nd track of the wolf. I learned that years ago. I hunt in the rain and snow a bit here. Once in a while it bites me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michigan Slim Posted October 8, 2023 Share Posted October 8, 2023 13 minutes ago, Pat Riot said: Thank you. You just answered part of a question I was going to ask regarding oil in the bore. What would be a better bore protection? Ballistol? I don't oil my bore. I swab it with Bore Butter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Joker Posted October 8, 2023 Share Posted October 8, 2023 Oils fine. Before loading run a dry patch a couple times and pop a cap. Like was said before: shoot have fun and clean gun. Hot hot water with a bit of dawn dish soap in a bucket. Dismount the barrel from stock and pull the nipple. Drop nipple end into barrel and push the patched rod to the bottom of the barrel. using the ramrod and patch 'pump' water in and out swapping patches as needed until clean. Then rinse the same way with near boiling fresh water. BE CAREFUL! Wear gloves the heat from cleaning like this will dry the barrel fast. No rust. Then oil for storage and remount to stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Joker Posted October 8, 2023 Share Posted October 8, 2023 5 minutes ago, Michigan Slim said: I don't oil my bore. I swab it with Bore Butter. I use a combo of beeswax and unsalted lard. Or beeswax and olive oil. But I was heavy into F&I Era re enacting. I like the wintergreen smell of bore butter, it's a lube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted October 8, 2023 Author Share Posted October 8, 2023 Thank you @Texas Joker& @Michigan Slim If everyone can’t tell, I have darn near zero experience on the care and feeding of muzzle loaders. I have some experience with cap-n-ball pistols, but I no longer have those. I can tell that these types of small arms can lead to a strange form of addiction. Now I see the appeal that people in my past had for these guns. I am so looking forward to completing this rifle and shooting it for fun and for hunting. My brother tells me that Pennsylvania has a muzzle loader deer season that only permits flintlock rifles. Percussion cap and in-line rifles are not permitted. He’s no longer a hunter, but I think I may use the rifle I have now to entice him into perhaps considering getting a flintlock kit. I already want one. We could build them together and go hunting together. Years ago when I was a teen I had a friend that was in a Civil Reenactment group. Since he was a teenager he was in the drum and fife corp, but could participate in battle reenactments. He had a percussion cap rifle and a flintlock rifle. We would shoot them often but my memories of maintenance and cleaning just aren’t clear. I do recall his Mom yelling at us for getting hot water full of black powder soot all over their patio. She was not amused. We had a lot of fun shooting those guns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Joker Posted October 8, 2023 Share Posted October 8, 2023 It is addictive. Dixie gun works is also a source for building supplies and fou foura. Middlesex trading village will sell smooth bore flinters of decent quality and historical accuracy. Even Brownells has BP gun parts IIRC. Lots of advice out there on the web. Some of it even works Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001 Posted October 8, 2023 Share Posted October 8, 2023 I use ballaistol and bore butter , after cleaning with HOT water and Dawn soap you should always pop 2 caps before loading the first round , when hunting with a side hammer , I add a small piece of tubing around the cap to make it a bit more water restraint , carry muzzle down , or put black tape over the muzzle to keep water out will most likely hunt with one of the in lines this year CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001 Posted October 8, 2023 Share Posted October 8, 2023 well shucks , I was digging around , to take the Hawkin , out to the range , and could not find the box of ballets I know , I stashed a box or 2 some where , thought I would just order more , seems as they ain't made no more reckon , I will have to find some other HB full size bullet to replace em CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001 Posted October 8, 2023 Share Posted October 8, 2023 the big issue , is that is the load , I use to win turkey shoots 85 gn FFG , under a 245 gn Ball ette , shoots a 1 hole group at 50 yds , if I do my part (off hand) they use a clay hung on a string , here most of the time , easy shot if it is a paper target , I cover the hole before the next shot , just to prove it is a hit CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted October 8, 2023 Share Posted October 8, 2023 9 hours ago, Texas Joker said: Oils fine. Before loading run a dry patch a couple times and pop a cap. Like was said before: shoot have fun and clean gun. Hot hot water with a bit of dawn dish soap in a bucket. Dismount the barrel from stock and pull the nipple. Drop nipple end into barrel and push the patched rod to the bottom of the barrel. using the ramrod and patch 'pump' water in and out swapping patches as needed until clean. Then rinse the same way with near boiling fresh water. BE CAREFUL! Wear gloves the heat from cleaning like this will dry the barrel fast. No rust. Then oil for storage and remount to stock. There 'tis. Lots of good experience in the subject. Use it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted October 9, 2023 Share Posted October 9, 2023 After oiling the bore, store your rifle muzzle down. Keeps the oil from settling near the touch hole and causing issues. Put a few dry patches under the muzzle to catch any that may weep out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted October 9, 2023 Share Posted October 9, 2023 Talk to your local Fish and Game about muzzleloader hunting. I think Pennsylvania has two different muzzloader seasons. One for any muzzleloader firearm and another special flintlock only season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted October 9, 2023 Author Share Posted October 9, 2023 42 minutes ago, Sedalia Dave said: Talk to your local Fish and Game about muzzleloader hunting. I think Pennsylvania has two different muzzloader seasons. One for any muzzleloader firearm and another special flintlock only season. Thank you. It would be next year IF I decided to hunt there. I plan to hunt the muzzleloader deer season and the Mountaineer season here in WV in December and January. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Blarney Kid Posted October 10, 2023 Share Posted October 10, 2023 On 10/6/2023 at 7:19 PM, Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001 said: FFg what is the twist rate that will determine round ball or conical CB 1 in 66 for patched RB, 1 in 48 for conicals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michigan Slim Posted October 10, 2023 Share Posted October 10, 2023 1:48 shot either ball or conical for me. 1:66 is a true round ball shooter. 1:32 or so is for sabots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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