Inline guns will be similar in most cases but with some significant differences.
This post will be broken into two parts:
Pretty much mandatory. These are the things I won't do without, they're required for shooting.
Nice to have. Things that are handy to have but you could get away without having, at least at first.
Pretty much mandatory:
#1. A copy of "The Black Powder Handbook" by Sam Fadala and read it. This is the most important piece of advice I can give. The most important piece of equipment you have sits between your ears and you need to fill it with good information. I don't 100% agree with everything Sam says in the book but he's safe and thats the most important thing.
Nice to have:
#13. Cleaning Jag: Swabbing is aided by having a brass jag in the appropriate size.
Usually the ramrod end will be flared enough that you don't really need a jag but that is not always true. I have a variety of sizes but I always find myself grabbing and not finding the right one. I buy more every year.
#2. Roundball: Generally speaking you'll buy roundball that is 0.010 undersized from the bore which would mean .440 for .45 cal, .490 for a .50 cal and .530 for .54 cal. There are exceptions, my .45 flintlock is too tight for .440 so I use .437 which allows for a thicker patch. You'll need to experiment a little to find out what works best in your gun.
#3. Shooting Patches: Cloth patches take up the space between the round ball and the rifling allowing the ball to engage the rifling and spin. 0.015" patching is probably the best starter size. As with roundball this will vary, you might end up with 0.010" or 0.018" for best accuracy in your gun.
I use mostly precut patches because I'm lazy, sheets of patch material are also available. My dad prefers to use uncut patches and cut as he loads.
I use mostly precut patches because I'm lazy, sheets of patch material are also available. My dad prefers to use uncut patches and cut as he loads.
#4. Patch lube: Bore Butter is easily available and works pretty well. Its not a replacement for gun oil, it doesn't prevent rust particularly well, its a patch lube, not metal protectant although the tube might claim otherwise.
#5. Caps: #10 or #11 percussion caps. Which you prefer will depend on the size of the nipple, this will vary by brand too. I find Remington #11 the ones I like best, Remington #10 are too tall for my capping tool.
#6. Powder: While sidelock guns will shoot the replacements like Pyrodex, it'll be happier with real black powder. Goexpowder.com lists suppliers.
Swiss commonly regarded as is the best powder you can get, I find it fouls less and some folks say it gives better power. I got mine from the Maine Powder House for the same price I was getting Goex at a gun shop. I bought the Triple 7 when I was shooting the inline gun. I've never tried it in a sidelock.
Swiss commonly regarded as is the best powder you can get, I find it fouls less and some folks say it gives better power. I got mine from the Maine Powder House for the same price I was getting Goex at a gun shop. I bought the Triple 7 when I was shooting the inline gun. I've never tried it in a sidelock.
#7. Powder measure: I like the type with the funnel built in. It'll be graduated in 10 grain units which is plenty fine for most shooting.
The smaller one didn't have volume markings when I first got it, I had to check it against the other measure and mark them myself.
The smaller one didn't have volume markings when I first got it, I had to check it against the other measure and mark them myself.
#8. Powder flask: There are a couple choices, I've written about this before: http://curtsotherblog.blogspot.com/2017/10/powder-flasks.html
Short answer, I like the CVA the best. It dispenses powder better than the Traditions. I haven't tried any of the more expensive replica ones yet. You don't need a flask, you could pour directly from the powder can into your measure but the flask makes life a whole lot easier.
Remember DON'T EVER pour directly from the flask into the barrel. If there were a hot ember in the barrel that made the powder ignite you'd have a big charge of power right in the danger zone. Always dispense from the flask into the powder measure and then pour into the barrel from the measure.
Short answer, I like the CVA the best. It dispenses powder better than the Traditions. I haven't tried any of the more expensive replica ones yet. You don't need a flask, you could pour directly from the powder can into your measure but the flask makes life a whole lot easier.
Remember DON'T EVER pour directly from the flask into the barrel. If there were a hot ember in the barrel that made the powder ignite you'd have a big charge of power right in the danger zone. Always dispense from the flask into the powder measure and then pour into the barrel from the measure.
#9. Ball puller: This is like a screw that threads onto the end of your ramrod to remove a ball or bullet when you've forgotten to load powder or if the powder got wet. You WILL forget to load powder, don't go to the range without this. In accompaniment, if your ramrod is threaded at both ends TC sells a T-handle you can thread into one end, when pulling a ball the t-handle really helps. Otherwise you want a brass or aluminum range rod with a t-handle. Trust me on this one, I've been there...
The ball puller is also useful if you're worried that your powder might have gotten wet. If you look back at yesterday's story of hunting with my Renegade .54 I pulled the charge on the second to last day of the season and I'm glad I did, there was significant water in the barrel.
Once in awhile you'll get a patch stuck down the barrel, the threaded screw can grab that patch out too.
The ball puller is also useful if you're worried that your powder might have gotten wet. If you look back at yesterday's story of hunting with my Renegade .54 I pulled the charge on the second to last day of the season and I'm glad I did, there was significant water in the barrel.
Once in awhile you'll get a patch stuck down the barrel, the threaded screw can grab that patch out too.
Nice to have:
#10. Capping tool: The capping tool helps putting caps on, especially if you've got big fingers. I consider this a requirement while hunting.
#11. Short starter: I don't carry one while hunting but they're handy on the range. Pretty much a requirement for target shooting where sometimes a mallet is required to start a tight bullet.
I have several sizes, the one on the left is .45/.50, the center is .54 and the right one is small and the rod is brass. I got it in a box of stuff I bought from a picker.
#11. Short starter: I don't carry one while hunting but they're handy on the range. Pretty much a requirement for target shooting where sometimes a mallet is required to start a tight bullet.
#12. TC #13 cleaner: Theres a lot of tribalism around cleaning, I generally start with hot soapy water and move on to a patch soaked in #13.
#13. Cleaning Jag: Swabbing is aided by having a brass jag in the appropriate size.
Usually the ramrod end will be flared enough that you don't really need a jag but that is not always true. I have a variety of sizes but I always find myself grabbing and not finding the right one. I buy more every year.
#14. Nipple Wrench: You don't need a nipple wrench per-say, I've removed many with just a small open ended wrench but they're handy, especially in the field. This one is a TC model. The topside has a threaded insert with a pin for cleaning nipples should you need to.
This tube type will rip right apart if you use it on a seriously stuck nipple. So if you're going to be working on old guns I'd suggest the short revolver type from vendors like Track of the Wolf.
I hope this list helps those of you just getting started. I'm thinking that this should be the first of a series of muzzle loading basics video. Drop a note and let me know what you'd like to read more about.
This tube type will rip right apart if you use it on a seriously stuck nipple. So if you're going to be working on old guns I'd suggest the short revolver type from vendors like Track of the Wolf.
I hope this list helps those of you just getting started. I'm thinking that this should be the first of a series of muzzle loading basics video. Drop a note and let me know what you'd like to read more about.
No comments:
Post a Comment