How many times you can shoot before cleaning?

Hi everyone!

I am brand new muzzleloader (though enjoyed BP cartridge rifle for few years) and I have a question. Sorry if this was discussed many times and if it something that everyone knows - in such case please give me a link where it was discussed.

Ok, I have a rifle and all assosiate stuff to enjoy old-style shooting. However I have predicament that does not allow me to enjoy it in full. When I bring cleaned rifle out it shoots flawlessly few times (half a dozen or so) and than start to misfire. Sometimes I need to fire 3-4 caps to ignite it and sometimes I have no choice but unscrew side screw and add some powder inside. It is really annoying - I do not like to transport loaded misfired rifle and I need somehow to fire it. It looks to me that it is natural process simply because residues build up and block firing hole. I would accept it if it would be 3-4 dozens shoots, but just half-dozen? So I have feeling that I am doing something wrong, so I will really appreciate if someone steer me in right direction.

Serg

Welcome Serg! I've had the same experience as you with sidelock percussion rifles using a drum. That is what the part is called that the nipple screws into. Rifles that use a bolster, that is a part of the breech plug, best examples are rifle muskets, tend to be far more reliable and for more shots than the drum type. Best advice would be to tap on the lock side of the rifle after you're poured your powder to settle some into the drum, then seat your bullet/ball. Some rifles the drum sticks too far into the barrel. This makes it both unreliable and difficult to clean. I suggest a gunsmith if the problem persists. Going to musket caps may help, but its a temporary fix at best. Good luck to you.

Hi Confederate rifleman,
Yes, your guess is right, I have sidelock percussion setup how I understood from your explanation. They talk about shaking and taping in manual, but I got no clue what they talk about until I disassemble it. Now I do tap lock side, but I fail to see that it became much better.

So basically you have no suggestion, just learn to live with such nuisance, right? Would it be any better if I use finer grain powder for "priming"? Does not make loading process simpler, but to be honest unscrew nipple and clean bloody things after 6-8 shots really sux.... :cry:

Try using a nipple pick (small piece of wire) or a pipe cleaner in the nipple. Use it after every three shots if you are getting that much buildup after 5-6 shots. You can even put some solvent on the pipe cleaner, but not much and be sure to wipe it clean after or you might get too much an compromise your powder next time you load.

I only have one sidelock (TC Renegade) and don't recall having this problem. What gun are you shooting? powder? caps?

Hi Toytruck,

Thanks for replay. I have two nipples and if it misfires two times first thing that I do is change nipple. Does not seems to help much - looks like goo builds up in side pipe.

I shoot from Pedersoli Tryon Target Standard 54 cal. Powder that I use is German made WANO FFg and caps are Dynamit Nobel No.1055

Side question - what solvent may I use to effectively dissolve BP residuals? I use warm soapy water to wash barrel and after drying it with cloth patches I lubricate it with RemOil.

Serg said:

Hi Toytruck,

Thanks for replay. I have two nipples and if it misfires two times first thing that I do is change nipple. Does not seems to help much - looks like goo builds up in side pipe.

I shoot from Pedersoli Tryon Target Standard 54 cal. Powder that I use is German made WANO FFg and caps are Dynamit Nobel No.1055

Side question - what solvent may I use to effectively dissolve BP residuals? I use warm soapy water to wash barrel and after drying it with cloth patches I lubricate it with RemOil.

Click to expand...

I don't have any experience with WANO powder, I assume is real blackpowder. The RWS caps are what I use also. You are cleaning up the right way with warm soapy water/patch/lube with RemOil.

I personally use triple seven powder. I like it in my White brand guns and the TC Renegade too. It cleans up with water, but I just use a citrus based household cleaner on patches then dry patch and oil.

Are you getting all the RemOil out of your rifle before firing it? That maybe your problem, the remaining oil will gum up the powder if not taken out before firing!! I use 100% rubbing alcohol on a patch to clean out the oils. On your sidelock dip a pipe cleaner in the alcohol also and run through the nipple, then use dry end of pipe cleaner to finish nipple and clean dry patch on bore. The remaining alcohol (if any) will evaporate.
Then fire a cap or two to blow out any remaining residue, then load your rifle and shoot.

Try that an see if it helps!! Good luck!

Thanks, Toytruck,

Before shooting I run cloth patch through barrel, but it was by no means proper oil removing. I will try alcohol saturated patch next time ans see what happens. BTW can you advise easy fast temporary cleaning of nipple and small side tube in field? At home I spend more time to clean them then everything else!

Thanks again.

Just a thought but remove the nipple and drop in a small container of solvent or soapy water till you get back home....that will help loosen the powder crud to make it easier to cleanup. You could run a couple of solvent patches down the bore as well till you can finish up cleaning later.

Don't forget to shoot off a couple of caps before loading that is the best way to know for sure your fire channels are clear!

Wano is a decent powder. Are you using a very wet swab between shots? you shouldnt have so much trouble. Theres something in the mix thats out of whack, but it could be many different things.

Squeeze said:

Wano is a decent powder. Are you using a very wet swab between shots? you shouldnt have so much trouble. Theres something in the mix thats out of whack, but it could be many different things.

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Hi Squeeze,
No I do not. What I should wet them with? Is methylated spirit good enough?

for blackpowder I just spritz the first patch with window cleaner (water, soap and alcohol, basically) just try to avoid the kinds with ammonia. It will turn the residues to a form of salt. then a dry patch or 2. For me a dry patch for the first patch, just always gets stuck, So pretty much any moisture will work
I have always been told to avoid any kind of petroleum based oil for a real BP shooter. It turns to a tar like buildup thats a real challenge to clean out