What do I need to shoot my rifle?

Modern Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Modern Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

cayuga

In Remembrance
*
Joined
Aug 12, 2005
Messages
9,993
Reaction score
57
People have asked me to make a sticky of this list. For those starting out with a rifle, they are often at a loss as to what they need to start shooting. I am not saying this is a complete list, but it will get you started. Also you do not need every single item on this list. It breaks down to which on this list you want to use.

Dave




WHAT KIND OF SUPPLIES DO I NEED TO SHOOT MY RIFLE?
________________
Black powder rifle supplies

DECIDE ON THE KIND OF POWDER

? Pyrodex
? Triple Se7en
? Goex
? Black Mag3
? American Pioneer Powder
? Black Horn 209

Make sure your rifle can shoot the kind of powder you select. Also decide if you want to shoot pellets or loose powder. Both will work in inline rifles with a 209 ignition system. Loose powder is cheaper. If starting out, I would go with Pyrodex RS or Triple Seven 2f until I establish a load. After that if you want to experiment with other powders, that?s where the fun comes in.

WHAT KIND OF IGNITION SYSTEM DO I HAVE AND WHAT DO I NEED?

* 209 primers
* musket caps
* #11 percussion caps


Rifles normally fall into three groups. The 209 primer, the musket cap, and the #11 percussion cap. But also remember, some rifles are set up to shoot small rifle primers and of course there are flintlocks. But you need to recognize the ignition system your rifle has and also consider the kind of powder you intend to shoot.

For instance, those that shoot BlackHorn 209 powder require a good strong hot 209 primer. The manufacturer often recommends not to use the weaker primers like Winchester Triple Seven or Remington Kleenbore primers. The reason is, the powder needs that hot strong ignition flame from the primer.

On the other hand a person wanting to shoot Triple Seven powder might find that if they use too hot of a primer they get a very nasty crud ring in the breech area of the rifle. A crud ring is powder that is caramelized for better words, from the combination of the heat of the primer and the triple seven powder components. Not all rifles shooting Triple Seven will develop a crud ring. But the problem was so apparent in many rifles that primer companies developed a weaker primer that the company hoped would produce less flame and hence less of a crud ring. These primers include Winchester?s Triple Seven primer, and Remington Kleenbore Primers. These primers still set off most all powders but BlackHorn and when shooting Triple Seven might help in the reduction of any crud build up. This crud ring can be normally easily swabbed out of the bore.

If you are shooting a percussion style traditional rifle, it might have a musket cap or a #11 percussion cap. You can tell which one your rifle needs by the size of the nipple. The musket cap is much larger then the #11 percussion cap. Know what your rifle needs and purchase according.

If you are shooting a flintlock, of course you will need a good quality flint or agate. I like the Black English flints by Thomas Fuller. But I have used agates and had great results with them as well.


TOOLS NEEDED

? See through powder measure
? Cleaning jag
? Cleaning mop
? Patch worm
? Bore brush
? Short starter
? Capper/de-capper - cappers come in different styles. The purpose of the capper is to hold 209 primers, musket caps, or #11 primers and they allow you to carry the caps/primers easier and to reach in hard to get to nipple, like when the rifle is scoped, and still put the cap on with relative ease. The de-capper is a small end that slips behind the 209 primer and allows you to pry the primer out of the breech plug. Also on the other end of the de-capper there is normally a place for you to set a 209 primer and reach into the rifle breech and put the primer in the breech plug.
? Loading jag for the projectile
? Nipple pick
? Breech plug removal tool ? these are often included with the rifle. Also what works in some cases are a socket set with long extensions


CLEANING SUPPLIES
? Isopropyl alcohol 91%
? Car windshield washer fluid
? Bore butter or lube for conical bullets
? Gun Oil ? Birchwood Casey Sheath, REM OIL, Breakfree CLP, Montana Extreme gun products.
? Q-tip safety swabs
? Cleaning Patches
? Bore Solvents
1. Birchwood Casey Bore Scrubber
2. Butch?s Bore Shine
3. M.A.P. ? Murphy?s oil soap, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide

PROJECTILES

? Sabots for the caliber of rifle
? Bullets to match sabots according to the diameter of the bullet
? Conicals


When you select a projectile, often times the manufacturer will give recommendations. I normally start off with some 250 grain Shockwaves and some 300 grain Hornady XTP's with the sabots that come with them. This will get you on paper, sometimes shoot very well, and also get you used to the rifle. After that you can experiment with all sorts of things. Conicals are another area of concern for some. Some states require Conicals for hunting. Look at the BullShop Conicals, No Excuses, and Great Plains if you wish to throw large chunks of lead around.

I am sure I forgot some things. Also I can not stress the value of a good range rod. They are better built then the one that comes with your rifle. They are longer, and can take more abuse. I save the rifle ramrod for hunting and show. Otherwise I get a good range ramrod and do all my loading and cleaning with that.
_________________
 
Dave I borrowed your list today and used it on another site - several people have already benefitted from your post...
 
Batchief909 said:
You left out Swiss...... :twisted:

That's only because Swiss is for sophisticated shooter such as ourselves. Them new shooters just can not appreciate the quality of Swiss Black Powder. They have to burn a few pounds of the inferior stuff before we clue them in on the quality stuff.. :mrgreen:
 
Dave I have a copy of your post in the new to muzzle loading section in my range bag in case someone new at the range needs some tips. I have also forward it via email numerous times. Thanks for this and your other posts like this one!
 
The only thing I would add is a range rod. When on the range put your jag on your range rod to swab between shots, that way you save time by not having to attach and remove your jag from the ram rod to seat a charge. If you do need to pull a charge in a rifle without a removable breech plug or shove a stuck bullet out in a rifle with a removable plug the range rod is built to take it.
 
Curtis Simmons said:
The only thing I would add is a range rod. When on the range put your jag on your range rod to swab between shots, that way you save time by not having to attach and remove your jag from the ram rod to seat a charge. If you do need to pull a charge in a rifle without a removable breech plug or shove a stuck bullet out in a rifle with a removable plug the range rod is built to take it.

Great point Curtis, I couldn't even tell you the last time I used the ramrod on any of my ML's to load. My range rod has about 9 different witness marks on it lol. (which is also a good idea). I really have my eye on one of those Knight range rods!
 
I have looked at it too but I already have two range rods. Have you tried the Spin Jag products. The jag is two piece, near the base is a bore guide and the front is the patch jag which spins independent from the rod. Looks like it would work well. They have several accessories I'm interested in.
 
Curtis Simmons said:
I have looked at it too but I already have two range rods. Have you tried the Spin Jag products. The jag is two piece, near the base is a bore guide and the front is the patch jag which spins independent from the rod. Looks like it would work well. They have several accessories I'm interested in.

Yes I am a big fan of spin jags, it just makes sense to follow the rifling instead of "skipping" over it. I have one that stays on my range/cleaning rod in .50 and also two for my .45, a regular spin jag and the spin jag loader. After I tried the one in .50 years ago I gave a few out a Christmas gifts that year.
 
One thing I've found to be handy is one of those plastic troughs made for use with wallpaper. I can run hot water into it, and it is the perfect size for soaking the barrel. I generally run the bore brush through a couple of times, and then leave the barrel in hot water long enough for it to absorb the heat of the water.

I then dry it inside and out while it is still warm, followed by a spraying of WD40, followed by clean, dry rags, followed by a bore swab coated with bore butter.

Seems to clean out all the old powder and leave the bore just like new.

BuffKiller
 
You better use Bore Butter with extreme attention to detail. Its critical that all the water is gone or the BB will trap the water under it. WD40 displaces water fairly well, that is what is was made to do. Denatured alcohol will also help remove water as it evaporates. Ballistol will also help eliminate small amounts of water and its a pretty good BP solvent and preservative.

Personally, ive found a good synthetic gun oil is far superior at protecting a bore than BB and it wont leave a wax like residue.
 
I used to use WD-40 all the time. Until a gun smith explained to me that WD-40 if used improperly can cause a varnish like coating that attracts dust and gunk. I learned this when my semi automatic .22 kept jamming and I figured I was not cleaning it properly or something was wrong. So he took it apart and was cleaning it and showed me how that WD-40 built up in the rifle.

And GM54 and I agree on the use of Bore Butter. I used to use it for years and years. Never could understand why sometimes I got tobacco stained looking patches out of my "clean" rifle. And finally due to a build up of BB, the rifle was no longer accurate. So after I boiled and scrubbed the barrel, I got it accurate again. It really looked like chunks of ear wax that floated out of that rifle. I never used it again. Just a quality gun oil. I like Montana Extreme or Barricade.
 
Thanks for the advice.

I really try to get the barrel perfectly dry (at least the bore) before hitting it with the WD-40. I then clean almost all the WD-40 out with clean patches before I do the final Bore Butter swab (I used the Bore Butter designed (according to the label) for the T7 powder).

I will keep an eye out for build up.

BuffKiller
 
what ingredients are you looking for in the Windex - have some home depo brand - want to make sure it works - shoot in-line and sidelock triple 7 and pyrodex
 
and oh yes I wish I had this list when I started. this is a great help . in 1975 there wasn't anywhere to go except to read the owners manual which of course is a must. but this list goes far beyond that. guy
 

Latest posts

Back
Top