Questions on “In the field” with your MZ

[Jbrown69]

New and been reading a lot. I’ll be starting with White Hots and Power Belts in a Optima V2.

Let’s say you’ve shot/sighted in your rifle, cleaned it, and put it away. Cleaning included a light oil patch down the bore before storage.

Now, you’re ready to go hunting. Once in the field, you take it out to prepare it for the days hunt. You run a dry patch or two down the tube followed by one or two caps discharged to dry the bore out. This is where I’m confused. If you’re hunting a few days, do you not want a light coat of oil left in the barrel for rust prevention? Thanks for your help.

There still will be a residue of oil in the barrel. I have always left mine loaded for our 9 day season. If the gun got wet or I fired it, then I cleaned it. I have used this gun since the 90s and still no rust. I do the initial cleaning then several weeks later I patch and oil the gun again. Probably patch and oil 3 to 4 times a year whether I shoot it or not!

 

[howieb]

After a thorough cleaning from the previous shoot, including an "oil" patch last, when I go out I will shoot two primers, then load. The gun may stay loaded (without a primer of course, in my state is technically not loaded), and then the next time I shoot, I'll repeat the process. Between shots on the range I was originally just running a single damp patch with a single stroke followed by a dry patch. By my third shot it was very difficult to push the load past the crud ring. When I raised the question here, someone suggested more than one pass with the first damp patch, so I started going up and down near the breech three times. That solved it.

I'm very interested in your experience with white hots and powerbelts. That's where I started, with an Optima V2, and I could not ever get good groups. I got much better groups with Hornady SSTs and TC Shockwaves.

 

[MrTom]

White hots are nothing more than T7 that hasn't been colored yet. Being a pellet you're not going to discover the full use of the gun. I suggest using a granular form of powder so you can adjust your charges to get the most from the gun. Then I'd take a serious pass on the powerbelts. The SSts and Shockwaves are beeter food for the gun.

 

[minelabbob]

if its damp out put a finger rubber over barrel to keep things dry! so you can even hunt on a drizzley day.

 

[AfricaDouble]

There still will be a residue of oil in the barrel. I have always left mine loaded for our 9 day season. If the gun got wet or I fired it, then I cleaned it. I have used this gun since the 90s and still no rust. I do the initial cleaning then several weeks later I patch and oil the gun again. Probably patch and oil 3 to 4 times a year whether I shoot it or not!

This man knows what he is doing… and That is sound advice!
I do the same.

 

[Hurricane]

Amazing gun rack! May I ask what variety of wood it is made of?

 

[Rvrrat14]

Trying to learn. Been reloading for over 45 years, recently casting bullets. I‘m looking to purchase a 50 cal rifle, so I’d kinda like to shoot a 50. White Hot pellets @ 100gr. with PowerBelt Copper 295gr. This is my starting point.

You get all kinds of information online these days, and even a bit of differences/preferences here. Trying to sort it all out. My fall back is a PT Gold 45 260gr w/ crushed rib sabot using BH209.

I’ve seen some 50cal bullets like Thor and Federal I kinda like, too. I’m looking to extend my hunting season by two extra weeks. Also hankering to drive a 50 through a bore hog!

With all my ‘rabbit holes’ open, I’m looking for something simple to begin with. AND, I appreciate all you guys help and recommendations.

 

[Okie Hog]

You run a dry patch or two down the tube followed by one or two caps discharged to dry the bore out.

i never got into the cap popping thing.

i run an alcohol wet patch followed by a dry patch, then the rifle is loaded. If the rifle is fired it is cleaned and reloaded. Otherwise, it stays loaded for the duration of the season or longer. On my last range trip i fired a rifle that was loaded in October 2020 . No hangfire, no hesitation, just kaboom.

 

[AfricaDouble]

Just a piece of black walnut live edge from My mill and a trip to hobby lobby for hangers.

Pm me if interest in one

 

[AfricaDouble]

Amazing gun rack! May I ask what variety of wood it is made of?

^^^

 

[AfricaDouble]

i run an alcohol wet patch followed by a dry patch, then the rifle is loaded.

What kinda Alcohol, Wild Turkey.. Yukon jack?

Seriously what do you use… Rubbing alcohol?

I found Barricade product, water evaporation

 

[Hurricane]

Just a piece of black walnut live edge from My mill and a trip to hobby lobby for hangers.

Pm me if interest in one

That black walnut has a lot of character - mighty nice looking. Thanks!

 

[ElDiablo]

Trying to learn. Been reloading for over 45 years, recently casting bullets. I‘m looking to purchase a 50 cal rifle, so I’d kinda like to shoot a 50. White Hot pellets @ 100gr. with PowerBelt Copper 295gr. This is my starting point.

You get all kinds of information online these days, and even a bit of differences/preferences here. Trying to sort it all out. My fall back is a PT Gold 45 260gr w/ crushed rib sabot using BH209.

I’ve seen some 50cal bullets like Thor and Federal I kinda like, too. I’m looking to extend my hunting season by two extra weeks. Also hankering to drive a 50 through a bore hog!

With all my ‘rabbit holes’ open, I’m looking for something simple to begin with. AND, I appreciate all you guys help and recommendations.

I think you’d be much happier with the BH209 and PT Golds. Powerbelts, you may have read, are notoriously poor terminal performers. Check out @ronlaughlins bullet tests. Lots of insights there. No way I’d try one on a big boar. Lots of better choices out there!

 

[AfricaDouble]

The federal Bor lock are expensive- lots of Snazzy advertising and packaging. Like many other companies do.

Good old lubed lead REAL bullets are great.
Track of the Wolf has some options as well.

The fancy bullets that are offered work, yet so do the cheap Lead you cast or buy cast…. So you can practice more- know trajectory and Hit intended Target.

777 powder gets good reviews, yet ain’t got the same smell as the Holy Black.

 

[WV Hunter]

I pop a couple caps, load ... and leave it loaded the entire season, or until I shoot. One of my rifles is still loaded now, since 10.31
Never had an issue, over 30+yrs. I plan to shoot it and clean it tomorrow actually. Never chose to take a shot with it this year.

 

[Les Harris]

What kinda Alcohol, Wild Turkey.. Yukon jack?

Seriously what do you use… Rubbing alcohol?

I found Barricade product, water evaporation

Barricade is an oil.

 

[AfricaDouble]

I thought it had Water evap properties. Well, Regardless- it Seems to do a very good job keeping rust at bay.

Barricade is an oil.

 

[rangerod]

I always oil the bore after a thorough cleaning and leave the breach plug out of the gun. When I go hunting or to the range I dry patch the barrel several times and put the breach plug in. Guns loaded with either T7 or BH stay loaded until the seasons over or until shot. I will clean the gun if shot with T7 but not with BH. Both examples would get shot and cleaned at end of season. Load it in the cold, keep it in the cold, shoot it in the cold.

 

[Confederate rifleman]

I prefer to give the rifle a good re- cleaning before loading for hunting. In sidelocks, pipe cleaners with a touch of rubbing alcohol to remove residual oil. Tight patches for the patent breech on my TCs. My inlines use caps, so they get an alcohol pipe cleaner in the nipple.
I've never had an oil related misfire. I always questioned popping caps. Why contaminate your ignition path? That is one area you want as clean as possible. For 209 primed guns, its even more important to keep that channel clear. Its one of the things I don't like about them. Having to use a drill bit to get the fouling out is annoying.
The only misfires I get are when I put a new Tresco nipple in my TC Hawken. The aperture is juuust a bit too narrow. No issues at all with them in my Firehawk. In fact, I break them in on the Firehawk and use them in the Hawken.
All BOOM. No pop.

 

[fishdfly]

Read an article in Muzzle Blasts, person would wipe out the oil from the prior cleaning for storage. He then would load his rifle for hunting. After loading, he would apply a very light coat of oil.
He felt this left his rifle protected from rust until it was shot during hunting.