Old Jukar .45 caliber rifle: Total muzzle loader newb

[MrPeanut]

The getting started threads were a couple of the first ones I went to. They are excellent.

When I pulled the trigger I realized my assumption as to how the barrel was attached was incorrect. I pulled the barrel off and inspected the breech plug, which appears to be in excellent condition. I was reluctant to pull the breech plug itself until I know more. I also need a good work bench and vice in my basement, which I don't have.

So far despite not being cleaned for 30 yrs I have noticed nothing more than dust/dirt and incredibly minor surface rust which is removed with an oily rag. That includes the barrel, external part of the breech plug, trigger, etc.

 

[cayuga]

DO NOT PULL THE BREECH PLUG!! Many of them are welded and all you will end up doing is messing the breech plug up and then it will not fit the tang anymore and you've ruined the rifle. Now granted some of the old rifles did have breech plugs that could be removed with the proper tool, but there is no need to do that on your rifle. Leave it alone.

If you give the rifle a good water bath, and getting a breech scraper might be in your future, along with a range rod, as the more you use that factory ramrod, eventually it will fail. Either the ends will come off, or it will break. So a range rod will save that factory rod for display and an occasional hunting load.

 

[ShawnT]

Like Cayuga said do not try to remove the breech plug. They are not meant to come out of that type rifle. As he said some are welded and some may even have part of the drum threaded into the edge of it to lock it in. The only rifles that you remove the breech plugs on are the inline rifles.

Since it is a hook breech, you can take the barrel off the rifle, remove the nipple from the drum, and stick that end of the barrel down into a coffee can of very hot water with a little soap in it. Then take patches and your ram rod with a jag on it and work the patch up and down the bore in short strokes till you get to the breech end. The soapy water will work its way up the bore as you clean it and squirt out the nipple hole too on the down stroke. After a good scrubbing switch to clean water for a rinse. Dry the bore with some alcohol patches and follow that with a good bore oil to prevent rust.

 

[ShawnT]

Maybe this will help with a couple part identifications at the breech end.

 

[MrPeanut]

Thanks.

The Persoli manual said not to remove the breech plug under any circumstances, hence my not doing it, in addition to Cayuga's post.

I'll almost certainly get a different ramrod. It is pretty old, almost certainly original to the rifle.

Are there ramrods with non-sparking artificial materials that people use?

 

[ShawnT]

A lot of the sidle locks came with wood ram rods like Hickory. Most of the modern rifles use some variation of Aluminum (tubing, solid, or have cores of carbon). You can still get some made of near indestructible plastic. The one on my percussion was made from Super Rod (plastic) from Mountain State Muzzleloading, now knows as Cain's. He still sells a plastic rod in different lengths. The range rods we use are of solid aluminum, though stainless could be used. Here is a link to Cain's and one to a place that custom cuts solid aluminum ramrods.

http://www.cainsoutdoor.com/

http://www.spinjag.com/index.php

 

[cayuga]

Cain's Outdoors sell a Super Rod that is unbreakable, black in color and you choice of length and ends. They are a good rod and reasonable.

 

[MrPeanut]

Thanks guys.

 

[MrPeanut]

Just wanted to give you guys and update. Some things happened and the rifle went back to the closet.

Got it out today and headed to the range.

I found the loading procedure to be quite easy. Powder, lubed patch, ball, ram, cap shoot.

Started out with 50gr of powder and worked my way up to 100 gr.

Marked the ramrod appropriately. Tried to be consistent the last few with 100gr.

I had 3 failures on the CCI caps. Wasn't happy about that part. I'll have to get some magnums as suggested previously.

The sights were way off. I'll have to take care of that next time out.

Cleaned everything up with hot water and detergent.

A lot of fun with it. This old rifle is probably not hunting quality, but I can see getting a newer version somewhere down the line.

 

[cayuga]

Thanks.

The Persoli manual said not to remove the breech plug under any circumstances, hence my not doing it, in addition to Cayuga's post.

I'll almost certainly get a different ramrod. It is pretty old, almost certainly original to the rifle.

Are there ramrods with non-sparking artificial materials that people use?

Cains Outdoors sells a "Super Rod" very strong, can't break it, will not spark, and just a good quality rod for a good price.