things I'm learning

[RobD]

With patch lubes, like many things in life, it's all personal and it's all good if it works good.

What I like best about Gato Feo is that I can lube patch strips and load ball boards well in advance of shooting, and the lube isn't wet.  I roll up GF lubed patch strips and stick 'em in a plastic bag within my shooting bag, to keep 'em clean.

A buddy gave me a quart of bear oil that he rendered from the fat of his last black bear kill and man does that work awesome for a patch lube, best I've ever used bar (or "bear" ) none.  Only thing is that it's purty wet 'n' a bit sloppy to mess with as is any manner of liquid lube.

r.

[Ohio Joe]

Thanks for everyone's input .
 I think I'm just learning and trying absorb so much new info that I just get a little confused and want to try everything all at once.
 It's all good , I'm learning and improving .
 My one concern about patch condition.
 Shooting paper is one thing but a blown patch results in loss in velocity ie ft pounds or energy. No??
  If I am trying to work up a hunting load wouldn't I want to keep as much energy as I can rather than gas escaping around the ball.,  the idea of the patch is to grip and seal the grooves correct.
  Should I just work on a load that's accurate and that's it.  Be it 50gr or 100.
 Is muzzleloader capable of shooting different loads accurately given all the variables or is there just one sweet spot .

Whether a person has a TC Hawken, Lyman GPR, or Custom Built Muzzle Loader, the principles are all the same with regard to patch and ball loads. Here's a Link to the TC Handbook;

https://www.tcarms.com/pdfs/uploads/manuals/Hawken_Manual.pdf

[RobD]

Also, the patent breech ante-chambers of all the offshore trad MLs will require attention ... that kind of breech can easily create ignition issues due to fouling issues that aren't attended to.

[rollingb]

Also, the patent breech ante-chambers of all the offshore trad MLs will require attention ... that kind of breech can easily create ignition issues due to fouling issues that aren't attended to.

Yes,.... those types of breeches from offshore producers need checked over.
I had a fella bring me his new Lyman GPR 'cause it was having ignition problems.
I pulled the breech plug and found when they drilled it the bit had only broken through by about a quarter turn where the two channels intersected (their bit must have broken during the process and they failed to finish the drilling after a new bit replacement).

I finished drilling it out and made sure everything was open, put it back in the barrel, test fired it, and everything was fine. 

[Maven]

Here's some interesting reading for you KDubs:  https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=62802.0

[KDubs]

Thanks maven, good read .
 I'll be back at it next week .
 With all the helping I've gotten I think I'll be ok.
Kevin
 

[KDubs]

 Oh and as far as T/C ante chambers go.. i don't have a scraper or a bore scope .  should i purchase one or both.
 I can see down the barrel OK with a small flashlight.
 as far as i can tell the chamber looks clean but.. what do i know 
 

[RobD]

Oh and as far as T/C ante chambers go.. i don't have a scraper or a bore scope .  should i purchase one or both.
 I can see down the barrel OK with a small flashlight.
 as far as i can tell the chamber looks clean but.. what do i know 

this is what yer ante-chambered patent breech looks like ...



... get a .30 caliber brush for your ramrod, drape a cleaning patch over it, run it down into the ante-chamber wet to clean, dry to mop up.

[Ohio Joe]

Personally, I've not experienced any problems from the anti-chamber Rifles I have...

After cleaning I do store these rifles with anti-chambers "muzzle pointed down" and in a day or two I'll come back and run a dry patch down the bore(s) and then store them up right. I have never had a problem as yet with them in the 40+ years I've been playing with these things.

Rob's technique in the above post is a very good piece of advice.

[Bigsmoke]

I agree with Joe.  Never have I ever had a problem with the ante chamber.
Of course, I always clean with a good bore solvent (Ol' Thunder) and slosh it back and forth quite a bit.
I have no idea how much I have shot, but I would guess that I have used my body weight in Ffg powder over the years.  I used to shoot a LOT.
  I used to keep all the cans, but ran out of room to store them, so I quit that.
I never used a little rounded scraper or a .30 caliber brush either.   I do use a flat scraper on my flintlocks, but that's a whole different story.
Of course, as the saying goes, YMMV.

John (Bigsmoke)

[RobD]

My take on the patent chambers is they just require added attention and work, that's it.

Everything about black powder guns revolves around paying attention to the bp residue and not procrastinating with the fouling control and cleaning.

Failing the above is when things go bad pretty darn quickly.

[Ohio Joe]

I do think some folks get into this hobby with a mind set of; the cleaning can't be all that different from a modern firearm... They find out differently pretty quick...

Sure, there's some extra attention that needs to be given these ol' smoke poles, and if you want a lifetime of enjoyment from them - one has to put in the effort from the beginning, and continue on with that effort...

Personally, I don't mind going the extra mile when cleaning any of my firearms... Actually, I enjoy the cleaning process, and have never looked at it as a "chore" but rather as something that needs to be done if I'm going to have a well working and dependable firearm when I want to use it. 

Any new bits of information that helps folks out with their cleaning is always welcome.

[RobD]

I do think some folks get into this hobby with a mind set of; the cleaning can't be all that different from a modern firearm... They find out differently pretty quick...

Sure, there's some extra attention that needs to be given these ol' smoke poles, and if you want a lifetime of enjoyment from them - one has to put in the effort from the beginning, and continue on with that effort...

Personally, I don't mind going the extra mile when cleaning any of my firearms... Actually, I enjoy the cleaning process, and have never looked at it as a "chore" but rather as something that needs to be done if I'm going to have a well working and dependable firearm when I want to use it. 

Any new bits of information that helps folks out with their cleaning is always welcome.

All you pilgrims to the trad ML game - hearken and heed Joe's words of wisdom!

[KDubs]

Roger that.