Clean the smoke pole?

[joelkdouglas]

Gents,

I shot my scattergun/muzzleloader yesterday. Black powder season opens here on 16 Sep, so a little less than a month and a half from now.

After each shot from the ML I ran 2 or 3 wet solvent patches and a dry patch or two, including after my final shot. I shot about 14 or 15 rounds.

I may not get a chance to shoot her again before ML season opens--should I break her down and scrub her clean or wait until after ML season is done? I'm inclined to leave her as-is, but didn't know if it would do any long-term damage.

v/r
Joel

 

[Tobey284]

Personally, I would hate to risk a misfire on a hunt by not taking care of one of the few things I had control over. I live in a stinking desert with almost no humidity ever and I often let the cleaning slide between range sessions because the climate here permits me to get away with it. I Only hunt with a dirty ML if the particular rifle shoots better with a fouler. I shoot a knight disc extreme, TC Omega and TC Hawken, the knight and the hawken are a little bit of a hassle to clean but I can still have all three cleaned in less time than it takes for my kids to watch the simpsons. In my youth I believed muzzleloaders didn't need to be cleaned until you couldn't ram a bullet down without a hammer, until I tried to bust a cap on a chamber full of goop on an elk hunt As far as long term damage to the firearm goes I wouldn't be too concerned, I left a pyrodex encrusted hawken in the closet for nine months once and it scrubbed up just fine, but again I live in a climate where things are more inclined to mummify than rust...

 

[Tobey284]

just reread my post, it sounds like a lecture, please don't infer that I'm criticizing your program in any way, I'm sure you know what you're about...I've had my smokepoles not go bang at important moments so I'm a little retentive about cleaning them now. good luck this year and post up some pics!

 

[joelkdouglas]

Thanks Tobey--no worries here. Sounds like I should give her a scrub. You're right, it doesn't take much time, 777 cleans up quick.

 

[JD338]

I use T/C bore butter in my ML's. After each shot, I run a wet patch and 2 dry patches. One more patch with bore butter and I am good to go.

I am using 777 pellets and clean up is a snap.

JD338

 

[Wondermutt]

We clean our 'loaders about a week before our season opens. Once cleaned, we snap a cap through it to make sure its gonna fire. Then run some bore butter down the tube and put some electrical tape on the muzzle and nipple.

Been working for us for about 20 years like that. BTW, we use Hawken rifles, so yours may differ.

Hope you bring them down this year!! My favorite hunting is with the hawken. Nothing like it.

WM

 

[onlymuzzleloaders]

wondermutt, you sound like you have shot a few. nothing wrong with bore butter down the tube, but if you use them year round then you keep them clean year around. glad you have a smokepole section and a few non cartridge boys

 

[c. schutte]

:lol: