First ML hunt of my life next weekend...

[HTDUCK]

Ok, so the .264 didn't get to punch my $225.00 non resident Mo tag.

Just so happens they have a Mid December ML season for antlered deer.
I have never hunted with a ML in my life, don't even own one.
Last night a buddy loaned me a Knight disc rifle in 50 cal.
Sent me home with a bunch of discs, pyrodex pellets, some saboted Barnes bullets etc.
He picked this thing up at a gunshow for a song and hasn't shot it at all.
It does have a 3-10x40 Cabelas ML scope on it with some kind of ballistic reticle which is of course not zeroed.....
My buddy mounted it last week.

So give it to me straight.
Pyrodex? 777 ? or some other powder that I'm unaware of?
How often do I need to clean this thing?
What do you clean them with?
(I did pull the breech plug last night and run a Tico tool for a 28 ga shotgun through the bore)
Saboted bullets or something like a Powerbelt?

Signed,

Cluesless in Parker :lol:

Howard

 

[martineta]

Blackhorn 209 powder. Great non-corrosive Black Powder Substitute. 100 grains with a 250 grain powerbelt. Use a quality primer like winchester 209A. Since Blackhorn is Non Corrosive there is no urgency to clean between shots or even at the end of the day if you don't want to. Powerbelts load easily, sometime saboted bullets are a bear to load for a second follow-up shots or while at the range during sight in.

 

[tddeangelo]

For anything corrosive, the "between shots" cleaning is not for prevention of corrosion. It's to ease loading.

If you fire it, you clean it that day. That's how I always have handled muzzleloaders, but I've always shot corrosive propellant, so it's a necessity.

I've heard people on both sides of the spectrum on PowerBelts. Some love 'em. Some hate 'em. I've never used one. The little I've hunted with inline muzzleloaders, I used Speer pistol bullets and sabots.

For sidelock guns, I've used patched round balls, sabots, and maxiballs.

I would suggest you just get in the habit of swabbing the bore whenever you shoot. Hot water will do the trick, you just have to keep at it till the patches come clean.

 

[martineta]

Blackhorn doesn't need swapping between shots to maintain ease of loading. Clean up is done with any petroleum based cleaner like Hoppes 9. All the other blackpowders and substitutes like pyrodex and triple 7 are cleaned up with warm water, soapy water does a great job. , just not blackhorn, treat it like cleaning any other modern deer rifle. 30-30, 308, 243, and etc.