First muzzleloader questions

[Rio Laxas]

After a few months of searching, I found a decent price on a used Lyman Great Plains Rifle in .54, which will be my first muzzleloader and first black powder firearm. The rifle came with a quantity of Hornady 0.530 caliber balls and a jag. I have purchased the following:

- a brass range rod
- a ball starter
- a spare jag
- 3 extra nipples
- anti seize compound for the nipples
- a ball puller
- a powder measure
- 015 cotton & 0.18 pillow ticking lubed shooting patches
- a .54 caliber bore brush

Tomorrow I am going to go looking for percussion caps (which I know I can get) and FFg black powder (which I may not be able to get). Is there anything else I need to get started or that would make my life easier?

Are the 0.530 balls the way to go or should I also try 0.535 balls?

 

[Pancho]

You've got to start somewhere. Pryodex or tttf will still make your gun go boom and you can start evaluating what you've done. Unlike bench loading muzzleloading provides instant results.

 

[Lawdawg45]

I bought a .54 caliber Hawken a few months back, so we're in the same shoes. Your list looks pretty complete and almost identical to mine, but if your rifle will shoot conical's, Hornaday makes a 435 grain one that's pretty accurate at longer distances. I did eventually find some Goex locally, but it's also readily available online, but be prepared to pay a hazmat fee for delivery with FedEx or UPS. Although not recommended by some, you can shoot FFF in a .54, or you could try 777 synthetic powder, it comes highly recommended by Laramy "Sasquatch" Miller. PM me if I can help!

LD

 

[hartcreek]

You will need a sling. My Hawken .50 gets a bit heavy at the end of the day without a sling and some kind of bag so you can carry all the acrouments.

 

[rdstrain49]

You should also have a rod guide, similar to the one at the bottom of the linked page.
http://www.possibleshop.com/s-s-ramrod-acc.html

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

I didn't see any lube listed. There is a multitude of concoctions listed on this site for lube or you can use a commercial lube such as Bore Butter. I have used BB and saturate my patches by applying a small dab to the center of each patch, stacking them end to end, and warming them for a bit in the microwave inside of a small plastic yogurt tub. It also makes a convenient place to store the patches and balls. I put a couple dozen patches and balls in a ziplock sandwich bag for convenience when I shoot.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

- a brass range rod
- a ball starter
- a spare jag
- 3 extra nipples
- anti seize compound for the nipples
- a ball puller
- a powder measure
- 015 cotton & 0.18 pillow ticking lubed shooting patches
- a .54 caliber bore brush

- a nipple wrench
- A nipple prick

A lot of folks use needle nosed pliers for the nipple wrench, but you really should have one to fit your rifle nipple. As for a nipple prick, often a safety pin will work and the nice thing about them is you can get several and attach them to spots on your hunting clothes so you have spares if you drop one, lose one, etc.

You may want to get hold of a spent .223 case and some tinfoil. You cover the outside of the case with the shiny side of the tin foil outward, then drop the case mouth first into the muzzle, thus allowing you to use an LED flashlight to look down the bore, and the foil reflects the light so that you can inspect the bore. The case is small enough and heavy enough for you to simply point the muzzle at the floor and retrieve your "mirror" tool. You might have a nice, shiny breech and not need such a device.

LD

 

[Rio Laxas]

Awesome, thanks for all tips!

 

[[email protected]]

I don't see one of those little Co2 ball dischargers that you will need when you
forget the powder and just load the ball.

 

[raa-7]

I did that the other day but I just took the nipple out and put in enough powder to shoot it out I hate when that happens ! and it does. As many times as I loaded one,, I thought I'd learn by now

 

[MEHavey]

In addition to the nipple wrench/pick (I recommend THIS ONE). Forget the ball-puller
(it just wedges the ball in tighter.) Rather, beg some 3Fg from anyone you know
to pour into the nipple-void/flash channel for those times you will forget to load the powder.

Get a 2mm hex wrench for the clean-out screw. Never fail to pull and clean both
this screw and the channel behind it (pipe cleaners) after a range session. Use your
anti-seize compound when you replace it. (BTW, put the nipple in first, then the
cleanout screw as it butts up against the nipple when seating.)

PATCH STUFF:
Even though you already have some lubed patches (probably "bore butter"-based lube),
I suggest you also go to the local fabric store (take your digital calipers) and find some
thicker (0.019-0.020") pillow ticking. Buy a yard for ~$8. Cut strips every 5th colored
stripe for the 54 cal.

Also, get some NAPA water soluble Cutting/Grinding Oil HERE. Dilute it 7:1 with water,
wet the patch material, roll it with a rolling pin between layers of paper towel until it
"appears" absolutely dry and let it air dry some more for at least a day.
(The itty-bit of residual cutting oil is all you need. Fold the strip up and store it in an
empty Altdoids tin inside your shooting box.))

SHOOTING STUFF:
Use .535 balls and the thicker patch material in the Great Plains.
Wipe 2X with a barely damp patch between shots.
The ball/patch will be moderately stiff going down, but pay great dividends.
50 yards



ALMOST FORGOT STUFF: The Great Plains has a patent breech design where the bore
narrows considerably near the bottom. (Supposedly gives a more consistent
ignition train.)


Use a slotted tip jag (with the patch through/then folded over the tip) to make
sure to clean this last bit. Otherwise it will build up impenetrable (near concrete)
fouling that will completely block the flash channel after a couple of sessions.

Oil everything down with Break-Free (or the like). Do NOT store the weapon using "bore
butter" as a preservative.


This all sounds very complicated. Trust me -- it works out like 2nd nature after a bit.

 

[Rio Laxas]

Thank you! I was wondering about the ball size. It seems like people use both 0.530 and 0.535 in the GPR, and rifle is coming with some Hornady 0.530 balls, but I wanted to be sure before buying. Sounds like I'll be ordering 0.535 balls instead.

 

[EljaySL]

I'd actually start with the .530s. They'll work, they'll load fairly easy. The .535s might be a bear to get started, especially for a newbie, and they may or may not be any more accurate.

I'd put 100 rounds through it, start roughing out what powder load it likes, get you used to the gun, etc. etc. and then start getting serious about tuning load/patch/lube/ball size. Maybe pick up 200 .530s and 100 .535s and then at the end of it buy whichever mold you like if you want to cast, otherwise just buy more balls.

 

[MEHavey]

Bear to get started....

Use a common rawhide hammer....

Smack it down flush w/ the muzzle and short-start it from there

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I just use the butt of my patch knife... never had to hammer a ball into a bore.

LD

 

[J-Bar]

Buy one of Sam Fadala's reference books on shooting black powder guns. It will save you time and tears.

 

[MEHavey]

The rawhide hammer trick ensures that a tightest possible ball/patch
combination comforms to the grooves and is set flush w/ the muzzle
where the patch material can then be cut flush as well.

It then short-starts as usual (hard palm stroke on short-starter) and fully
seats with the ramrod using smoothly-stiff hand force about 6-8 inches
at a time.

 

[Bird Dog II]

I agree on the .530s over the .535s. You won't like those .535s IMO. You can always use a thicker patch if the .530s aren't tight.

 

[EljaySL]

I think you guys proved my point. The hammering or banging with a knife is exactly what you don't want to be dealing with your first 100 rounds of your first muzzleloader. Get the .530s. Try the .535s later and see if they're more accurate or not.