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Post by greybearjr on Mar 16, 2007 19:41:39 GMT -4
Well gang,
I suggested that we start a thread of interesting tips and tricks to make your traditional muzzleloader experience more interesting. buckslayer has agreed to let me keep this thread sticky so here we go.
I'll start things off with a neat little invention my dad came up with for cleaning your flintlock. If you want to swamp the barrel with soapy water and are a little nervous about the toothpick in the touch hole method, try taking a quarter-sized piece of rubber inner tube and lay it over the touch hole. Use a spring clamp with the rubber tips to hold the patch in place and not mar your gun stock. The pressure created by the clamp keeps the patch watertight even when pumping a barrel half full of water with a patch
GBJ
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Post by loggy on Mar 17, 2007 8:55:09 GMT -4
GBJ , great idea for a Thread topic & neat tip there!!
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Post by whitetail101 on Mar 17, 2007 10:05:11 GMT -4
For those with flinters that have removeable breech plugs a 50 to 54 cal boresnake makes easy and very efficient cleaning of your barrel.
I use one on my TC Firestorm and have found it to be the easiest, fastest and less messy of all the cleaning methods. In fact I use boresnakes for all of my rifle, handgun and shotgun cleaning
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Post by berkscoflinter2 on Mar 17, 2007 18:56:36 GMT -4
Greybear,Jr., Welcome, and best wishes as you undertake the moderator tasks with Loggy. We couldn't have two finer gentlemen at the helm.
I'm curious as to your point concerning a round toothpick in the touch hole. I break the tip off the tooth-pick (1/4inch or so), double a cleaning patch over the toothpick and clamp it all with the frizzen. This procedure seems to work for me, and has for 30 years. What potential problem am I ignoring?
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Post by greybearjr on Mar 17, 2007 19:30:05 GMT -4
Thanks Berksy. With Loggy at the Helm I'm sure this will be a blast.
The problem I was refering to was breaking the tooth pick off in the touch hole. I've had it happen twice. Not a huge deal but a bit of a pain to dig it out, particularly when cleaning in the field. With the inner tube patch you don't have that potential.
GBJ
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Post by greybearjr on Mar 17, 2007 19:34:33 GMT -4
Here's another.
How do you keep the rain and snow from going down the muzzle in a driving storm? Why a condom of course ;D. Use a small (or in dickert54's case large) unlubricated condom and stretch it over the muzzle. Serves well as a raincoat and has no impact on accuracy.
GBJ
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Post by skwirl on Mar 17, 2007 19:37:30 GMT -4
Just remember always practice safe muzzle loading ;D
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Post by dickert54cal on Mar 19, 2007 14:55:22 GMT -4
Many thanks for the compliment on my barrel!!! ;D Ive come to find out bigger is bettr!! The accuracy is 2nd to none.
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Post by berkscoflinter2 on Mar 19, 2007 17:59:56 GMT -4
If you crushed one of those triangular shaped blue pills, mixed it with your powder charge, could you use a larger condom on a swamped barrel, and would it be affective for 36 hours?
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Post by zimmerstutzen on Mar 19, 2007 23:33:09 GMT -4
Hey Dickert, as the midget I once dated said, it isn't always the size of the organ that matters, usually it is the size of the cathedral it plays in.
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Post by boozer on Mar 21, 2007 13:58:18 GMT -4
I place a piece of electical tape over the barrell, this keeps snow,etc from getting down in it, while im hunting, It also makes a good reminder that the gun is loaded. Then just shoot right threw it.
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onager
lodge member
Posts: 244
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Post by onager on Mar 21, 2007 16:53:29 GMT -4
Thanks for the big tips...er I mean suggestions I'll just sit back and play the part of the sponge. Keep em comin!
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Post by skwirl on Mar 21, 2007 19:42:51 GMT -4
A good cleaning solution for black powder guns Equal parts Alcohol Peroxide Murphy's Oil soap
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Post by greybearjr on Mar 21, 2007 21:57:06 GMT -4
For those of you that have an older flintlock and your pan to barrel fit is a little loose, take some bees wax and a little parafin and work it in your fingers until soft then force it into the space between the barrel and the lock pan. It temporarily fills the gap until you clean the next time and prevents powder from getting down behind the lock.
This same mix also works well to seal and waterproof your pan on rainy days.
GBJ
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Post by bob1961 on Apr 4, 2007 7:37:55 GMT -4
i'm building my lancaster now and am going to thread the touch hole to 1/4" - 28 thread that's the same as the T/C touch hole liners....that way it's removable and a bleeder valve from a car will fit the hole, and after some modifing and after attaching a clear hose to it with a weight on the other end to keep it in the hot water while ya flush a pinned non-removable barrel....i also use pipe cleaners to wipe out the touch hole when at the range or hunting, it also serves as a toothpick or feather in the touch like some use....when i load my T/C it self primes the pan with 3f powder, but when i close a pipe cleaner in the touch hole bout 1/8" and close the frizzen on it....it doesn't let any powder out then, but lets air blow by it so that there's no pressure as ya ram home the ball.....................bob
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