Inline Muzzleloader newbie's first time at the range.

[Kestrel]

My cousin and I bought a new Traditions XLT recently gearing up for muzzleloading deer season. We also picked up a .50 cleaning kit and an assortment of rounds, Pyro Pellets, and Goex powder. Winchester Triple7 209 primers.

My cousin is more experienced than I, and we started with Powerbelt rounds (245g green belt) and 2 Pyro pellets.

We zeroed the Bushnell Banner scope in 4 shots. About 1 or 2" at 50 yards with the scope. (I had to remount the scope initially, since we bought the super cheap Cabela's mounts. I had to reverse the front mount to get a bore sight. Just for information, since the scope could never have inclinated that far to the left. Bore sighting is very important. This kept us from ruining the scope by running out of adjustment before we got to the range!) Be careful of really cheap scope mounts...

Things we did not have that I wished we did have:
We did not have a range ram rod. Nor enough end attachments.
A starting rod. See below about loading a sabot vs the Powerbelt.
We did not have the cleaning kit at the range.
We did not have the jag to remove a lodged bullet.

So here are my major questions with anecdotes along the way. I hope you guys can help!

After the 4 shots of Pyro pellets and Powerbelts (which worked great until...)

Then we also had Hornady XTP bullets in the kit from TC. After 4 shots of pellets, and my complaining that we were not cleaning the bore between shots (which is accepted range practice here...) the sabot round was jammed.

We load the rifle with 80g of Goex black powder. We try to load an XTP sabot, and MAN was that thing tight! We could not move that sabot far enough down the muzzle on the black powder charge. The mark on the ram rod was .75" from where the Powerbelt and Pyro pellets were. We decided that was not a safe set-up. Pulled the breech plug, tapped the powder out and went home (after sighting in a gorgeous old Winchester .257 Roberts!)

So. If I could ask you guys these more specific questions.

1) This Pursuit XLT does not have the quick breech plug. The cleaning kit had only a Push-patch end for the rod. Not the slotted cleaning end type you thread the patch through first. When cleaning between shots, do you just use a slotted patch attachment to run Windex up and down the barrel? And then poke a paper-clip through the plug hole? Next shot...

2) When we tried to load the XTP TC sabot, it was soooo tight it ended our session, we had to extract the thing later, using the cleaning rod and 2 guys to push it out the breech end with even steady and great force! Luckily we did that well, since the bore was mirror clean after a thorough cleaning.

Do you need a different ramrod end for a sabot round than for a conical like the Powerbelt? It seemed like pushing the Sabot XPT round just make it tighter since the rod end was puching the plastic sabot, and not the bullet.

3) The Breech plug is really hard to clean out. It was easy to extract because of the Teflon tape. We used a needle to clear the tiny hole, which was about 1.5mm. Tiny! Do you have any suggestions to keeping the breech plug clean during a range session and cleaning it out fully after? Would a soak in Goo gone help? By a range session, I mean 10 shots max. We got to 4 shots without a cleaning at all, but couldn't load a sabot at all for shot 5!

4) We had a TC cleaning kit which came with this blue bore-cleaning solution that was very thick. I'm used to Hopp's nitro solvent which I know gets all over when cleaning a smokeless rifle. Is there a was to hose off a scoped black powder rifle for cleaning with solvent that will not destroy the greasing of scopes, or any tricks to keep the scope dry during cleaning?

5) What is the best between shot cleaning method for a non-quick remove breech plug? What attachment do you clean the bore with on the range, and what do you do to the breech-plug to clean it for the next shot without removing it?

Sorry for how long this is, but I want to move to in-line muzzle-loading from center-fire hunting entirely, and the change is pretty major!

We are new to black powder and have already benefited from the advice here, greatly.

Thanks for being here all of you. God bless and good hunting!

Kestrel in NYS

Cleaned up some missellings, etc. Thus the edit.

 

[cayuga]

After the 4 shots of Pyro pellets and Powerbelts (which worked great until...)

Then we also had Hornady XTP bullets in the kit from TC. After 4 shots of pellets, and my complaining that we were not cleaning the bore between shots, shich is accepted range practice here...

We load the rifle with 80g of Goex black powder. We try to load an XTP sabot, and MAN was that thing tight! We could not move that sabot far enough down the muzzle on the black powder charge. The mark on the ram rod was .75" from where the Powerbelt and Pyro pellets were. We decided that was not a safe set-up. Pulled the breech plug, tapped the powder out and went home (after sighting in a gorgeous old Winchester .257 Roberts!)

So. If I could ask you guys these more specific questions.

1) This Pursuit XLT does not have the quick breech plug. The cleaning kit had only a Push-patch end for the rod. Not the slotted cleaning end type you thread the patch through first. When cleaning between shots, do you just use a slotted patch attachment to run Windex up and down the barrel? And then poke a paper-clip through the plug hole? Next shot...

The breech plug is not an issue when you SWAB the bore. They sell a loading jag/cleaning jag that fits right on the end of the ramrod. This will vary depending on the style you shoot. Personally for what your shooting I would look at one that loads T/C Shockwaves. They are pretty universal. You can load shockwaves, powerbelts and XTPs with little problem. Also since their outside is knurled, you can use them as a cleaning jag. There are also jags that are longer then most. This will add some extra distance to the ramrod to help you swab and load easier.

2) When we tried to load the XTP TC sabot, it was soooo tight it ended our session, we had to extract the thing later, using the cleaning rod and 2 guys to push it out the breech end with even steady and great force! Luckily we did that well, since the bore was mirror clean after a thorough cleaning.

This loading problem could have been caused for a couple reasons. The barrel being fouled was too tight to accept the sabot/bullet combination. All of this could have been solved if you swabbed the bore before you load. The other thing could be, the sabot was wrong for the rifle. In this case, since it was hard to load, get some Harvester Crushed Rib sabots and they will load fine next time.

Do you need a different ramrod end for a sabot round than for a conical like the Powerbelt? It seemed like pushing the Sabot XPT round just make it tighter since the rod end was puching the plastic sabot, and not the bullet.

Again, the T/C Shockwave jag will normally do 99% of all my loading. Even though it is short, it loads well, and cleans well also. You are aware that you load the XTP and sabot as one unit...

3) The Breech plug is really hard to clean out. It was easy to extract because of the Teflon tape. We used a needle to clear the tiny hole, which was about 1.5mm. Tiny! Do you have any suggestions to keeping the breech plug clean during a range session and cleaning it out fully after? Would a soak in Goo gone help? By a range session, I mean 10 shots max. We got to 4 shots without a cleaning at all, but couldn't load a sabot at all for shot 5!

I don't worry how dirty the breech plug gets when at the range. As long as it will come out after the range session. When I clean a breech plug at the end of the day, I have some wire brushes. They sell them to clean battery posts at the auto store. Pull the breech plug from the rifle. Soak the breech plug in something as simple as dishsoap water. Take the brush and carefull scrub between the threads on the breech plug. This will remove the fouling and the tape. I like to them take some dish soap, apply it to the breech plug, and with an old tooth brush, scrub the breech plug so it looks like new. Then rinse it off with water. I then take that breech plug outside, and with brake cleaner and the straw, shoot brake cleaner through it and on it. Then dry the clean plug on some paper towel and your ready to put it back in the rifle. The fact you could not load the fifth shot had nothing to do with how fouled the breech plug was.

4) We had a TC cleaning kit wich came with this blue bore-cleaning solution that was very thick. I'm used to Hopp's nitro solvent which I know gets all over when cleaning a smokeless rifle. Is there a was to hose off a scoped black powder rifle for cleaning with solvent that will not destroy the greasing of scopes, or any tricks to keep the scope dry during cleaning?

To clean the scope that is attached to the rifle, take a patch and apply some simple household cleaner. A favorite of mine is Simple Green and 409 cleaner. Wipe all the fouling off the outside of the scope. A patch to dry it, then oil it back up.

To clean the black powder rifle without making a mess, get a range rod. I like a 32 inch one. Work from the breech and push out to the muzzle. Then your not pushing stuff into the trigger and lock area of the rifle. Apply solvent patches until the barrel is clean. With Triple Seven you can use dish soap water if you want. But once the barrel is clean, dry patch it, and then run a good oil patch down the bore to protect the rifle.

Sorry for how long this is, but I want to move to inline muzzleloading from centerfire hunting entirely, and the change is pretty major!

We are new to black powder and have already benefited from the advice here, greatly.

Thanks for being here all of you. God bless and good hunting!


Get a range rod, a couple of shockwave load/cleaning jags, a short starter and remember a jag for that short starter. I like the T handle short starter for an inline.

This short starter can also be put on the end of the ramrod the rifle comes with and it acts as an extention. Get some Windex and some patches for the muzzleloader.

Swab the bore with a slightly damp windex patch. Then a couple dry ones. ALWAYS WORK YOUR SWAB PATCH IN SHORT STROKES. This will help so you don't get that stuck in the barrel. If you ever are swabbing and stick a patch on a jag and can not pull it out. Just spray some of the windex down the barrel. When you saturate the patch it will come back out.

 

[cayuga]

LET?S SHOOT A RIFLE

Inline...

Make sure the rifle is clean and empty. Also, be sure that you have taped up or greased the breech plug. If you do not take and grease the breech plug you might have trouble getting it back out at the end of the day. Now we will start to load and shoot.

You have already decided on the powder and projectile already. So take a patch, lightly apply some isopropyl alcohol and swab the bore of the rifle. When you swab, put the patch over the end of the barrel and push the ramrod with the cleaning/loading jag into the patch. As you work the patch down the bore, work the patch in short strokes. Work from the muzzle to the breech. This is done in the beginning to remove any gun oils in the barrel. Later, you do this between shots to remove the fouling from the bore. After the damp patch, then work two dry patches through the bore. This will remove additional fouling and also dry the bore.

At this point I like to push a dry patch to the bottom of the breech on the ramrod jag. Then put a 209 primer into the breech plug. Now fire just that primer off. This blows any oil, etc that might have accumulated in the breech plug onto the cloth. Also it will indicate when you pull the patch and see the burn marks on it, that your fire channel is clean. When you see the burn marks, that?s what you want. You?re ready to load and shoot.

Measure out the amount of powder you wish to shoot in your rifle. Most modern inline rifles handle 100 grains of 2f grade powder and a modern projectile real well. Your powder might be in pellet form. So in this case, drop two pellets down the bore. With loose powder, set your measure and then fill to the top. Level the load and then dump that volume measure of powder down the bore. Some people will tap the butt of their rifle on their toe to level the powder charge. It is not really needed with the modern inline rifles but does not harm.

Now select your sabot and bullet. Put the bullet into the sabot. Put the sabot/bullet combination onto the muzzle or into the false muzzle of the rifle. Now with your short starter, push then sabot/bullet into the barrel as far as you can. Now with the ramrod, seat the bullet down the barrel onto the powder charge firmly.

You then put a primer into the back of the breech plug, and you are ready to shoot. Have fun. After you have shot, you need to swab the bore again like described earlier. Then load as described. And shoot again. Just repeat this procedure.

 

[Bucker]

learning

You'd pay good money for that course in college! Cayuga yiou are great man!

 

[cell]

If I may add something...

The Pursuit XLT's rod will be lost in the barrel if you try to clean all the way down to the breach plug...I know kinda sucks.To fix that I went and bought a longer range rod...now I can reach the crud ring that pellets leave behind....which might account for the tightness towards the bottom of the barrel.

So at the range I load with the rod that came with it,and I clean with a longer rod.Another thing to watch is the latch.On mine If I shoot maybe 15-20 times with out cleaning,or wiping down the locking latch the blowback residue will collect on it,and has kept me from closing the rifle safely....and thats from using the black faced "muzzyloader" primers.Funny if I use regular 209 primers I get no blowback...I think theres a size difference in them.

Cell

 

[frontier gander]

I get the same thing Cell. With my Accura, The Winchester 777 primers leave horrible primer fouling on the face of my frame. I went back to Winchester W209 primers. Zero fouling after that!

 

[Kestrel]

Thanks for all the help. Guess we need a couple more bits of equipment.

I'll think of more questions for sure!