Muzzle Loader Cleaning

[05wrangler]

I use Pyrodex Pellets and was wondering if it is absolutely necessary to clean your muzzle loader after shooting it a few times? Can it wait until after the season or does corrosion set it quickly with pyrodex?

I'm getting mixed information on this subject so I thought I would see what you all have to say. I just fired one round out of mine today to unload it and to prepare it for adding a scope and I'm hoping its not necessary to clean it after one shot.

[THE DEER HUNTER]

I would recommend cleaning it after every shot. Especially if it is not made of stainless. Even pyrodex can cause corrosion in a very short time. Letting it sit for a day or two is one thing, but I wouldn't go past that.

[cduke69]

Some additional advice would be to make sure after a hunt or whatever if you do not discharge your gun and it's cold outside, leave your gun outside so it doesn't condense in warmer air. Obviously make sure it's in a safe area away from children and without a primer in it.

[THE DEER HUNTER]

I agree. If it is possible. No real need to discharge the thing anyway - the un-fired powder won't foul the gun anyway. As cduke said, just be sure to take the primer out.

[05wrangler]

I am fairly new to the use of muzzle loaders..... when you say primer, are referring to the firing cap? Or the actual powder or pyrodex? Sorry for ignorance I want to make sure I understand the correct terminology.

[THE DEER HUNTER]

This is the firing cap - the source that sparks the ignition of the powder. It could either be a #10 or #11 percussion cap, a musket cap, or a 209 shotgun primer, depending on your gun.

[92notch]

Definitely clean the gun, spent pyrodex will attract moister in a hurry and rust / foul the barrel in short time. A ML is legally considered unloaded if the primmer/ cap / priming powder is removed. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning your particular firearm.

For mine … if I’m at the range and want to clean it, I just run a wet patch (a round .50 cal patch, soaked with a blackpower solvent, something like TC’s # 13) down the bbl, then I run dry patches down till they come out clean.

When I’m done shooting, and want to store the gun, I pull the plug, clean w/ shooters choice using a wire brush, then followed by dry patches until they come out clean, I wipe the gun down with shooters choice and then wipe it with a clean cloth … I then lube / reinstall the plug, then wipe the gun down with RemOil, then run a patch w/ Remoil on it down the barrel … always store the gun barrel down.

[tailchaser]

Pyrodex isn't as corrosive as black powder. If you are at the range you can shoot a few rounds through it before cleaning the barrel as 92notch indecates. If you shoot a deer the natural reaction is to reload in case you need to shoot again, so do that for shore. If the round remains in the gun for a couple of days after first being shot then on that Sunday for example go ahead and push the load out the breach and clean it up. Pyrodex is a clean powder and doesn't have the corrosive properties that black powder ffg has. I shoot Triple 7 and that stuff is assume. I shoot the powder version not the pellets. The pellets stink in my gun. I have shot and reloaded on a Monday and waited to that Sunday to push the round out and clean with abolutely no issues. Good Luck when in doubt satify your own mind and do what think is best until you get more experience with it.

[92notch]

tailchaser said:

Pyrodex isn't as corrosive as black powder. If you are at the range you can shoot a few rounds through it before cleaning the barrel as 92notch indecates. If you shoot a deer the natural reaction is to reload in case you need to shoot again, so do that for shore. If the round remains in the gun for a couple of days after first being shot then on that Sunday for example go ahead and push the load out the breach and clean it up. Pyrodex is a clean powder and doesn't have the corrosive properties that black powder ffg has. I shoot Triple 7 and that stuff is assume. I shoot the powder version not the pellets. The pellets stink in my gun. I have shot and reloaded on a Monday and waited to that Sunday to push the round out and clean with abolutely no issues. Good Luck when in doubt satify your own mind and do what think is best until you get more experience with it.

what bullets are you using? ... I'm using sabbots w/ 90gr loose 777 and I have to clean after every shot (can't get the next bullet to go all the way down w/o pounding it unless I clean after the shot), I am considering switching the projectile or the powder for next year.

[tailchaser]

I have shot a few different kinds of bullets, XTP's, Barnes expanders, Hornady and a couple of other brands. Currently I am shooting Power Belts. The one thing that is consistent is the weight, 245 to 265 grain. I shoot 100 grains of Triple 7. My question to you is what type of round are you shooting? I wouldn't change powder. I have shot FFG black powder and pyrodex and I can tell you that Triple 7 is the hottest cleanest powder going. I see know chance in me changing powder. The problem you are having, I would bet money on it, is the round you are shooting. There are some rounds out there that when put in the sabots they come with load really really tight. It has to do with the diameter of the round and some times the weight of the round as well as who manufactured it. This doesn't mean your round that you are shooting is no good. For example I believe nosiler rounds when placed in the sabots that come with that round when loaded it is very tight even in a clean barrel. So,. this is what you do if you like the particular round that you are shooting. Go to Bass Pro, Gander Mountain, Dicks sporting goods etc. and pick up a package of thin wall sabots and put your round in it and see if that doesn't cure your problem. If it doesn't then look at switching rounds. I shoot a Remington 700 and love the gun. Of all the rounds that I listed above I haven't had a round that I couldn't put one down the barrel after shooting several times. That Barnes Expander is a pretty nasty round just one thing to keep in mind when shooting a hollow point is that alot of the initial energy is used up on impact to make that hollow point work. This means that some times, more often then not, you wont get a through and through shot. It will usually embed just under the skin on the opposite side rather then come out. This usually occurs when shooting 50 yards or more. This means no blood trail with out the exit wound.

I think if you are going to shoot this round maybe increase your powder charge and possibly the weight of the round. My buddy shoots these and swears by them. But I have also helped him trail deer with no blood trail. The deer 9 out of 10 times is found dead but it isn't easy to find. No of this is Gospel but just years of experience. I have learned a great deal from my 2 hunting buddies who have more experience then I especially the one who likes the Barnes. He is a very knowledgeable shooting nut. We have alot of fire side chats so to speak.

I hope this helps I know that I got long winded but I do love to share what I know if it helps a fellow outdoors men. Good luck let me know how you make out.

[92notch]

Thanks for the info! ... I am shooting 300gr hornady .44 wrapped up with a hornady green sabot (purchased separately) ... they load just fine after shooting until about 1" before being seated on the powder fully, at no other place in the bbl do they have a problem ... when I clean the gun (after every shot), even the wet patch binds at the same spot and I can feel it scrubbing stuff loose, once I get to that spot I run the patch up and down about 2" ... maybe two or three strokes until I can feel no more resistance .... Then I run a dry patch and it’s all good. The next round seats just fine. I will try 245gr powerbelts first I was going to anyways (here’s why: ) …I was shooting 100gr of 777 and getting good groups at 50 yrds, it really opened up at 100yrds ... I'm thinking the projectile was getting pushed too fast and the plastic was not strong enough to engage the rifling ... it was getting pushed down w/ not or less spin on the bullet. ... I'm thinking I will not have this problem w/ the powerbelts and can go back to 100gr or 777. I hope the switch to the powerbelts resolves this issue, if not; I will be going to pyrodex.

Oh … the reason I was also thinking it could be the power is something mentioned in the owners manual for my gun ( www.winchestermuzzleloaders.com/docs/Apex.pdf ) … on page 7 it says It says: “Important: When using propellants that are sulfur free (Triple 7, Pioneer Powder, etc.), it is recommended that the bore be swabbed with a wet patch between every shot. Pay particular attention to the area of the bore where the bullet seats, as fouling build up is heaviest in this area. This procedure is necessary to remove any excess fouling that could potentially lead to the short starting of the bullet.” .... this sounds like what is happening, problems with right where the bullet seats .... I may have to look at other powders. My dad uses pyrodex, I may borrow some of his to try …