Sighting in a muzzle loader

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I use the wet cleaning patches you can get at Walmart in the black powder section they have this time of year. I think they are branded Thompson Center but I can't remember. I don't use gun oil between shots, only a couple of the wet cleaning patches followed by a dry one.
 

Okie4570

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I can hit a paper plate at 100 yards I guess I’m expecting to have groups like a center fire

Yes you should be able to. I've got 2 Knights and a Savage that will. Even my flintlock's would would keep a 3" group or better at 100y........back when I could still focus on the rear and front and target without one or the other being fuzzy lol. What gun, powder, powder type, bullet, etc....what's you're procedure?
 

swampratt

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TC 1000 Bore butter in all my muzzleloaders caused crud ring and shot groups suffered and loading the next round got harder and even harder on the next after that.
I quit using it and many friends quit using it also.

Bore butter may have been different 70 years ago.
I use what my guns like.

For loads I use for projectile a 295 gr power belt or my own homemade lead bullet.
Mine are 50 cal and my load is Pyrodex or 777.. usually 70-95 gr max of pyrodex.
Like Okie4570 3" or better @ 100 yards , much better if I spit swab between shots.

I do not have crud rings anymore either. I have side locks and in lines twist is 1:48 and 1:28.
NO flinching allowed! :)
 

Pulp

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A very good cleaning solution can be made from a 1/3 each mix of Murphy's Oil Soap, Hydrogen Peroxide, and 90% rubbing alcohol. Followed by Ballistol for storage. Another good cleaner is a 9-1 mix of water and Ballistol, followed by Ballistol.
As far as cleaning after every shot during sight in, that depends on your gun. Some guns will retain accuracy for several shots between cleaning, others won't.
 

DRC458

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A very good cleaning solution can be made from a 1/3 each mix of Murphy's Oil Soap, Hydrogen Peroxide, and 90% rubbing alcohol.

Gonna' have to try that one, since I've got all the fixin's! I guess I need to get me some Ballistol. Never have tried it.
 

kwaynem

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I think that’s a lot of my problem is trying to shoot too many times in a row without cleaning I usually shoot about five times then clean but everything thing I seen or read on the triple seven powder said you don’t have to
 

swampratt

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Think about a copper fouled bore or a leaded bore in a rifle.
My older savage 308 heavy barrel shot .75 MOA to 500 yards.. after 20 times fired and no cleaning expect less and 40 times fired forget it .
There is much more crud left in a muzzleloader after just 1 shot.
777 does not burn any cleaner than Pyrodex in my testing.
In fact my guns shoot tighter groups with Pyrodex than 777 no matter what load.
 

kwaynem

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Think about a copper fouled bore or a leaded bore in a rifle.
My older savage 308 heavy barrel shot .75 MOA to 500 yards.. after 20 times fired and no cleaning expect less and 40 times fired forget it .
There is much more crud left in a muzzleloader after just 1 shot.
777 does not burn any cleaner than Pyrodex in my testing.
In fact my guns shoot tighter groups with Pyrodex than 777 no matter what load.
The 777 cleans up with just water
 

swampratt

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All my muzzle loaders ever got cleaned with is dawn and hot water.
Buddy has one and I cleaned 2 of mine and walked across the street to his house to see if he wanted to do some reloading and he was still cleaning his muzzleloader with some TC bore cleaner lot's of patches all gooped up laying on the ground.

I told him wait a minute..I got a gallon jug of hot soapy water and got the swab mop and stuck the breech end into the bucket.
I started swabbing up and down.
A minute of that and some patches down the bore and back out and it was spotless.

He now cleans that way..His powder is 777.
We built a smooth bore from a non shooting inline 50 cal rifle.
That thing shoots perfect groups way out.. better than any 12 gauge shotgun I ever had.
 

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