Range day/load development cleaning

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Sep 28, 2020
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Hey everybody. I just jumped into the muzzleloader game head first and bein cheap may have hamstrung me a bit. I got a knight disc extreme .52 for a good price on midway along with a 20% discount so to my door for less than 400 bucks. Bought it before I realized 52 is just ever so slightly less popular than 50! Lol

With less options I’d really like to cut down on wasted bullets, sabots, powder, etc.

My main question is about cleaning during a range day finding the bullet powder combo the gun likes best.

I’ve been researching all I can but can’t seem to find exactly what I’m looking for. How often are y’all cleaning between groups during load development? Do I need to clean after every shot? After each 3 shot group or just after I am done at the range? Also how often should I take the breach plug out and clean it well? I’ll be shooting T7 powder and primers with the knight red hot bullets. Didn’t want to learn on an 80 dollar can of BH 209! Lol but figured I better buy bullets from knights while they have em.

I’m just trying to avoid as much wasted effort and components as I can during my learning curve and I don’t know anybody who’s big into muzzle loader hunting to ask. Hope these aren’t dumb questions and if they are take it easy on a new guy!! Lol any tips y’all have for a beginner feel free to hit me with em as well!

Thank y’all!
 
Bought it before I realized 52 is just ever so slightly less popular than 50! Lol
No kidding. 😉

When shooting 777, you’ll be well served to “swab” between shots. Any water-based solvent will work. I generally use spit. Lick one side of a cotton patch, run it down the barrel with a cleaning jag, working in short strokes back and forth as you go down. Most of the fouling will be in the first 8” or so ahead of the breech plug. Work in short strokes when you hit this area or you may get the jag stuck. When you reach the plug, pull the rod out and flip the patch over. Run it down the bore and back out. Done. Load your next shot.

Then give the rifle a full cleaning with a water-based solvent after you’re done shooting for the day. Butch’s Black Powder Bore Shine works great for 777 or use something like windex, orange cleaner, Simple Green, etc.

Biggest safety tip for anyone is use a “witness mark” on your ramrod (to indicate loaded). I use a silver sharpie or masking tape when doing range work. Load the rifle and mark the ramrod at the muzzle. You can remove the sharpie mark with alcohol.
 
I have read the info on stickin a witness mark on the ram and that’s number one on my to do list! Thanks for the help! The more I read the more I’m glad I oddly enjoy cleaning my gun barrels…sounds like I’ll get all I want and more from a smoke pole!! Lol
 
Muzzleloader noob here. So far though I will say, shooting triple 7 I have been swabbing every shot. I wanted to try a shot without swabbing and it was significantly harder to even start the projectile.

Not sure if swabbing between shots it’s common in the field though? Because my ram rod would be a PITA to swab with. Glad I bought a range rod lol.
 

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