muzzle-loading kit

[gtpkeeper]

what do you have or recomend in your muzzle-loading kit when you go to the range

[Smokeless Coal]

Eye protection has to be top of list

A gun

balls, powder and ignition method depending whether matchlock flintliock or caplock

A means to extract ball is case of failure to go off

2 flanelette cleaning cloths, one for the gun other for my hands.

Brush and enough rod to clean the barrel.

Nipple wrench

[steve medlock]

Someone I know takes about 25 cleaning rods on each visit. It has been suggested however that this may not be entirely essential.

[acmsarh]

A small pair of needle nose pliers to remove stubborn fired cap's.

[gtpkeeper]

cheers guys

A means to extract ball ????? what do you use

[Rollo]

Get some baby wipes - great for cleaning the blackpowder residue off your hands while your still on the range.

If your shooting a cap and ball revolver then get a length of brass rod from somewhere like B&Q so that when (not if !) you seat a ball into a chamber and forget the powder first, then you can unscrew the nipple, and use the thin brass rod to knock the ball out.

I'll also +1 for eye protection - residue, bits of cap, lube etc can go everywhere with blackpowder - Far more likely than with a cartridge gun.

[gtpkeeper]

thank you for the idea's,
eye and ear protection got them,

[Smokeless Coal]

Means to extract the ball depends on type of gun.

For a rifle a screw on the end of a long rod works. Preferably with a slide hammer on it.

For a revolver I find its easy to take out the nipple, tip out powder through hole and then push the ball from the back with a rod that needs to be small enough to go through the nipple hole but strong enough for the push. As Rollo says use brass rod.

[tacfoley]

I've got a co2 ball extractor - it goes in place of the nipple on my rifles, just in case I ever dry-ball a load or for some reason it needs to be removed - you then simply fire it in a safe direction and it blows the ball out.

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product...41ee64503def45

Like as not you'll need a musket cap adaptor if you have a P-H or EuroArms replica of any of the .58/.577cal rifles or muskets - it comes ready to use on the more usual #11 nipple thread.

tac

[gtpkeeper]

cheers guys

[Russell Start]

safety gear: eye protection, ear defenders, fingerless gloves (caps come off and they can be hot )
Powder measure (flask), Ball (about 24), box of caps, oiled wads, gun loading stand.
small brass hammer to remove wedge (if tight fit) screwdriver, snipe nose pliers, nipple wrench
if you have a misfire on the range and the ball dosn't come out you need to sort it out at home
the range is not the place to do repairs on your gun !! apart from removing spent caps that seem to get into every
available place and removing the cylinder is neccesary to continue shooting. good luck happyness is a warm gun.

[gtpkeeper]

cheers russell

[Smokeless Coal]

Removing a ball is not a repair, its making safe. My range we do not allow a gun to be taken off the firing point with a ball in it i(potentially with powder behind it). Either its removed there or it goes in a bucket of water.

One of the safety rules on my club for muzzle loaders is we must have a means of extracting a ball either in event of a failure to fire or if the order is given to unload.

[tacfoley]

Removing a ball is not a repair, its making safe. My range we do not allow a gun to be taken off the firing point with a ball in it i(potentially with powder behind it). Either its removed there or it goes in a bucket of water.

One of the safety rules on my club for muzzle loaders is we must have a means of extracting a ball either in event of a failure to fire or if the order is given to unload.

+1

tac

[gtpkeeper]

small steel 4mm rod do ?