Swabbing the bore between shots.

This is one way to keep the bore clean between shots.

[@shannonludwick5738]

I've been shooting 48 years black powder that's exactly what I do that is the best way so that ignition goes off awesome presentation and video

[@mikegrossberg8624]

When I started shooting my flintlock, I swabbed the bore between each shot. Then I stumbled upon Bore Butter. Lubing my patches with that, I found that I could get at least five shots before I could feel the ball dragging. When that happens, a patch with bore butter goes down the barrel, and I'm ready for the next set of shots. To clean the bore, I pour hot water down the barrel, let it soak a little, dump it, and repeat the process until the water comes out clean. The I run a dry patch down, to make sure that there's no water present, and follow it with a bore buttered patch.

[@waksupi]

Shoot in cold weather, I'll bet you can't get four shots down the bore.

[@MegaBait1616]

i made up this since watching your video and works great. took me a while to find a container to fit the patches. thanks.

[@marckarum7469]

Do you remember where you got your container?

[@STMwoodturning]

I use prepared alcohol swabs found which I found next to the Band-Aids at Walmart. They come in sealed paper/foil packages so no prep necessary prior to going shooting.

[@donnawells2442]

My understanding is that during the civil war the bullets were extremely under sized for easy loading. It did hamper accuracy but it was a small price to pay to keep more lead in the air. I read someplace they almost fell down the bore but the base of the bullet would expand into the riflings when the powder went off.Makes sense.

[@OutnBacker]

After several shots, even those bullets became difficult to ram down. They used a granule size that is about like 2F powder, which fouls a little quicker than 3F.

[@blackbart8451]

I do the same thing, works really well! I’ll usually after the 2nd shot. If you don’t do it on the 3rd one you’ll be able to feel the added resistance poking another ball into it on the third load. I have noticed a bit of accuracy loss too loading one for the 3rd time without a quick swab.

[@carlcox7332]

I presoak a ziplock bag with a mixture of windex murphy soap and water. Just run the wet patch and then back it up with a dry, flip it and run it again. I have a break barrel inline. That mixture works great. Makes my barrel look brand new again

[@johnndavis7647]

I go to the goodwill store and i buy a light colored flannel bed sheet for a couple of bucks. I cut it up into 1x2 patches and i store them in a plastic bag. I use these cheap patches to clean my guns with. I keep a damp patch on my loading rod all the time. I wet the patch with 91% alcohol that i put a pump sprayer nozzle on. It cleans good and dries very fast. I work a patch down the bore and back out. Then i turn the patch over and use the clean side fod a quick down and back out pass. Also i have less fouling issues since i polished my bore with payches made of red scotchbrite metal finishing pad to remove the tiny burrs left in the barrel during manufacture. Loading is much smoother mow. I got that idea from duellist1954 mike ventura.

[@michaelsullivan988]

When I am testing a gun or a load I swipe between shots with those same patches moistened with alcohol. It works great.

[@theimpaler2317]

I just use old shirts to make my own cleaning patches.

[@ChacoteOutdoorRecreation]

This is an incredible idea, I had been using home made moose milk, until I lost the recipe, then I moved to TC number 13 when shooting a match, I have mudded my powder by not allowing the barrel to dry enough between shots, and it is stressful.This is genius as the alcohol will dry more rapidly. Thank you for this!!!!!!

[@TraditionalBlackPowder]

+Chacote Outdoor Recreation Good to hear from you Bill and thank you for your comment.

[@nuttbushlavanda]

Stumpy's Moose Juice A general purpose blackpowder solvent and liquid patch lube. Shake well before using. Can be allowed to dry on dipped patching for a dry lube dry flat on waxed paper & dip twice for best saturation). Add ingredients in the following order and shake well after each is added. Isopropyl Alcohol (91%) 4 TABLESPOONS Castor Oil 1 1/2 TABLESPOONS Murphys Oil Soap 1 1/2 TEASPOONS Witch Hazel 2 TABLESPOONS Water (non-chlorinated) 1/2 CUP Had the moose milk and moose snot recipe from the muzzleloading forum. This is the moose milk.

[@denisdegamon8224]

Just mix watet soluable machinist oil either 10 parts watet to 1 part oil....then shake it up to mix. You can also add a couple drops of Dawn which also aids in cleaning and desolving the mixture.

[@jerryking3208]

I use Butch’s Blackpowder bore cleaner as my patch lube and it cleans itself. No difference between shots and saves time on a woods walk. Try it.

[@urbanredneck968]

I do this as well. It works great for range work.

[@paraplegichistoricalsports5700]

I've been shooting wet patches with OxYoke Liquid Wonder. However, Iv'e noticed it to smell just like rubbing alcohol? I believe it's main ingredient to be Alcohol. I can literally shoot all day without any need to swab the bore. However, I admit doing so is the best practice.

[@62MountainDew62]

I used "Young Country No. 3" as a patch lube. I could shoot all day and not have to swab between shots (at least 50). However, I don't think they make it anymore.

[@OutnBacker]

Yup. I remember that stuff. it was magic.

[@steveg8322]

T/C 13 in just such a jar with moistened patches followed by dry patches at first between each shot ,then you can actually go 4 or 5 shots between swabbing the bore.Of course you should use a good lube like Bore Butter on your shooting patches or conicals. I never introduce anything in the bore that isn't food grade as per T/C instructions. Been shooting my Hawken flinter for over 30 years,treat the bore like you would a cast iron frying pan. Mind your top knot.

[@williamster2015]

If you know the actual recipes and measurements petroleum products like Vaseline, mineral oil, paraffin wax etc are alright but only under those conditions.

[@phil4620]

I don't swab between shot. 20-30 shots use mr flintlock patch lube but many other lubes will work. Swabbing between shots you pushing the fouling into the breach where it's going to cause problems. Not swabbing you push the fouling on top of the powder where it will be blow out the barrel.

[@michaellittle226]

Thanks for sharing .

[@matthewlyness8161]

I use windex

[@gonagain]

Good idea.

[@martinkelly6164]

excellent video,. do you take the breach plug out each time between shots or do you leave it in?

[@USAACbrat]

Balistol on a shotgun mop works for me at a state range no trash.

[@RobertKaydoo]

Been doing this for a long time but I use a 50/50 mix of Iso and windshield washer fluid (blue). Peace.

[@Fireinahorn]

RobertKaydoo what's in the washer fluid? Some guys say windex. Standard Windex contains a soap and ammonia I know....

[@RobertKaydoo]

Honestly I do not know. I believe the blue washer fluid has alcohol in it to keep it from freezing in colder temperatures. This of course helps it to evaporate quickly after being run down a barrel.

[@emmanuelclothakissr1089]

Use Windex with vinegar not ammonia

[@karlt8233]

@@emmanuelclothakissr1089 been shooting black powder since the late 70's as a teen and have never used ammonia, vinegar or peroxide in any of my cleaning solutions. Hot water and Murphy's Oil Soap or Hot water and Ballistol for cleaning. Beesewax based lube for patches and Ballistol for preservation after cleaning. Alcohol patch, and a few ounces down bore to flush out chamber and bolster prior to loading. Alcohol patch for between shots to swab. Never had a problem with fouled charges or rusty bores. KISS = Keep It Super Simple

[@stringbanger54]

Vinegar can remove bluing.

[@dmark6699]

Good idea those pads almost look like one of those acne pads

[@Tongomongo_1]

Wont alcohol remove the seasoning? Like the oil or bore butter?

[@OutnBacker]

There is no such thing as "seasoning" in a BP barrel. It's just lore.

[@joeinterrante7873]

Do you find that alchohol tends to rust your barrel more than water?

[@Giziolman]

it doesn't dude.

[@karlt8233]

After stabbing with alcohol you load with a lubed patched round ball or lubed conical so the lube coats the metal during loading process.

[@OutnBacker]

What ever miniscule amount of rust that MIGHT be caused by stripping the bore clean with anything is wiped away by the next lubed patched ball. Rust needs time and multiplication to harm steel. No light oxidization during a shooting day will harm a barrel. Hot water washout at the end of the session will heat the barrel to remove all traces of water. Then a good swab of any gun oil will prevent trust. Swab the bore a few times a year if the gun is stored.

[@themookie2112]

Question: Did riflemen during the Revolutionary and Civil war clean between shots? Or at least every few shots?

[@wollekemper8317]

Well,smoothbore muskets where the most used guns. They did shot maybe 4-5 before the bajonet charge. if tgey did do more shooting then they had a set of smaler bullets which would compensate for the fouling. I do not know about the skirmisher with rifles. I guess something similar was done. A few shots during the battle in general and maybe they skipped the patch and used their rifles like smooth bores if the engagements lasted for longer. cleaning the rifle or musket during a battle seems highly unlikely. Not even swaping If we hear those battles wouldlast all day then this would notmean that the individual solder would fire his gun all day. the individual solder would march and get moved aground the battlefield all day but the engagement with the enemy usualy would last only for 1/2h our or so. Not enough time to shoot many rounds. the infamous 3 rounds a minute was just used fur line infantry in the moments before the charge. The last volley be the most devasting shot as it would be on very short distance Rifle man would should 1 minute a round at max but with higher accuracy.

[@williamster2015]

Well the sniper of that time had a range around 300 yards the longest confirmed kill was 350 yards. I'm that time the musket couldn't reach that far in return fire also this in when gorilla warfare started so they'd take shots 200+ yards away in woodline to cover smoke as well. To answer your question then didn't have to swab before reloading because it's better to be loaded and clean it later.

[@unknown-um3lq]

@@williamster2015 look up the longest confirmed sniper kills.. Look at number 19 on the list. It is a whitworth rifle used by the confederacy. I think that's a little more than 350 yards...

[@williamster2015]

@@unknown-um3lq the "sniper of that era" as I stated based off of his description was that of SMOOTH BORE RIFLES. NOT that of the Whitworth rifle....or that era

[@denisdegamon8224]

​@@williamster2015 No such thing as a smooth bore rifle. Your reference is called a smooth bore mysket. A rifle has rifling. Now Civil War rifles were rifled. Muskets.

[@e.grieves2905]

Actually I do swab between shots with my .36 when squirrel hunting if possible.

[@OutnBacker]

The smaller the bore, the more you need to do that. Smal bores are fouling sensitive.

[@cherylhouschildt8020]

It has oil in it

[@nixonfleming6575]

I was telling my cuz about doing this sighting our cva wolf muzzleloader I wanted see what happens

[@theimpaler2317]

I just use old shirts to make my own cleaning patches.