There are some good guidelines for
Muzzleloading safety on the back cover of the Dixie Gun
Works Catalog. The good folks at
Dixie have given us permission to include these guidelines on our
site.
MUZZLELOADING
CAUTIONS &
COMMANDMENTS
- USE ONLY BLACK
POWDER OR REPLICA BLACK POWDER IN MUZZLELOADERS. Pyrodex is the name of the most commonly
known replica black powder.
- TREAT EVERY GUN AS
LOADED. Never point
it at anything you don't intend to shoot. Keep the muzzle
pointed in a safe direction at all times, including while
loading. Never lean over the muzzle. Make priming the pan
or capping the nipple the last step of loading.
- BE SURE OF YOUR
TARGET BEFORE FIRING.
Be aware of other people around you. Know what is behind
your target. Never fire into water or at flat, hard
surfaces. Round balls are prone to glance or ricochet.
- BE SURE YOUR GUN IS
IN FIRING CONDITION BEFORE YOU PULL THE TRIGGER. Make sure the ball is firmly seated, the
gun is not overcharged, there is no obstruction in the
barrel, etc.
- TREAT A MISFIRE OR
FAILURE TO FIRE WITH EXTREME CARE. Keep the gun pointed in a safe direction
down range, and wait at least one full minute before re
priming.
- MAKE SURE YOUR GUN
IS UNLOADED BEFORE YOU STORE IT AND STORE THE GUN,
POWDER, AND CAPS SEPARATELY.
- PROTECT YOUR EYES
AND EARS WHILE SHOOTING. Always wear shooting glasses and ear
plugs to prevent possible damage.
- NEVER SMOKE WHILE
LOADING, SHOOTING, OR HANDLING BLACKPOWDER PROPELLANTS.
- NEVER DRINK
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES BEFORE OR WHILE SHOOTING.
- USE COMMON SENSE AT
ALL TIMES.
- Treat every gun as if it is LOADED until you are certain it is not loaded!
- Use ONLY Black Powder or Replica Black
Powders like Pyrodex
in Muzzleloaders. NEVER use smokeless powders in Muzzleloaders. (Click
here to see a Hodgdon Powder Co. Safety Bulletin)
- NEVER smoke while loading, handling, or shooting
Black Powder or
Replica Black Powders.
- Caps should only be snapped with the muzzle pointed down range.
- NEVER cap or prime a Muzzleloader before
loading.
- NEVER exceed the gunmaker's Maximum powder charge.
- NEVER load directly from a powder can, horn, or
flask. ALWAYS use a separate powder measure.
- ALWAYS keep your powder covered.
- Avoid distractions while loading so you can concentrate on your loading procedures.
- Guns should be carried muzzle up,
and with the muzzle above the shooter's head.
- Make certain of your target and what is behind it before firing.
- Before firing, make sure the ball is
firmly
seated, and the
barrel is free
of obstructions.
- If the gun misfires, keep the muzzle
pointed down range, and wait at least a full minute before
repriming.
- Wear eye and ear protection while
shooting.
- NEVER DRINK
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES BEFORE OR WHILE SHOOTING!!!
- Make sure your gun is UNLOADED before you store it.
- Store powder and caps away from
excessive heat.
- Store the gun, powder, and caps
separately.
- Use common sense at all times.
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Left: Dennis Morgan is
ready to pour his carefully measured powder charge down his rifle
barrel.
Right: Tom Hale primes his flintlock on the firing line with his
muzzle pointed safely down range.
- Swab the bore dry using a jag and
cleaning patch.
- If using a flintlock, put hammer on
half cock and clean frizzen and flint, and then make sure
the touch hole is clear.
-OR-
If using a percussion gun, check the nipple for any
obstructions, and snap a couple of caps with the muzzle
pointed in a safe
direction and with the muzzle near a leaf or blade
of grass. If the vent is free the leaf or grass will move.
- Pour powder charge from your powder
horn or flask into a separate powder measure. NEVER load directly
from a horn or flask!!!
- Pour the powder in your measure down
the barrel.
- Place your lubricated or moistened
patch over the bore, and set your lead ball on the patch.
- Seat the ball into the bore with the
short arm of your short starter.
- Seat the ball deeper with the long
arm of your short starter.
- With your ramrod push the ball down
the barrel until it is firmly seated on the powder charge.
NEVER
fire a Muzzleloader if the ball is not firmly seated on
the powder charge!
- When the ball is seated mark your
ramrod, so you will know your ball is seated on
succeeding shots.
- Remove the ramrod and store it under
the barrel.
- If using a flintlock, prime the pan
1/4 to 1/3 full, and close the frizzen.
-OR-
If using a percussion, place percussion cap on nipple.
- After making certain of your target and what is behind
it, bring your
hammer to fullcock.
- Take aim at your target and fire.
- Run a damp swab down the barrel, and
you are ready to begin loading again.
Loading and Shooting Shot
in a Shotgun or Smoothbore
- Swab the bore dry using a jag and
cleaning patch.
- If using a flintlock, put hammer on
half cock and clean frizzen and flint, and then make sure
the touch hole is clear.
-OR-
If using a percussion gun, check the nipple for any
obstructions, and snap a couple of caps with the muzzle
pointed in a safe
direction and
with the muzzle near a leaf or blade of grass. If the
vent is free the leaf or grass will move.
- Pour powder charge from your powder
horn or flask into a separate powder measure. NEVER load directly
from a horn or flask!!!
- Pour the powder in your measure down
the barrel.
- Place a cardboard over powder wad on
your muzzle, and push it down your barrel with the ramrod
until it is firmly seated on the powder.
- Place a lubricated fiber wad on your
muzzle, and push it down your barrel with the ramrod
until it is firmly seated on the powder.
- Measure out your shot and pour it
down the barrel.
- Place a thin cardboard over shot wad
on your muzzle, and push it down your barrel with the
ramrod until it is firmly seated on the shot.
- When the Over shot wad is seated
mark your ramrod, so you will know your wad is seated on
succeeding shots.
- Remove the ramrod and store it under
the barrel.
- If using a flintlock, prime the pan
1/4 to 1/3 full, and close the frizzen.
-OR-
If using a percussion, place percussion cap on nipple.
- After making certain of your target and what is behind it, bring your hammer to fullcock.
- Take aim at your target and fire.
- Run a damp swab down the barrel, and
you are ready to begin loading again.
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- Fire a string of shots before you
make an adjustment to your sights. Three shot strings are
good, but five shot strings are better.
- When making sight adjustments, move
the rear sight in the direction you want the bullet to
move (i.e.- If you are shooting right you want the
bullet to move on the target to the left, so, you would
move the rear sight left.) Or you would move the front
sight in the direction of the bullet (if shooting right,
move the front sight right).
- Use the same load to sight in your
muzzleloader that you plan on using the gun for. If you
are sighting in for target shooting use your target load.
And if you are sighting in for hunting use the same load
that you will be hunting with.
- When sighting in a new gun, start
with a large target at a fairly close distance (10-15
yards). Fire a string of shots and make any necessary
sight adjustments to get yourself on the mark. Then you
can start moving the target out to the longer ranges.
- Sight the gun in in the same way you
plan on using it. A gun will often shoot to a different
point offhand than it will when shot from a bench. For
offhand shooting its a good idea to get the sights close
on the bench, and then fine tune them offhand.
- Swab the bore after every shot.
- Concentrate, take your time, and
make every shot count. When sighting in it is the quality of the shots you take, not the quantity. If you start rushing your shots, or lose
your concentration, it is better to quit for the day and
finish up at a later date.
- Remember SATS (Sight Alignment, Trigger
Squeeze).
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I wish I had a nickel for everytime I
heard somebody say, "I'd like to shoot my Muzzleloader more,
but they are such a pain to clean". Well, that is just not
the case!!! Here is the quick, easy way to clean a Muzzleloader.
The key is, allow your cleaning
solution to work. If you are cleaning a caplock put a piece
of leather or rubber over the nipple and easy the hammer forward
to hold the leather or rubber in place over the nipple. Flintlock
shooters can use a toothpick to seal the touchhole. Then put a
generous amount of cleaning solution (I would estimate about 2
ounces) down the barrel. Prop the gun up in a secure place where
it won't get knocked over, and allow it to sit for 5 to 10
minutes. (I use this time to clean the lock of my flinter.) Then
pour the solution out, and run a solution soaked patch down the
barrel. Follow that with a clean dry patch. If the dry patch
comes out dirty, and the first one usually will, run another
soaked patch followed by a dry patch. You should be about there
on the second one. If you need to repeat the soaked patch
followed by a dry patch a third time. If the gun is not clean
after the third try, plug the nipple or touchhole again and
resoak the barrel. (I have been cleaning my Muzzleloaders this
way for over 6 years now, and have only had to resoak the barrel ONCE.) After
cleaning give the gun a nice coat of oil.
There are several solutions that will
work. The one I like best is a homemade formula that my old buddy
Jack Vandenbark taught me. Mix together;
6 ounces of peroxide
6 ounces of alcohol
4 ounces of Murphy's Oil Soap
Note- Because of the peroxide you
will need to keep the solution in dark bottles.
When using this solution to clean your
gun it is very important to get a good coat of rust preventative
(gun oil, WD-40, etc.) on the piece as soon as possible after
cleaning.
Moose Milk
Another good solution for
Muzzleloading is Moose Milk. It can be used to clean your
firearms (including modern guns), and it is also a very good
patch lube. Moose Milk is made by mixing together;
2 oz. water soluble oil (this can be found at most machine shops)
2 oz. peroxide
2 oz. Pine-Sol
16 oz. distilled water
Some people also add 2 oz. of alcohol to
their Moose Milk to keep it from freezing in cold weather. As
with the other solution above, because of the peroxide you will
need to keep the solution in dark bottles. When using this
solution to clean your gun it is very important to get a good
coat of rust preventative (gun oil, WD-40, etc.) on the piece as
soon as possible after cleaning.
Back to top
Preheating
Bullet Molds
Mold temperature is one of
the keys to casting good balls. I have a cheap hot plate that I
use to melt plastisol for soft plastic fishing lures (another
hobby of mine). I set the hot plate on low, and set my
bullet mold on it while waiting for the lead to melt in my lead
pot. This gets the mold warm enough to start pouring wrinkle free
balls right off the bat.
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We would be happy to hear
from you. Please contact us with any questions or comments at:
MorganCo.LR@insightbb.com
Updated July 6,
2007.