I need to know, I have a Great Plains Rifle in .54 caliber that I would like to sight in. After every shot, I assume that I should swab the bore with a wet patch, otherwise it may become difficult to load. Can I use Hoppe's Black Powder Solvent? Any advice is appreciated! Thank you gentlemen.

BobA

The Lyman Great Plains Rifle is an excellent muzzle loader. Since most hunting shoots will be fired from a clean bore, I would clean the bore between shoots. I have used Hoppes black powder cleaner for years with good results. I am sure there is probably better cleaners on the market though. Good ole soap and hot water are hard to beat though. I owned a 50 cal flintlock plains rifle for a long time. Never had a problem out of it.

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A truely successful life is mostly based on how well you handle PLAN B.

BobA I also have a Great Plains Hunter Flintlock Rifle. As to whether you should swab between shots.. because you are sighting it in, swabbing between shots is a good thing to create consistency between shots. Depending on what powder your shooting, many different "cleaners" can be used. Old timers used their own spit. They put a patch in their mouth while they were shooting, and when it came time to clean the rifle, take the patch out of your mouth. Make sure it is not too wet, and then swab the bore. Remember, swab with short strokes to avoid a stuck patch. If your in cold weather, I like to use alcohol to swab with. Alcohol as you know will almost dry itself. So you swab with it, then a dry patch and the bore is normally pretty dry. If it is a percussion lock, WINDEX works real well. The dollar store glass cleaner works fine. Spritz the patch and swab with that. No use in spending all that money on Hoppe's cleaner.

Some other cleaners are MAP, plain old water, its claimed that in the Civil War some soldiers used their own urine as a swab solution. I personally have never tired this and don't intend to. The main thing is swab between each shot with a damp patch and then a dry patch follow up. Normally your rifle like 90-110 grains of 2f powder and a patched round ball. That caliber is a great caliber and you have a great rifle as well.

It would depend upon whether you're using Holy Black, or a BP substitute - which you can use for a few shots before swabbing.

I would get it sighted-in, then swab/clean the bore to check for the 1st shot zero - but then just keep up practice shooting until it starts to get a little (emphasis on "little") hard to ram home whatever projectile you're using.

Lubed conicals are usually a bit easier than PRB's - but projectile choice also depends some on the barrel's twist. (slo=PRB; fast = conicals)

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I clean my GPR between shots at the range. I use 100% alcohol or as close as I can get to pure alcohol.
Pete

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"Only hunting and mountain climbing are sports. The rest are just games."

I started using Hopps Plus at the range about 2 years ago. I like it, a couple of passes with a damp patch followed with a dry patch between shots. I use it as patch lube at the range but when hunting I use Crisco for the lube. If I don't swab... by the third shot it requires a lot more force to seat the ball.

Cleanup I use hot soapy water followed with a good gun oil once dry.

I have two .54 GPRs, one percussion and one flint. I have shot in several matched that ranged from 40 to 60 shots and never swabbed once. I always placed high and accuracy was constant. I can shoot all day at the range without swabbing. My favorite load is .530 ball, pillow ticking patch lubed with Ballistol oil and 80 grains of FFg Goex. The Ballistol is mixed 4 to 1, 4 parts water to 1 part oil. I leave the patches slightly damp, so it's like swabbing every time you load. The damp patches have no ill effect on the powder. I use these same patches for hunting. Load in the morning, carry my rifle all day and shoot the load before I go home. Fires first time, every time. The same holds true for my .45 Pedersoli Blue Ridge flinter, .54 T/C Hawkens percussion and .54 Lyman Trade Rifle percussion. It just works.

Hoppes #9 Plus BP lube is my go-to lube for shooting black powder. Hoppes and spit are likely the two best patch lubes you'll find. I find I can shoot all afternoon without bore wiping when I use Hoppes. I do swab the bore every 5 to 10 shots normally unless I forget or am in a "hurry". For the woods I use Bore Butter NL 1000 but then go to Hoppes after a first shot. Water is for cleaning; Hoppes is for shooting.

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Young guys should hang out with old guys; old guys know stuff.

Cayugad<

Thanks for the advice. I have had the Hoppes for sometime, so I guess I will use it. Once it's out, I think I will try the Windex. I wish you lived in Colorado, it would be fun to shoot/hunt with someone of your experience.

I use patches that are pre loaded with alcohol some times. their sold in a box of one hundred for less than 5 bucks. I also use normal patching that I dip in a bit of alcohol to swab with between shots.

range sessions should not be just about working up a load.
Once the load is worked up then you should shoot with out patching the bore to see how many shots before the groups fall off. Most of my ML's won't do over 3 shots before the groups take the hand cart to He77.
You should also shot with the protection you use on the muzzle for hunting during a misty rain or down right down pour.

Al

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Al

Your not fully dressed with out a smile.

Don't forget to clean out the touch hole, and brush off the pan every few shots.

This works GREAT on my CVA!! Matter of fact, it was thru my GF's brother, who read Cayuga's post on Modern Muzzleloader, that we learned this. Small world, but good news travels FAST!

I have a small plastic bowl with lid that seals really well, and place an abundance of 3" patches inside. I'll cover the patches with Windex....let them sit for awhile, then squeeze out the excess, back into the bottle for next time. Just make sure you squeeze em out GOOD, or else you'll have a misfire or 2 (dont ask me how I know this). When Im finished shooting, or @ the range if needed, I'll squirt some windex on the breech plug...let it sit, then blow the bulk of deposit out; pick the rest. Works great.



Billy G

I build muzzleloaders and I use spit. No lube, no oil, no nothing but spit. Soak a clean patch in your mouth while digging for a bullet and ram it home. Wire brush the barrel every coupla shots and you should have no problems. I've done this for years with no problems......