Just getting started in black powder and have a question. I have read the owners book and it says to have a dry barrel before shooting but i have talked to other guys and they say to use barrel butter. The book says that with a dry barrel you have more accuracy. Any ideas . Thanks
When storing mine, I coat the barel with a film of rem oil. Then beofre using, I pop a few primers through to clean out, before loading. Works great for me, so I would have to say dry barrel.
big g 
When storing mine, I coat the barel with a film of rem oil. Then beofre using, I pop a few primers through to clean out, before loading. Works great for me, so I would have to say dry barrel.
big g
Quote:
When storing mine, I coat the barel with a film of rem oil. Then beofre using, I pop a few primers through to clean out, before loading. Works great for me, so I would have to say dry barrel.
big g
Yep, that is the same thing I do.
Quote:
When storing mine, I coat the barel with a film of rem oil. Then beofre using, I pop a few primers through to clean out, before loading. Works great for me, so I would have to say dry barrel.
big g
Yep, that is the same thing I do.
That makes three of us 
That makes three of us
Me also 
Only because that is what I was told to do and it makes perfect sence
I am also still somewhat new with the inline scene. I have a good hundred rounds through mine and enjoy shooting it more every time I take it out. The one thing I found to be more important than igniting #11, musket caps or 209 primers (and yes, I have heard the click using muskets twice) is a clean burning charge. I have only tried a few different brands and I am really liking Jim Shockey’s Gold. I can load a lot of projectiles without it being a chore shoving them down the barrel. I also hold good groups through open sites using 100grain charge ignited by a Musket cap building up enough balls to throw a 295gr .50cal powerbelt out there a good ways and at a good clip
Have fun with it!
Bret
Me also
Only because that is what I was told to do and it makes perfect sence
I am also still somewhat new with the inline scene. I have a good hundred rounds through mine and enjoy shooting it more every time I take it out. The one thing I found to be more important than igniting #11, musket caps or 209 primers (and yes, I have heard the click using muskets twice) is a clean burning charge. I have only tried a few different brands and I am really liking Jim Shockey’s Gold. I can load a lot of projectiles without it being a chore shoving them down the barrel. I also hold good groups through open sites using 100grain charge ignited by a Musket cap building up enough balls to throw a 295gr .50cal powerbelt out there a good ways and at a good clip
Have fun with it!
Bret
HuntN the biggest reason the manufacturer says clean/dry barrel is an accuracy thing. You want the gun/barrel in the same condition as the last time you hit the bullseye, and the only way to achieve this is to have it clean/dry. Bore Butter will season your barrel, and I have it in my gun now but after I sight it in next year before season I will clean it out and be dry/clean. And after I sight it in I will just use a bore cleaner, brush and some dry patches. This way I know it is exactly the same as I last shot it and IMHO is the only way to achieve maximum accuracy. I have a friend that complained of a gooey buildup by his breech after he shot it while using Bore Butter. This got me thinking….if you clean it with bore butter is it clean/dry? Say you clean it with BB and you get some buildup by the breech and now you put your powder on top of it and you don’t shoot that charge til the middle or end of the season, your adding moisture to your powder and I would think that would make a portion of the powder not burn or not burn as fast affecting your accuracy. One other thing I will do is once I put a charge in it for the season, my gun does not come back in the house til the end of the season to avoid condensation on the inside of the barrel affecting the powder. Ask anybody who shoots black powder how many misfires they’ve had and if they can explain them. I would bet most say “I don’t know what happened”? These are just a few precautions “I” take to make sure at crunch time everything goes as planned. Just my $.02 Which ever way you go just make sure you do the same routine everytime.
HuntN the biggest reason the manufacturer says clean/dry barrel is an accuracy thing. You want the gun/barrel in the same condition as the last time you hit the bullseye, and the only way to achieve this is to have it clean/dry. Bore Butter will season your barrel, and I have it in my gun now but after I sight it in next year before season I will clean it out and be dry/clean. And after I sight it in I will just use a bore cleaner, brush and some dry patches. This way I know it is exactly the same as I last shot it and IMHO is the only way to achieve maximum accuracy. I have a friend that complained of a gooey buildup by his breech after he shot it while using Bore Butter. This got me thinking….if you clean it with bore butter is it clean/dry? Say you clean it with BB and you get some buildup by the breech and now you put your powder on top of it and you don’t shoot that charge til the middle or end of the season, your adding moisture to your powder and I would think that would make a portion of the powder not burn or not burn as fast affecting your accuracy. One other thing I will do is once I put a charge in it for the season, my gun does not come back in the house til the end of the season to avoid condensation on the inside of the barrel affecting the powder. Ask anybody who shoots black powder how many misfires they’ve had and if they can explain them. I would bet most say “I don’t know what happened”? These are just a few precautions “I” take to make sure at crunch time everything goes as planned. Just my $.02 Which ever way you go just make sure you do the same routine everytime.
Thanks guys. Musky that makes alot of sense. I have a Thompson Center inline with a stainless barrel. I have shot it a couple times and it is a blast. 
If you have any more suggestions please let me know. 
Thanks guys. Musky that makes alot of sense. I have a Thompson Center inline with a stainless barrel. I have shot it a couple times and it is a blast. If you have any more suggestions please let me know.
muskyman is right about the gun once you load it. I have used a muzzleloader for 18 years and have never had a problem with the gun going off. 3 different guns. Guns loaded with blackpowder with #11 caps; pyrodex powder and #11 caps and pyrodex pellets and 209 primers. The gun NEVER goes inside of the house, heated part of a vehicle, heated garage or ANYTHING heated once it is loaded. Then the condensation builds up and you are in trouble. A few guys we used to hunt with put their guns in the back of a bronco during a hunting season. Well, both had problems with their guns going off that year. We told them why, but they didn’t believe us. So when it happened again later in the season, they had to believe us, because they coukld think of no other reason.
Keep them in the back of the pickup and in an unheated garage and you won’t have to worry when your deer walks by.
Another suggestion I would make, just in case, is if you are having any accuracy problems change your bullet and powder load. 5 grains of powder can make all the difference in the accuracy of a muzzleloader. On the range with a rest, 3″ groups or better should be expected out to 100 yards, with an inline.
100 grains is ENOUGH! go less, not more when experimenting. An example: With the sidehamers they say if you hammer is blown back up you have excess powder. Well, I was shooting a 295gr. bullet and if I put 100 grains in there it would blow the hammer back. So, what sense would 150gr. make?
Good luck, they are a blast!!
muskyman is right about the gun once you load it. I have used a muzzleloader for 18 years and have never had a problem with the gun going off. 3 different guns. Guns loaded with blackpowder with #11 caps; pyrodex powder and #11 caps and pyrodex pellets and 209 primers. The gun NEVER goes inside of the house, heated part of a vehicle, heated garage or ANYTHING heated once it is loaded. Then the condensation builds up and you are in trouble. A few guys we used to hunt with put their guns in the back of a bronco during a hunting season. Well, both had problems with their guns going off that year. We told them why, but they didn’t believe us. So when it happened again later in the season, they had to believe us, because they coukld think of no other reason.
Keep them in the back of the pickup and in an unheated garage and you won’t have to worry when your deer walks by.
Another suggestion I would make, just in case, is if you are having any accuracy problems change your bullet and powder load. 5 grains of powder can make all the difference in the accuracy of a muzzleloader. On the range with a rest, 3″ groups or better should be expected out to 100 yards, with an inline.
100 grains is ENOUGH! go less, not more when experimenting. An example: With the sidehamers they say if you hammer is blown back up you have excess powder. Well, I was shooting a 295gr. bullet and if I put 100 grains in there it would blow the hammer back. So, what sense would 150gr. make?
Good luck, they are a blast!!
Bret, I also heard that from someone else about the Jim Shockey stuff. Might have to get me some…
big g
Bret, I also heard that from someone else about the Jim Shockey stuff. Might have to get me some…
big g
Depends on what ammo u r using. Power belt bullets are recomended to be shot with a dry bore for better sealing, power and accuracy. Some sabots recomend a dry bore as well, but some say use a lube. Check what your ammo company recomends. As with any firearm, when storing you want to protect the barrel from rust, stainless or not, but dry the bore before use with powerbelts. I use Jim Shockey’s Gold sticks and Power Belt bullets with an omega and have never had a problem with accuracy, power, or ignition.
Good luck
Depends on what ammo u r using. Power belt bullets are recomended to be shot with a dry bore for better sealing, power and accuracy. Some sabots recomend a dry bore as well, but some say use a lube. Check what your ammo company recomends. As with any firearm, when storing you want to protect the barrel from rust, stainless or not, but dry the bore before use with powerbelts. I use Jim Shockey’s Gold sticks and Power Belt bullets with an omega and have never had a problem with accuracy, power, or ignition.
Good luck
oh, and i forgot, Bore butter was first designed to be used when shooting with the old plain lead patch and projectile, not sabots.
oh, and i forgot, Bore butter was first designed to be used when shooting with the old plain lead patch and projectile, not sabots.
Hunt, if you are using traditional black powder, do not coat your bore in petroleum oil, do not use modern solvents to clean it. This would enhance the very corrosive properties of black powder. True black powder needs to be cleaned with black powder solvents or very hot water. I use boiling water and dish washing detergent, works great. Submerge the barrel breech end in the water and work patches through it. Run a dry patch or two, or three, through it and wallah, it is clean and dry. My barrel usually gets so hot I have to wear a glove to touch it, but the moisture evaporates. Try it, only way to know you have a clean barrel and breech.– Rob
P.S. This is why muzzleloaders are a pain in the a–. Yet, I keep using them. LOL.
Hunt, if you are using traditional black powder, do not coat your bore in petroleum oil, do not use modern solvents to clean it. This would enhance the very corrosive properties of black powder. True black powder needs to be cleaned with black powder solvents or very hot water. I use boiling water and dish washing detergent, works great. Submerge the barrel breech end in the water and work patches through it. Run a dry patch or two, or three, through it and wallah, it is clean and dry. My barrel usually gets so hot I have to wear a glove to touch it, but the moisture evaporates. Try it, only way to know you have a clean barrel and breech.– Rob
P.S. This is why muzzleloaders are a pain in the a–. Yet, I keep using them. LOL.
This was my first year also muzzleloading as I wanted to try the All Season License like everyone else. I was suprised how dirty the barrel got after shooting just the primer!! Is there any difference between regular primers and the new muzzleloading primers? One long time muzzleloader told me no.Through trial/error,sighting in,cleaning,pulling the breech plug etc etc I finally got some experience under my belt but am still a rookie.I got a couple decent bucks this past year and look forward to using it some more.I got the TC Omega and now I see TC has a 90 degree twist out breech plug on Encores.Sweet…now I want to trade up………..
This was my first year also muzzleloading as I wanted to try the All Season License like everyone else. I was suprised how dirty the barrel got after shooting just the primer!! Is there any difference between regular primers and the new muzzleloading primers? One long time muzzleloader told me no.Through trial/error,sighting in,cleaning,pulling the breech plug etc etc I finally got some experience under my belt but am still a rookie.I got a couple decent bucks this past year and look forward to using it some more.I got the TC Omega and now I see TC has a 90 degree twist out breech plug on Encores.Sweet…now I want to trade up………..
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
