329 lines
14 KiB
Plaintext
329 lines
14 KiB
Plaintext
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<20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>Ŀ
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<20> <20>
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<20> WELCOME TO MUZZLELOADING <20>
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<20> <20>
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<20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>
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The material in this document originated from a non-copy-
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righted pamphlet from E.M.F. Co. Inc, 1900 E. Warner Avenue -
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Suite 1D, Santa Ana, CA 92705. They are importers of various
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muzzle loading weapons.
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Their pamphlet is useful for those interested in muzzle
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loading weapons and is reprinted here (except for pictures) to
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help you understand black powder firearms and the safety precau-
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tions required when using them. Study this well. If you have
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further interest, please contact us for other black powder
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related books. Combat Arms can send them to you and you may order
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them by phone or over the BBS. The titles change from time to
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time, so a listing is not presented here.
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=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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POWDER
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<20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>ͻ
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<20> <20>
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<20> CAUTION <20>
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<20> <20>
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<20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>ͼ
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Use only black powder or the proper grade of Pyrodex in all
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muzzle loading firearms. Note that Pyrodex is UNSUITABLE for
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flintlock firearms.
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The term "black powder" refers to a TYPE of gun powder, NOT
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A COLOR! If in doubt, don't use it!
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BLACK POWDER TYPES
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Fg The coarsest type of black powder. It is to be
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used in big bore (.70 caliber and larger) fire-
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arms, scale model cannons and black powder shot-
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guns.
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FFg For use in smooth bore muskets, in muzzle loading
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rifles over .45 caliber and in black powder
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shotguns.
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FFFg The most commonly used powder. Use it in muzzle
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loading rifles over .45 caliber and in black
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powder shotguns.
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FFFFg This is the finest granulation of black powder. It
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is used for priming flintlocks ONLY.
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PATCHING
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Use only linen or 100 % cotton for shooting patches. The
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fabric you use should have a hard finish and be tightly woven,
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between .007" and .020" thick.
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-Recommended Precut Patch Sizes-
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Caliber Patch Diameter
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.45 1"
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.50 1 1/8"
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.54 1 1/4"
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.58 1 3/8"
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All of your patches should be lubricated before loading. Use
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a clean burning grease or commercial patch lube such as Hoppe's 9
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Plus, Hodgdon's Spit Patch, or saliva.
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BALL OR BULLET?
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The patched round ball is thought to be the most accurate
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bullet for use in rifled, single shot muzzle loading firearms. If
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your rifle's manufacturer recommends a Minie-ball or conical type
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bullet, by all means, try it.
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Be sure to use only pure lead in casting any type of bullets
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for use in muzzle loaders. Plumber's lead is good. Wheel weights
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are too hard. Always use a lubricated cloth patch when using a
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round ball. Always load round ball with the sprue end up (the
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sprue is the flat place on the cast round ball).
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IGNITION SYSTEMS
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The two most common forms of ignition in contemporary muzzle
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loaders are flintlock and percussion. In the flintlock system, a
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piece of flint strikes a hardened piece of steel (the frizzen),
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causing a shower of sparks, which in turn ignites a small quanti-
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ty of powder in the lock pan. This ignites the main charge in the
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barrel and fires the gun.
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In the percussion system, the priming charge is replaced by
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the percussion cap. This cap is placed on the nipple, or cone.
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When struck by the hammer, it produces a small, hot flame which
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ignites the main powder charge. Of the two systems, the percus-
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sion cap system (also called a "caplock system") is the least
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complicated and the least susceptible to to the effects of
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dampness.
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Check the action of your firearm's hammer group (called
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"locks"), especially in muzzle loading shotguns. If performance
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is doubtful, take it to a gunsmith who knows muzzle loading
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locks. Poor locks are a decided menace to shooters and spectators
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alike.
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LOADING PROCEDURE FOR RIFLE AND SINGLE SHOT PISTOL
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1. Check to be sure the firearm is empty and unprimed.
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2. Pull the hammer back to the half-cock position.
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3. Run a dry patch through the barrel to remove any
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remaining oil.
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4. When the shooting line is clear to handle your fire-
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arms, place a percussion cap onto the nipple of the
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caplock weapon and, with no powder or ball in the
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firearm, fire it downrange. This dries the breech. On
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flintlock firearms, place priming powder in the flash-
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pan (again, with no powder or bullet in the barrel) and
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fire the gun downrange to dry the breech of any mois-
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ture or oil residue.
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5. If using a rifle, put the butt of the rifle on the
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ground between your feet, with the muzzle pointing away
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from you.
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6. Measure a charge of powder, level full without jarring
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the powder measure.
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7. Pour the measured charge into the barrel. Tap the side
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of the barrel with your hand to settle the powder into
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the breech.
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8. Center a lubricated patch on the muzzle.
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9. Place a round ball on the patch, with the sprue up.
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10. Drive the patched ball into the barrel using a short
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starter (bullet starter).
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11. Using the ramrod, press the ball and patch all the way
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down the barrel against the powder charge. Seat them
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firmly with even pressure.
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12. Remove the ramrod.
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13. Cap or prime with powder.
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14. Bring the hammer to the full-cock position.
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15. Aim and fire.
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DETERMINING POWDER CHARGES
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Charge Tables were intentionally omitted from this document
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because of the many variances to be found among arms available in
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today's market. Here we again urge you to follow the manufactur-
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er's suggestions. Should you seek advice from a reputable dealer
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or Muzzle loading expert, be sure to have your firearm with you.
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He will want to see the gun before advising you. Greater safety
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with all firearms is a part of the National Muzzle Loading Rifle
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Association's (N.M.L.R.A.) Platform. Therefore, assume nothing;
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follow directions concerning powder charges as you become more
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familiar with your firearm. Remember, SAFETY ALWAYS. In any
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Muzzle Loading firearm MODERATE LOADS ARE MORE ACCURATE.
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LOADING PROCEDURE FOR MUZZLE LOADING SHOTGUNS
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1. Check to be sure the shotgun is empty and unprimed.
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2. Pull the hammer back to the half-cock position.
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3. Run a dry patch through the barrel to remove any
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remaining oil.
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4. When the shooting line is clear to handle your fire-
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arms, place a percussion cap onto the nipple of caplock
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weapon and, with no powder or ball in the firearm, fire
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it downrange. This dries the breech. On flintlock
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shotguns, place priming powder in the flashpan (again,
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with no powder or bullet in the barrel) and fire the
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gun downrange to dry the breech of any moisture or oil
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residue.
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5. Place the butt of your shotgun on the ground between
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your feet, with the muzzle pointing away from you.
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6. Measure a charge of powder, level full without jarring
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the powder measure.
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7. Pour the measured charge into the barrel. Tap the side
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of the barrel with your hand to settle the powder into
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the breech.
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8. Place a wad over the powder charge, followed by a wet
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fiber wad. The fiber wad must be moist to scrub,
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lubricate and clean the bore, thus preventing barrel
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fouling. Seat each wad firmly.
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9. Pour a measured shot load into the barrel. Equal powder
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and shot charges by volume work best.
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10. Place the over-shot wad into the barrel and seat firmly
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with the ramrod - don't pound the wad down.
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11. Remove the ramrod.
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12. Cap or prime with powder.
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13. Pull the hammer(s) to the full-cock position.
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14. Aim and Fire.
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After firing one or both barrels of your shotgun, make it a
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habit to always put the hammers into the half-cock position to
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lessen the chance of an accidental discharge. If reloading one
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barrel while other barrel is still loaded, REMOVE THE CAP from
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the nipple of the loaded barrel to prevent an accidental dis-
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charge of that barrel.
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Shooting glasses should always be worn when shooting fire-
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arms, especially muzzle loading firearms, to protect your eyes in
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case of an accidental discharge or from a hot ember or piece of
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cap. Remember, SAFETY ALWAYS.
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LOADING PROCEDURE FOR THE MUZZLE LOADING REVOLVER
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1. Make sure that the revolver is empty and unprimed.
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2. Run a dry patch through the barrel and cylinder to
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remove any remaining oil.
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3. When the shooting line is clear to handle your fire-
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arms, fire a percussion cap in each chamber WITHOUT
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powder or bullets in the revolver to make sure every
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nipple is clear of oil or powder fouling.
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4. Pour measured powder into chamber.
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5. Seat your ball (.001" to .002" over the cylinder bore
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diameter) firmly down on powder. Try to apply same
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pressure in loading each chamber. That even pressure
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will yield consistent shots.
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6. When all of the chambers are loaded, place grease over
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the top of each ball. Use commercial lubes, Crisco, or
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similar grease.
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7. Cap each chamber nipple with a tight fitting cap.
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Choose your caps wisely and make sure they fit well
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(almost too tight) and that they break up uniformly and
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completely when fired rather than merely enlarging.
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8. Carefully aim and fire.
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As an alternative to placing grease over the end of each
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cylinder chamber, you may wish to use a greased or waxed felt wad
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of approximately 1/8" thickness. This will go on top of the
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powder charge, under the ball. Some competitive shooters will use
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a filler of cornmeal, Cream of Wheat, or such (whichever shoots
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best) on top of the small powder charge. This filler brings the
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ball up flush with the end of the cylinder chamber and seems to
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produce better accuracy than having the ball seated farther down
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in the chamber. Grease is still required on top of the ball.
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CLEANING
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Hot, soapy water is excellent for cleaning your muzzle
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loader. The commercial solvents are good too. Scrub the bore
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until the patches come out clean and then dry and oil. Remove the
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lock and carefully clean and oil all fouled surfaces. Pipe
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cleaners or cotton swabs are good for this. Don't forget to do
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the nipple area on caplocks or the vents on flintlocks.
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HINTS AND CAUTIONS
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1. Treat every gun as if it were loaded. NEVER point it at
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anything you don't intend to shoot. NEVER handle a
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firearm that you are not familiar with until properly
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instructed by an expert. Remember, SAFETY ALWAYS.
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2. NEVER pour powder directly from a horn or flask into a
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gun - ALWAYS use separate measurers.
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3. Treat a misfire or failure to fire with extreme care,
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ESPECIALLY with flintlocks. Keep the gun pointed down
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range and wait one (1) full minute before repriming.
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4. Carry your tools on the hunt. (Ball puller, nipple
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wrench, screwdriver, etc.) It may save the whole day.
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5. If you are shooting a caplock and you ram home a
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patched ball without powder, pull the nipple and you
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can put enough (priming) powder behind the ball to
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clear the barrel (fire it in a safe direction). If you
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are shooting a flintlock and do the same thing, use the
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ball puller. With a percussion shotgun, clear the load
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as you would a percussion rifle. With a flintlock
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shotgun, however, clear the gun by pulling the load out
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using a worm tool.
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6. NEVER, BUT NEVER, drink alcoholic beverages or smoke
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around black powder or Pyrodex powders.
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7. NEVER, BUT NEVER, use drugs in any form, whether they
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be stimulants or depressants and then attempt to handle
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firearms. Blurred vision, loss of concentration, losing
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track of time, loss of desire to improve and extreme
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agitation are just some of the debilitating effects of
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drugs to a shooter's ability, health and safety.
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8. A little butcher's wax on the wood around the lock area
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will help protect it against burning from your caps or
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pan flash.
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9. Drop your ramrod down the empty barrel of your rifle,
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shotgun, or single shot pistol and mark it at the
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muzzle. Now you can always gauge if the gun is loaded,
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or it the barrel is obstructed.
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