muzzle loader hunting

one-eyed Jack said:
Back when most of you were still pissing your pants I was hunting with a .56 smooth bore. That's what was allowed in Mass. Jack.
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An old timer I know was a mechanic and melted wheel weights and battery terminals to make his own round ball for his.
 
one-eyed Jack said:
Back when most of you were still pissing your pants I was hunting with a .56 smooth bore. That's what was allowed in Mass. Jack.
Click to expand...
I shot my first deer with that gun when I was 15. I missed and had to reload. Spilled powder and balls everywhere. I still hunt with it. The smooth bore is easy to load.
 
Gave it a good, proper cleaning yesterday. First I used the Hoppes #9. That did a little, but then I used the other stuff (from Thompson), and BOY did it clean it up good! That bore was sparkling again!!! I may try it out tomorrow morning, and get another 1/2 day in tomorrow afternoon. When does muzzle season end? (I think I've got the bug).

Also, OK to shoot coyote with these during deer season? AFTER deer season?
 
Coyote33 said:
Gave it a good, proper cleaning yesterday. First I used the Hoppes #9. That did a little, but then I used the other stuff (from Thompson), and BOY did it clean it up good! That bore was sparkling again!!! I may try it out tomorrow morning, and get another 1/2 day in tomorrow afternoon. When does muzzle season end? (I think I've got the bug).

Also, OK to shoot coyote with these during deer season? AFTER deer season?
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The season ends the 1st.
And yes coyotes are fair game during the season.
One thing I didn't mention in the other thread is that if it's still loading hard on a clean bore, try a whisker of bore butter on the sides of the sabot.
Careful not to get any on the bottom where it will be contacting the powder.
 
Oil based bore cleaners don’t work on black powder (or substitutes). Soapy water works great. The black powder specific bore cleaners also work.

Stuff is corrosive AF. I really spent a bunch of time scrubbing mine after shooting it last weekend and still found some minor rust today when I got it out to hunt tomorrow.
 
Coyote33 said:
Gave it a good, proper cleaning yesterday. First I used the Hoppes #9. That did a little, but then I used the other stuff (from Thompson), and BOY did it clean it up good! That bore was sparkling again!!! I may try it out tomorrow morning, and get another 1/2 day in tomorrow afternoon. When does muzzle season end? (I think I've got the bug).

Also, OK to shoot coyote with these during deer season? AFTER deer season?
Click to expand...
Would recommend against hoppes or any solvent made for smokless powder. Black powder and bp subs clean with water or water based solvents. The stuff for smokless powder can ruin a charge if there is residue left before you load.

Soap and water or the BP solvents that tc makes or I use muzzle majic.
 
Like I said (did I?), I used the #9 first, then the TC specific stuff. The #9 didn't even touch it.

Hey, does anybody else think of Hoppes every time they drink Magic Hat #9?

magichat9.jpg
 
ThePreBanMan said:
It's open season until the end of the year (12/31). Yes orange is required. Same requirements as shotgun.

After the year ends Coyote runs until March. No orange required. Rifles okay by day but .22LR or Shotgun only at night until 12:00. There are shot size requirements. You'll have to look them up. I think it's T shot for Coyote which is tough to find.

Muzzleloaders are fine by day but not at night..

regs:
Coyote hunting regulations
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From the regs:
"Only shot sizes up to and including FF (.230 inches diameter)."
 
one-eyed Jack said:
Back when most of you were still pissing your pants I was hunting with a .56 smooth bore. That's what was allowed in Mass. Jack.
Click to expand...

Yup..I wasn't pissing my pants...but....it was all that was allowed when I started hunting in 1985. 3 Day muzzleloader season only Doe or Buck allowed. One buck only I think back then, or one deer only I think. Loved those times, there were a lot of deer out west back before they switched to lots of doe permits and two deer limit, no coyotes. Good times. Used to see 10-12 deer a day.

Shot a doe right in the head (all I could see) with one of those things when I hunted the Berkshires and we used to see a lot of deer. The old 56 smoothbores actually werent' that bad with 80 grains of powder, lead ball and good young eyes.

Bought a White Mt. Carbine when things went rifle, then skipped the Bullshit and went right to the Encore about 10 years before the became legal. Hunted for years with it, The Encore requires a wrench, so I went to the CVA optima with the hand twist plug a little later.
 
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I've been cleaning my muzzleloader with nothing but WD-40. I spray it in the muzzle and keep spraying it until it runs out clear. Then I send a patch down to dry the excess and put it in the safe. No soap, no water, no Hoppes. Nothing but good old WD.
I started shooting it in 1979 with FFg and round balls and sometimes conical bullets and I changed to BH 209 and sabots the last couple of years. It's still shiney and clean and it still shoots great.
 
Wickedcoolname said:
I've been cleaning my muzzleloader with nothing but WD-40. I spray it in the muzzle and keep spraying it until it runs out clear. Then I send a patch down to dry the excess and put it in the safe. No soap, no water, no Hoppes. Nothing but good old WD.
I started shooting it in 1979 with FFg and round balls and sometimes conical bullets and I changed to BH 209 and sabots the last couple of years. It's still shiney and clean and it still shoots great.
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That's cool I might try that on mine. WD40 is great stuff. I keep hearing people say that if you use petroleum based solvents it gunk's up with the black powder residue but I've never seen it. Obviously bit hasn't with your gun.

You know if you read the ingredients of hoppes 9 and the hoppes black powder solvent they have almost the same ingredients. I think the difference is just marketing.
 
The problem with oil based solvents and black powder is that the corrosive crap that black powder leaves behind isn’t soluable in oil.

Now if you run enough wd40 down there and scrub it enough you might be able to just scrub it out physically without actually dissolving it.

But it’s easier/cheaper to just clean it out with hot water.
 
I meant to add, can you use muzzle loader at night using shot (not "buck" shot), acting as a shotgun?
 
Thanks. Come to think of it, I doubt the T/C Omega is smooth bored. So, even if you use the "proper loading", you can't because of the barrel configuration. Such BS!
 
You can use shot in a rifled barrel but the centrifugal force from the rifling spinning the shot load will open the pattern very quickly and make it useless beyond a few yards.
 
gerrycaruso said:
You can use shot in a rifled barrel but the centrifugal force from the rifling spinning the shot load will open the pattern very quickly and make it useless beyond a few yards.
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I think I knew about the accuracy/inaccuracy claims, but have not verified that personally.

What I want to know is if it is legal.
 
BrianWilson said:
Bought one this year...inline type. Definite learning curve. Tried every bullet, powder and primer known to man. I can't comment on the killing power yet, but as far as shooting,here's a few things I found, for what little they are worth....disclaimer..far from an expert.

You absolutely have to bust a cap or two after cleaning and before putting in the powder and bullet. Absolutely, or it will misfire every time.
The Federal primers in the black box marked "Muzzleloader" seemed to burn much cleaner. So much cleaner it's worth looking for them.
I haven't tried the Blackhorn powder yet, that's the next step, but for pellets the White Hots seem to burn somewhat cleaner than the rest.
For me the kit with every thing you need from that big online Muzzle-Loader store was worth every penny to get started.
No expert, but I would suggest just going right to one of the saboted all copper bullets and skipping the Powerbelts. I found the Barnes 250 TEZ to be the best shooters by a good margin in my gun, and anecdotal evidence is fairly strong against the PB's terminal effectiveness. None of them are cheap.
I'm reasonably confident with the thing out to 50, and most of where we hunt you don't have a decent shot much farther anyways. I'd definitely pass on anything over 100, even a rested shot at a standing still Mr. Big.
It takes for ever to get the thing sighted in...shoot,clean... shoot, clean....shoot,clean. Frickin PIA.
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You might want to revisit your cleaning method...I've never had this problem. ;)
 

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