Mlinkrpt

Keep her clean and oiled. Wipe out bore and fire 1 or 2 caps before loading. Avoid putting hand over ram rod when loading. American Pioneer Powder is easy to clean up, however, the most reliable shot after shot is true FFFg Blackpowder, but is the most dangerous in that it will explode @ 300 degrees F. Static electricity will ignite blackpowder. Brass tools/scoops are the best in handling. Blackpowder cleanup with 8 Tablespoons of Palmolive to 1 gallon of water. Homogenous but not shakened. For initial grouping, clean bore after each shot, then see how many shots group good until you can't load or group opens up to poor grouping(>=6"@100yds.). Powerbelts load the easiest but are harder to get the tightest group. Hornady's do well, but are hard to get down barrel unless initial loading. Most of todays Muzzieshave a rifle twist of 1 in 24" to 1 in 28" for conical and/or sabotbullet stabilization. 1 in 48" to 1 in 66" do well for patched round ball. My experience in Whitetail harvesting with 50 Cal. Muzzies is anything over 100 grs. of powder and 300 gr. bullet is overkill. I shot a buck with a 50 Cal., 295 gr. Powerbelt with 150 grains of Triple 7 Pellets and it was the most violent trauma induced to a whitetail I had ever seen. I shot him straight on with slight angle at 35 yards and the exit wound was 8 inches in diameter out the right rib cage area and 6 feet from the buck was a 3 foot circle of hair that exploded off the hide of the deer. Needless to say, see dropped right in his tracks and when I skinned him, the amount of blood shot/ traumatised meat was incredable. Also, it is alot of recoil that decreases the enjoyment. Besides,I can still shoot accurately out to 200 yards utilizing 100 grains of powder. If you have anymore questions feel free to ask me anytime. I have over 20 years of blackpowder/muzzleloading experience and for 3 yearsIcompeted on a well known N-SSA team that won many Nationals @ Winchester, VA. I'd still be on that team if I hadn't moved to Iowa. Hope to get back someday.

rebelmandziukan

thanks for all the advice guys i will keep her clean and oiled and will switch to the remmington muzzleloader caps.