LARRY338

In my humble opinion, "seasoning" a rifle bore is purely a myth. The only reason a rifle might shoot better after shooting for a while is because the bore might be a little smoother. I would never dream of leaving any black residue in my muzzleloaders. I have a number of flint and percussion target rifles and I clean them right down to the shiny metal every time I shoot them. Nothing else will do for me. I have many times lapped the bore of a new rifle though, this never has hurt one and has almost always helped. Some here have recommended using JB, but you can get with it alot faster with some 280 or 340 grit valve grinding compound. Either shoot it impregnated into a patch for about 30 rounds, or just smear it on a tight fitting patch and give it about 100 or so strokes. For really messed up bores, pouring and using a lead lap might be required. In case you might be afraid of hurting your bore, dont be. It would take so long to change the dimensions of a bore enough to affect the shootability of it that you would never get there. Just make sure you use a muzzle guard so you dont wallow out the crown with the rod.

Ruddyduck

I agree that seasoning is a myth when it comes to black powder guns produced in this century. Seasoning came into play prior to the 1850's when metal technology as far as barrel making wasn't yet advanced. The Modern steel used in today's gun needs no "seasoning".
Think about it ,do you season a steel frying pan? No , but you still season a cast iron frying pan. The older guns barrels had hi iron content ,hence seasoning.

bigcountry

Pure waste of time. That barrel never was meant to shoot patched round balls. If you want to break the barrel in, thats entirely something else. But this seasoning stuff, has nothing to do with modern muzzleloaders. Maybe force of habit for most. Just an opinion. Call T/C and ask them if you don't believe me.

But if you want to break the barrel in faster, here is what alot of people do. Get some JB bore polish and run thru the barrel 50 times, then clean out. Do those cycles until you got about 500 strokes thru the barrel. And I bet ya, your barrel will be broken in. You might have to do less strokes. One shot recommended this and thats what I have been doing with most new guns. Its cut down on the fouling and seems to shoot more consistent.

cdeleeuw

Great information!

I stopped and picked up a 2 oz. jar of "J-B Non-Embedding Bore Cleaning Compound" on my lunch hour. (I also bought a few round balls and lubed patches).

I'm worried about messing up the breech plug threads with the ram rod. So, I ordered a "Breech Thread Protector." (Anyone know of a better way to protect this area?)

Thank you all for the GREAT feedback.

Chip DeLeeuw
Jonesville, MI.

Mark whiz

Chip,

The best way I know of to not mess up the plug threads....is to not mess with them. I leave the plug in the gun until I have finished cleaning the bore, then I remove the plug and scrub the thread, breech, & bolt areas with a nylon brush (like a baby bottle brush)marketed in a kit by Knight. Then I wrap a dry patch around the brush and work it around the threads to remove the last of the broken-up gunk. Then I use a nylon brush, like a tooth brush, to clean the threads on the plug and the other little brush that comes in the kit to clean the flash hole down the center of the plug.

To be honest, when using cotton patches & a brass cleaning jag, you would have to bang the gun around like a gorilla to even have a chance at hurting them threads in the barrel.

Now there IS one little piece of equipment that I consider essential (if you don't have one already), and that is one of those little cone-shaped brass muzzle guides/protectors. By keeping the ramrod from constantly rubbing the riflings on the edge of the muzzle, this little $2.98 item can save you the price of a $200 barrel in a short amount of time. Use it everytime you run the ramrod down the muzzle and your gun will thank you for it.


"Every moving thing that liveth, I give unto you as meat" (Gen 9:3)

Trust God..........but keep your powder dry!


Edited by - Mark whiz on 01/09/2003 19:56:39

cdeleeuw

Mark,

We might be shooting different guns? I have a scoped, T/C Omega. I can run cleaning patches from the muzzle, using a range rod WITH brass bore guide, while shooting. But, once I get home, I have to remove the breech plug and stick the MUZZLE in a bucket full of hot water. (With a scope, it's not an option to do it the other way around.)

When you remove the breech plug to run the rod down the barrel. You have to go right through/over the exposed breech threads. When I expressed my concern with thread damage. I was advised that T/C makes a "breech thread protector." Kind of a screw in extension tube that let's you get through this area without messing up the threads while cleaning the bore. Once you've cleaned the bore, you remove the thread protector to clean the breech threads. This is a "special order" item. (Kinda' tells me that others aren't as concerned about this as I am? Maybe I'm being overly cautious? Or, maybe I'm worried about being a gorilla <grin>. My thinking is, better safe than sorry. They only cost $4.)

I could run the J-B from the muzzle, with the breech plug installed, but, would prefer to make complete passes (necessary?). As I'm not pressed for time, I've decided to wait until I get the thread protector. (I'm going to be out-of-town for the weekend and it should arrive the first of next week.)

Chip

Mark whiz

"I See" said the blind man!
I wasn't thinking about using the "plunger" method for cleaning the barrel like that.......I just patch mine clean using a Simple Green/Water solution - using some of the same solution on the little nylon brush to clean the threads out too.
For your method, that thread protector sounds "pretty nifty".

When using the J-Bs, you will get better results working the patches in descending, quick, short strokes rather than long, bore-length strokes because the paste is friction activated and needs the little bit of "heat" generated by the quick strokes to do its best work. Though for peace of mind, I usually run the patch the full length once or twice right after I have worked it through with the short-stroke method, the thought being that this when even out any "irregularities" I might have caused.


"Every moving thing that liveth, I give unto you as meat" (Gen 9:3)

Trust God..........but keep your powder dry!

TN_Hunter

Just a side note here to add to all the info already given, EVERY MZ that I shoot black powder through(or pyrodex) gets a complete immersion (bath) in HOT soapy water, INCLUDING the SCOPE. If the scope leaks or fogs, then I need a new scope because the one I have is obviously defective.

cdeleeuw

I received the thread protector and I'm now all set to use the JB's on my ML. Since I've never heard of JB's before, let alone used it. I thought I'd "practice" by using it on my .22/.410 over-under. All I can say is WOW! I can't believe how clean the bores are! I thought I took good care of my guns, but, after seeing the difference, I'm a JB's fan for life. I'll be doing the ML tonight.

Herman,

After using the JB's last night, I have a question about the number of strokes before changing patches. (I quess I should have reread your post before I started?) I was using a fresh, lightly coated, patch after EACH "pass." I used short rapid strokes as I worked my way down the bore. Once I pushed the patch through the muzzle, the patch fell off the jag, I retrieved the rod, put on another fresh patch w/JB's, and made another pass. Probably made 20-25 passes.

You're saying 100 passes with the SAME JB saturated patch?

Mark,

Do you still feel a few round ball shots, with a lubed patch, are the way to go after a bore is broken in/polished with JB's?

TN,

I have a 3x9 Nikon Buckmaster scope mounted on the ML. Dispite what the literature might say about it being waterproof, I don't believe I'd want to baptize it in a bucket of hot water. I just don't feel comfortable with that. You're quite a bit braver than I am.

Thanks for the feedback,

Chip

Mark whiz

Chip,

To be honest, after working it that way with the J-Bs, I'd go ahead and start working on some sabot loads and see how they turn out.

I don't know what kind of powder & bullets you were planning to use, but if I may be bold enough to make a suggestion to help you along, I'd suggest trying bullets in the 300 to 350gr range. The Hornady 300gr XTP Mags are excellent bullets as are the Barnes 300gr MZs or the 295gr PowerBelt Aerotips - all of these will work well with around 80gr of 2fg 777 or 100gr of Pyro RS (and the XTPs are pretty cheap to shoot as well). The 348gr PowerBelt Aeros and any 350gr offering from Precision Rifle should work well with 110gr of Pyro or 90gr of 777.

I say all this as I've found that load workup with these newer, faster-twisted barrels goes a lot faster with heavier bullets. 200 to 250gr bullets can be made to work OK, but you really got to work at it to find a "happy spot" for them.


"Every moving thing that liveth, I give unto you as meat" (Gen 9:3)

Trust God..........but keep your powder dry!