[dullh]

Fired my Encore for the first time today. Managed to put 8 rounds down range until it was so filthy it wouldn't fire anymore.

Load is 300gr XTP atop 120grs loose Triple Seven.

So what's your limit on your muzzleloader before it's so crapped up it won't fire anymore?

[sltm1]

I'm not familiar with the projectile, is it a sabot? If you use a lubed patched round ball you can shoot pretty much all day. If not and you're shooting dry, swab your barrel with a patch and solvent (I use Windex) every several shots and you can keep flinging lead till your shoulder's black and blue on BOTH sides (120g). I have to do that with my 59 percussion Sharps cause it's a breech loader, I also lubricate the block as well.

[mykeal]

300 gr XTP is a Hornady sabot round.

His question was how many shots can you get without swabbing before you can't load any more. The number of rounds that can be shot with swabbing between shots is a different scenario.

[BHP FAN]

I fired about 90 rounds of 60 gr. 2f Goex BP .45-70's through my Trapdoors today.Nary a hitch .

[dullh]

"His question was how many shots can you get without swabbing before you can't load any more. The number of rounds that can be shot with swabbing between shots is a different scenario."

That's it. How many rounds can you just stuff and shoot before it's fouled to the point it won't go 'BANG' anymore?

[BHP FAN]

Never had that happen.After about thirty times of shooting my Hawken though,I busted my wooden ramrod [and nearly impaled my hand] ,and could barely ram the ball home to the charge with my range rod.Decided to call it a day.

[Mark whiz]

I'm kinda surprised you got 8 rounds off with that heavy of load of 777 with only a 300gr sabot. I shoot that same round with 80gr of 777 and get marvelous accuracy with it. From what I've heard and read, the heavier load of 777 one uses, the thicker the "crud-ring" that develops near the breech.
As a practice, I always run a spit patch between rounds and have never had an issue at the range.

Now one time when shooting the old Clean Shot (now American Pioneer/Shockey's Gold) I got over 20 shots off before even checking the bore for fouling and found it no more fouled than after a single shot - that stuff is super clean...................too bad it's underpowered and grossly hygroscopic.

[jbkebert]

I always run a spit patch between rounds and have never had an issue at the range.

That's all you have to do. One damp patch one dry patch between shots and go all day. I have put 30-40 shots through my encore in a day without a problem.

[Matt-J2]

Depends. My PA Pellet Flintlock isn't too fussy so far(only taken it out twice. Problem is, it always happens to be rather wet when I take it out so I don't get more than 10-13 shots because I'm dealing with moisture problems!(so far, seems to like 70gr 3f Goex and PRB)
My Traditions Crockett shoots for quite a while with 25gr 3f Goex. I do have some variety with both patch and ball sizes on hand for that though. I'd say I've taken upwards of 30 shots in a go without running a wet patch through. Not as many with Pyrodex P, though.
My Trad. Kentucky pistol gets fouled fast with heavy loads, 45+gr. Shoots better at 30-35, doesn't need swabbing nearly as much then either.

[Hawkeye748]

So far don't know the limit. Only reason I stopped was I ran out of ammo. I had carried 100 rounds to the range for practice, finished what I wanted to do. I had 48 rounds left so I tried to find the limit of how many in a row before I fouled out. I shot 48 rounds consecutively without any cleaning. No trouble. The charge was 55 grains FFFg Goex. I use MCM lube on a minie ball.

If I stop and let the rifle sit and the fouling set up, I have to brush to break it up. As long as I kept shooting, no trouble.

[Smokin_Gun]

In metalic silhouette 40 round BP matches I'd swab every 5 shots clangin' metal chicken, turkeys, pigs and rams...can get 10 depending on the Rifle or if the groups start growing on your paper targets...then swab it.

[dkennedy]

I compete in the N-SSA and use a custom built M1841 Mississippi in .54 cal. I use a load of 45 grains of FFF Goex BP, over a 360 grain Shiloh Minie. The cannelures are lubed with SPG and the base is filled with red lithium grease. I can shoot well over 100 rounds without cleaning, with no more difficulty in loading after the first fired round then the 100th. Accuracy remains constant throughout the session as well.

[Fingers McGee]

Quote Dullh:
What's your muzzleloader's "limit"?

Fired my Encore for the first time today. Managed to put 8 rounds down range until it was so filthy it wouldn't fire anymore.

Load is 300gr XTP atop 120grs loose Triple Seven.

So what's your limit on your muzzleloader before it's so crapped up it won't fire anymore?

I have a Pedersoli .54 Cal Tryon Rifle that has never fouled out to where you couldn't load it. Normal load is 65-70 gr of ffg Goex, .535 roundball with Ox Yoke lubed .010 patch that has been soaked in Hoppe's #9 plus. Have shot 90+ rounds over 3 days before, and the last round pretty much loaded as easily as the second one. I've had the rifle almost 20 years and it has had thousands of rounds through it.

[.38 Special]

I use a ball/patch combo that just fills the grooves, ie. if my groove diameter is .370 then I use a .350 ball with a .010 patch. I use a Wonderwad on top of the powder and a Wonder patch around the ball. No short starting necessary; the load easily seats with the ramrod alone. This almost always gives me accuracy equal or better to a "pounded home" load, and usually allows me to shoot all day without cleaning. Real blackpowder only, of course...

[dullh]

I loaded and reloaded without cleaning it at all...I let it foul to the point where the flash hole was shut and the primer flame couldn't get to the powder. Load #8 took 3 primers to set off! Each load was 120 grains of Triple Seven, as stated. I just wanted to see how many times I could repeat fire before it crudded up to the point it wouldn't fire anymore. If I has swabbed it between shootings I coulda gone longer. In fact, the flash hole plugged before I couldn't physically push a sabot down the bore anymore!

[sharps59]

did a test one time. I can get over 50 seen it pointless to continue after that. Sure I could have gone the 100 also. also shoot NSSA
shoot a colt 58 cal 2 band. I brush after each event 5-12 shots. scrape the breach after every 2 events.

[Mr_Pale_Horse]

Sabots: Swab and brush between shots. Use a little bore butter in the field to load a second.

Patch Round Ball: Swab with spit patch between shots. Load with spit patch in the field.

Prelubed Bore Sized Conicals: Fouling in the bore has never been an issue. Fouling in the flash channel is the limiting factor.

[MCgunner]

I've never fired that many without cleaning. I can't get more'n 3 rounds out of it without swabbing before accuracy goes to crap and it's sorta useless to shoot it if you ain't gonna hit paper. So, I swap every other round when I'm at the range. Keeps it in the bull, sabot or minie. My preferred load is 90 grain equivalent Pyrodex RS behind a 385 grain Hornady great plains or a 360 grain cast minie from a Lee mold. It does rather well with a 240 grain Hornady .44 sabot, but to me, the big minie is more fun and less techy and I like that. :D

[Matt-J2]

I think I'll keep track this Friday when I go out. Not sure what I'll be taking along, but I'll write it all down and report.

[dullh]

"...and it's sorta useless to shoot it if you ain't gonna hit paper."

Well, that's the thing - I didn't lose accuracy. Once it was dialed in (it was boresighted first) they all kept going to the correct point of aim until it was so gunked up it wouldn't fire anymore. Accuracy wasn't a problem.

[Matt-J2]

Well, I took out my traditions Crockett today(I love that rifle:) ).
Powder was Goex FFFg, ball was Hornady .310, patch was .018 T/C lubed pillow ticking, or .010 Cabelas lubed type. The thin ones will usually load all day regardless. I spent most shots with the thicker patches.
At 23-25gr of powder, I got to 15 shots. Didn't clean then, just decided to try a heavier charge(had friends with as well, so less formal). At 30gr, I only got 5 more shots in before there was notable resistance as I got near the powder.
My count may be a few on the low end, but not many. So far, seems like the 25gr shoots well, and shoots cleaner. Will definitely try again. Just gotta remember to quit havin fun and start countin. :D


As a side note, I noticed when my buddy fired 30gr using the thinner patch, that the patch became, well, a donut. That's the only patch I recovered all day. So I'm thinking I use these up and don't buy anymore.