My first muzzle loader!!

[kombi1976]

I have been helping a friend do some work and he owns a fair few rifles.
Not, for instance, in the "50 Mausers" style but a decent amount.
As he already has a 50 cal Pedersoli Kentucky with double set triggers, flint and percussion locks and nicer timber he passed onto me this perfectly good Dikar 45 cal Kentucky.
 

 
Now, I should point out right now that I have no real experience in actually using MLs or BP rifles of any kind.
I've shot my mate's Pedersoli with it's flint lock and another friend's CVA Kentucky Percussion rifle.
I've even tried an original Alexander Henry lever gun 44-40 and a Pedersoli Sharps 45-90 with BP loads but I haven't actually loaded or, more importantly, cleaned a ML loader before.
So when I was out at my mate's property he ran me through the entire sequence, cleaning included.
And you guys are right........it's dead easy!
We did take a short cut and used some greased .452" conical bullets for designed cap-&-ball pistols removing the necessity for a wad, but the process is simple using round balls too.
Even the cleaning was relatively easy, although incredibly messy!
But the really amazing thing about the whole experience was actually firing the rifle.
You guys already know this, but with 40gn of FFFg behind a 200gr bullet the thing sounded like ships cannon from a pirate movie!!
It wasn't a crack or bang.......it was a BLAST!!! :D
I do need to get some gear, like a proper rod and a measure and stuff, but it was astounding fun.
I'll keep you posted on my accuracy when I take her out to the range!

[Alboy]

Ah yes this malady is even worse than the more common gunitis you have heard of, it can grow to fill your every waking shooting moment.
 
Welcome to the club.

[kombi1976]

My mate encouraged me to make up a new rod for it out of dowel.
It shouldn't be too hard.
Unfortunately the guy he bought it from shot the original rod out of the bbl and broke the rod so it's now too short.
But some .40" dowel should make a good ram rod for it and I can use a standard cleaning rod with 410 shotgun mops and brushes to clean it.

[Alboy]

Dowel rod as in arts and craft dowel will do after a fashion and in a pinch. They also snap easier.
 
I would suggest you go to  black powder supply mail order sites and explore ordering ram rods to fit. They come in a variety of woods, synthetics and such and are not expensive. You can use the hardware furnture off of the old rod quite easily.
 
DIXIE GUN WORKS, CHEAPER THAN DIRT are just a couple of starting places. Google up black powder accessories.

[Jay Edward (deceased)]

What ALboy said in spades about the 'dowel'.  If it shears at an angle you'll be shish-ka-bobbed proper.

I tend to drift over to:
 http://www.trackofthewolf.com/(S(b0cx2f55z5qfl555g25fqfuw))/index.aspx

There's lots of good advice available but I'd rather you asked questions.

[Alboy]

Thanks Jay I was trying to remember TOW but was having a senior moment when I wrote the epitath above.
 
Kombi, if you insist on using dowel get the thickest one that will still go down the barrel as thet will give you the most chance to not blood that gun from the wrong end.:o

[kombi1976]

Ok, I get the point.
I'll ring a BP specialist here and get the needed rods.