ORIGINAL: Spot Light
Well just bought my first black powder rifle through a local gun store. The guy had no information on it and couldnt help me out with any questions.
There is no marking on the rifle at all and on the barrel it reads
"Ardesa Spain 50 Cal Black Powder Only"
Can any one tell me what I got here and if I can use pyrodex. Also how can I find out the rate of twist for the rifle?
That is the Traditions Kentucky with 32" barrel & 1-66" twist. Shoots rouundballs and Buffalo Ballets best. Very seldom should you take the pins out to remove the barrel from the stock.
Find a long, flexibleaquarium air hose & attach it to the nipple for water flushing. You will need a 2nd nipple for this. Grab a drill and drill bit that will make your bottom nipple hole as large as the top hole. This will allow more water to pass thru the nipple. Never use this nipple for hunting afterwards. Always keep it with the air hose.
Run hot water thru a funnel & into the bore -- letting the air hose catch the water & dispense into a bucket. I tied a string around the air-hose & old cracked ramrod I had laying around for better stabilization - so the end of the air-hose stays in the bucket when water-flushing the nipple powder channel & nipple drum. Do all this powder channel water-flushing after you cleaned the bore with solvents -- then dry thoroughly before using gun oils for rifle storage.
After you are done water-flushing, remove the nipple & drum cleanout screw -- then use pipe cleaners & Q-tips dampwith solvent to clean the two holes there.
Before you go to the range, run gun grease in/all around the cracks between the stock & barrel - to seal-out any moisture and blowback from fouling. You should only remove the stock from the barrel around every 300-400 shots.
Hope this helps!