RE: Measuring Black powder load
ARE YOU READY TO SHOOT YOUR RIFLE?[/b][/b]
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#1 unpack the rifle and look it over.
#2 read the manual cover to cover until you UNDERSTAND the contents of it
#3 clean the rifle including all parts
#4 use a quality breech plug grease and grease the threads of the breech plug then screw the breech plug back in to the rifle finger tight only... do not crank on that plug. In fact after I put them in finger tight, I then turn them back about an 1/8th of a turn.
You are now ready to prepare to shoot the rifle
#5 swab the barrel of the rifle with a patch with some alcohol on it.
#6 push a dry patch to the bottom of the barrel on a jag and fire a 209 primer into that patch. Then pull the patch and check it to make sure the fire from the primer is coming through the breech plug into the barrel
#7 shoot off three or more 209 primers. This will make sure the breech plug is clean and also put a light fowling in the barrel for you.
You are now ready to load the rifle
#8 measure out and place 100 grains of powder in the rifle in pellet or loose form, pouring or dropping this down the barrel.
#9 put the correct size projectile in to the correct size sabot and place that sabot into the crown of the muzzle. This is where I take a wad of patch material, put it over the nose of the projectile and push the projectile under the crown of the muzzle with my thumb. The patch material is more for the benefit of my thumb and not the projectile.
#10 with the long end of your short starter push the projectile into the bore of the rifle
#11 with your correct loading jag attached to the end of your range rod or ramrod push the projectile in as smooth a downward fashion as possible until you feel the projectile hit the powder charge. Make sure the projectile is seated firmly on the powder charge.
#12 leaving your ramrod still in the barrel of the rifle resting on the projectile, take a piece of masking tape and wrap the tape even to the end of the muzzle around your ramrod. This is called the Witness Mark and every time you load the rifle with the same powder charge and projectile you should reach this mark where the tape will be level to the muzzle of the rifle. With the Witness mark now in place on the ramrod
#13 REMOVE THE RAMROD FROM THE BARREL OF THE RIFLE
#14 place a 209 shotgun primer on the breech plug of the rifle located at the breech end of the barrel.
#15 With a target at 25 or 50 yards fire your first shot of out of the rifle
#16 take a patch with a cleaning solution and using a bore brush or cleaning jag on the end of a second ramrod preferably which you will use for swabbing the barrel only, run a wet patch down the barrel. When swabbing the barrel run the patch in short strokes starting at the muzzle. I like to run about four inches at a time in a back and fourth motion, increasing the length of the stroke and patch until I am finally all the way to the breech end of the rifle.
#17 run one or two dry patches down the barrel again in short strokes running from the muzzle to the breech to dry all the moisture out of the barrel. This will also remove extra fowling
#18. It is a good idea to take your time here. I like to swab the barrel clean, and then walk to the target and check the target before I even load the next shot. This gives the barrel time to cool. It also gives you time to calm down, relax and consider what you might have done right or wrong.
#19 now load your rifle in the exactsame manner as you did the first time. Make sure you reach your witness mark. Aim for the same spot on the target as you did the first time. Do not adjust your point of aim because of where your first shot hit. Try and hold the rifle the same as you did the first time, with the same sight picture, and fire the second shot.
#20 After seven to ten shots on the range take your breech plug wrench and just twist the breech plug back and fourth. You do not have to remove it. All you are doing is making sure that the breech plug is not seizing in the breech. And wipe off any excess fowling on the breech plug or that area with isopropyl alcohol on a patch or Q-tip
#21 After you have fired a few shots check the size of the group you are getting. If you are satisfied with it, great. You can decide if you want to increase/decrease the powder charge at this point, adjust the sights or scope (which I do not recommend until you are really happy with the group you are shooting), or just keep shooting the same load having fun....
I am sure I forgot a lot of steps and ask other posters to help me out, and you out by correcting me here... this should get you moving on the range...
I think this is what Sabotloader was talking about. Also, welcome to the forum and the sport..