Some helpful hints to people just starting out. Use a witness mark. (and it does not hurt experienced shooters either). A witness mark is a mark on your ramrod that indicated the rifle is properly loaded. After you have a load in the barrel, for the time being.. leave the ramrod resting on top of the load. Note how much of the ramrod sticks out of the barrel. Take a piece of masking tape and level to the bore of the rifle, wrap this around the ramrod. Next time you load the same charge, that tape should be level to the outside of the muzzle. If not.. Stop and figure out why. Did the barrel need swabbing. If too much is sticking out, was the projectile seated properly? If to little is out, did you forget powder or perhaps the projectile. The witness mark can tell you a lot. I like a bright color tape for a witness mark because you will spot that also if you forget to REMOVE THE RAMROD before shooting.

Starting out shooting, set your measure at 70 grain of powder if 2f and 60 grains if 3f powder. Then work your load up from there. Move upward in 5 grain amounts until the group falls apart. Also know the limitations of powder charges in your barrel and do not exceed them.

If your loading and it gets hard to do.. swab the bore next time. If you think too much moisture is in the bore, pop a cap or two and burn the alcohol out.