Wanted tothank sabotloader and everyone else for their help getting me this far. It made the first trip to the range ALOT easier.

First thing I noticed was spit patching makes my mouth very dry! Coke was not the best drink for the range. Next time, bottled water. Now that I know the wind directions of the range I will not go again with a light head wind.

Bore sighted the Elite by looking down the bore and adjusting the scope. Was pretty close on the first shot with the supplied bullets that came with the gun. All this was at 25 yards.

Moved to the 50 yards station and the groups opened up. Was using pellets and shot 21 times total. Using 2 pellets of T7. Soon as the pellets are used up will go to powder. The crud ring I have heard a lot about I never really felt. Spit patched after every shot, towards the end there was not much spit. Over all I was pretty happy with the way things went. Used several bullet and sabot combos. Was just having fun and not really trying to find "the" load.

Wow! I never would have thought there would be that much cleaning when I got back. Can see now why some of your like your Savage's.

Will need to work out a better routine but it will all come with more shootin.

Thanks again!

Marty

There are a lot of home made solutions to use instead of spit. Cayugad has one using 1/2 Iso Alcohol and 1/2 Windshield Washer fluid (summer) that works very well. I usually go with a coupla of wet ones and a coupla dry ones between shots. The whole cleaning deal seems like a big job at first, but after awhile it becomes a bit of a "ritual" at the end of each shooting session. Especially once you get all the little gadgets that make it easy. Your elite is actually quite a bit more convenient to clean that some of the traditional percussion rifles using black powder and round balls. Good luck. There is a wealth of information on this board if you into the archives. Roskoe

cur_dog

Congrats! - glad you were finally able to get out. Actually you are probably doing the right thing right now - Just shooting and getting to know your gun. The more shooting you do the more experiance you gain great. You porabably need to break that barrel in a bit before you get to serious about finding the sweet load...

Have fun...

I agree.. all too often people get a new rifle out and want to sight it in, kill a deer, clean it and put it away in one outing. Stop being concerned about groups yet. Get some loose powder and shoot the devil out of that thing and have fun.

I have yet to sight in my Lyman Trade Rifle, Flintlock Hawkins, and my new Renegade.. Granted they are close and I can shoot good groups with them, but I am more concerned about having fun...

I'm glad you are enjoying the rifle. Make up some of the cheap swab solution Roskoe mentioned. No use spending money on expensive solvent just to push fowling out the barrel. Even soap and water will work. As for actually spit patching.. WOW, I'd be lucky to make five spit patches before I'd have to get a coffee and water break.. Way to stick it out..

cur_dog

"Spit patches" - That is one that I forgot to tell you about in our other conversations. Get a small container load it with some patches and drop in some regular old windex - you do not want the patches to wet just damp.Some folks will say notto use regularwindex because it has Ammonia in it, which is true but it is so weak you would have to store your barrel for months in it to cause any damage. The ammonia is deathom powder residue and does keep the any plastic fouliong under control - plus it evaporates quickly.

When you have seen pictures of my little work area you probably have noticed the containers of "Tucks" pad in the background - they are full of patches treated in different type of things that Ialways need other people have suggested snuff cans. When i go to the range (rock pit) I either take a container or a zip lock bag of pre-dampened patches.

Some where around here I have an articlewritten by a famous barrel maker that testifies to the use of regular windex with ammonia. I actually thought it was on this computer must beon the one in the back.

found it here is the quote from it...

It really does cut and get the fouling out...

Thanks for the suggestions on swabbing between shoots. Will look into that. My son was there with me but he said he was not going to lick a patch!

It was fun to just shoot. As long as my groups are consisitent then that's all I'm after. Going to be trying MANY bullet combos. After the next range session I will be done with the pellets and start working with powder.

I really think from reading and now shooting that consisitency is the key.

Cant wait to get out for the first time myself with my Elite!
Maybe.....next weekend I can get out and shoot some!?

For range work I found the T/C Number13 to work great for cleaning between shots the trick is not to use to much of the stuff so you leave your bore wet.

Birchwood Casey's bp solvent works good as well and has more alchohol in it so it dries fast. That stuff is hard to find though. I put plain old alchohol in a $.50 spray bottle from Walmart and it works well too.

If you have a real dirty bore at the range the #13 is the best but you really have to dry the rifle well before you shoot again. It will cause misfires if you don't.

I used the Birchwood Casey's bp solvent to clean it once I got home and then used some of the breek free clp, I think that was the name of it.

Need to get a few more cleaning supplies and I should be set in that area.

You're going to need more shelf space... I have two shelves, and a cabinet full of cleaning supplies and projectiles and still need more room. One of the hazards of muzzleloaders, they get too involved in the sport..