Help me out here
 

Alright, I got my yukon out today for the first time and put about 15 rounds through it. I was using pyrodex RS powder and although it seemed that the accuracy was probably there, I had to run at least a dry patch though it after every shot to maintain accuracy. The patch I would run through would always have tons of black crap on it, real thick with a few grains of unburnt powder. Is this normal? Would a different powder allow me to shoot more times between cleaning? The powder was like 2 years old, was this a problem? Thanks in advance. EJ

RE: Help me out here
 

With pyrodex, you'll usually get some unburnt powder, thats normal for me. It all depends on what bullet you are using. With triple 7, my 45 can take about 4 rounds before i have to clean the barrel to retain the accuracy. If you're using a sabot, They do load harder with a dirty barrel. If sabots are your case, try switching to a .429-.430 44cal. bullet and sabot " green" They load alot easier for me.

What kind of groups were you getting?

Also, use a damp patch followed by a couple dry patches. Running a dry patch will do no good and is a good way to get your ramrod stuck. Been there done that and it aint no fun.

RE: Help me out here
 

I use a patch with bore butter on it to field clean between shots then a dry patch. Accuracy hold up with that method. It is normal to get tons of crap on it first time down and up, I turn the patch over and run it thru again also. So effectivel I am running 1 patch thru up and down 4 times, twice to each side of the patch. The dry patch I only run down and up twice. Chap Gleason

RE: Help me out here
 

Pyrodex RS is a great powder but the one draw back is.. it is a dirty powder. Also be very careful running a dry patch down the barrel. Dry patches can get stuck down there easy. Instead, run a "damp" patch down first, working it in small short strokes. After you get to the bottom and work it back, then run one or even two dry patches after. I use a mix of 50/50 car windshield washer fluid and isopropyl alcohol.

The black crud and even unburnt powder is common. There are other powder out there that do not fowl as bad. The question is would you still maintain the accuracy with out the swabbing. It is an unfortunate fact that many inline rifles require a swabbed barrel to maintain their accuracy. These are not the old fashion patch and ball guns where we could shoot all day. Now you do have a fact that the powder is old. And you might want to try some new powder and see if the results change.

Other powders with less swabbing are American Pioneer Powder Company, Goex Pinnacle, Shockey Gold, and Black Mag Three. When you change over to Triple Seven, I find I have to swab to avoid the nasty crud ring, except when I am shooting conicals out of my White UM.

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I find the above posts very interesting. I was at the range trying to get a scope dialed in. I was shooting hornady 300g with 100g of 777 and kleenbore primers. I shoot a CVA Optima. I would get a flyer after I cleaned the barrel. Whoever recommended the crushed sabots over the mmp, I appreciate it greatly. They were a piece of cake.

Anyhow, I could go 5 six shots and groups were good. Figure it was time to swab and the first shot on a clean barrel I would get a flyer. Anybody else experience the same thing?

RE: Help me out here
 

That is not all that uncommon to have a swabbed barrel hit differnt then a fowled barrel. After all you are changign the way the projectile reacts to the rifle. That's why your better off when sighting in to swab between shots.

RE: Help me out here
 

Thats what my rifle did when i used the kleanbore primers, First shot was right where it should be and then the other 2 shots would drop.

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Groups? I am a little embarased to say this but they were a little more like loaners than groups. I never shoot open sights, I have been shooting scoped rifles for 3 years now and can usually make any of my centerfires touch 2 at 100 and the third a little off from them. The best I could do at 88 yards with open sights was about 6 inches. Even if this thing could shoot at 150, I shure couldnt. Anyway, I suppose practice makes perfect.
To OLDROOKIE I will say that the "fouling shot" on a centerfire is real common. The first shot after cleaning is a flyer almost everytime for me. I will have to try some new powder. I just need to shoot more! OH! I was using hornady 385 great plains conicals. EJ

RE: Help me out here
 

You being from Colorado I am sure will be interested in shooting conicals. I might suggest some maxiball, powerbelts, or saber tooth to try as well. Maybe the Hornadys just are not for your rifle. The others might shoot well. As for the 150 grain loads, not too many people shoot that even though they can. And most rifles only allow that with pellets and not loose powder.

Normally start your shooting at 25 yards if possible. Get used to the rifle before you expect it to start cutting holes at 100 yards. Muzzleloaders are a little differnt then centerfires. Also start the powder charge out light, like around 80 grains. I think the accuracy will be there. Good luck with your rifle.

RE: Help me out here
 

I might give those powerbelts a whirl. THey seem like they'll fly a little faster anyway. Will I have to worry about plastic buildup with powerbelts? Are maxi-balls better? Why? Just curious. I dont pretend to know anything about black powder shooting. EJ

RE: Help me out here
 

The new brands of plastics they use on todays sabots and powerbelts are really not a problem. If you suspect a plastic build up, a simple brass bore brush and some solvent will take it out. I've shot over thirty of them in one days shooting and never noticed a build up.

I like maxi ball. I like an all lead conical. Although my CVA Staghorn Magnum will shoot powerbelts really well. My Knights shoot the Saber Tooth conicals excellent and they care cheaper then powerbelts.

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I put a picture in on the Crushed Rib Sabots on your Tight Fit post. Cayugad and Sabotloader also said something about them. I find they work well and are easy loading and adequate strength.
Chap Gleason

RE: Help me out here
 

Chap, those crushed sabots were awsome going down a fouled barrel. I think you can feel them seat over the pellet better as well.

I didnt think about a swabbed barrel between shots would be a more consistant method to sight in a scope. Now I have a sighted in scope for a fouled barrel.[&o]

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EJ, Ive never shot any traditions inlines yet, but my traditions flintlock does enjoy powerbelts, So they may be what you're looking for. I guess i'll have to buy a traditions inline soon so i can see what those like.Seeing how the yukon only has a 24" barrel, maybe it will like the lighter weight powerbelts. Heck maybe it will like all the powerbelts. Just gotta be patient and try different bullets/powders until you find one thats grouping the best. Hows the trigger on the yukon? i fingered one at the store and it was pretty good.

RE: Help me out here
 

EJ , What is your exact load that you're shooting? bullets,powder, primers. Im doing a search to see if we can get you doing better.

RE: Help me out here
 

wow! im reading the online traditions booklet and you can use a max of 130 grains Triple 7 loose!

As for bullets, go onto their website and look through their list of what they offer, that'd give you an idea what to look for. Im pretty sure it will like powerbelts.

RE: Help me out here
 

My son has a Pursuit and he shoots 100g of triple seven pellets with a 245g powerbelt HP.....smooth as butter. Nice rifle and almost 2lbs lighter than my Optima.

RE: Help me out here
 

I like a clean barrel, since I figure I am going to be shooting the first shot and that will be my only shot, so first shot is important. If at the range you swab once down, once up, turn the patch over once down and once up, it gets most of the fouling out (I use 777 which is pretty dirty). Then I dry wipe once down and up, turn over once down and up. If you do a 2nd wet patch with your favorite cleaner it will be pretty clean, you wont have all that "grit" to contend with while loading and your bullet will fly a lot more consistent. Seems to work for me, cause I figure only 1 shot.

Some keep a PB for a 2nd shot if they need it, so they can quick load a dirty barrel for a 2nd shot. That of course works only on <50 shots, since usually they don't fly the same as a sabot from my gun. Me, I just take my time and use a bore butter saturated patch and go down and up 4 times, like I explained above, then use a dry patch 1 down, 1 up. That seems to cut most of the grit and allows for a consistent 2nd shot. I very very seldom take over 100 yard shots with my inline, and 50 is the longest I will do with my FL. You got to do a lot of experimenting with loads, bullets andprimers on MLers, they all are pretty individual, just like we are.
Chap Gleason Va
Chap Gleason

RE: Help me out here
 

Frontiergander, I said it wrong last night. I did have a pack of cci's, but on further inspection, I used the federal 209's. The cci's in my bag were untouched. Sorry I got it wrong.

Anyway, I was using 385 grain great plains conicals (hornady) in front of 100 to 105 grains of pyrodex RS through my yukon. Thatrifle is really a pleasant suprise. I will have to get rolling with those cci's. I think I'll get into some powerbelts next week. I am not a rich fella and I give myself 20 dollars a week to play with so I gotta get one thing a week. I cant wait to get it out again! EJ

RE: Help me out here
 

Speaking of spending...

I went to a sporting good store today since I was out of Triple Se7en fffg (and talked the owner of the store into stocking the stuff so I feel kind of obligated to buy there). The prices of muzzleloader stuff is getting out of hand.Winchester Triple Se7en primers, $7.99 a box (almost eight cents a shot for the primer) come on... And Triple Se7en FFFg he had raised the price to $26.95 a pound. I also saw that powerbelts were now almost $19.95 a package for the 245 grain. As I was looking at all the stuff, the owner asked me if he could help me, and I told him, I knew what I wanted but.. these companies (looking at powerbelts)are going to price themselves right out of a sport. He then said all projectiles are expensive now. So I told him I have a $14.00 LEE roundball mold and all the free lead I want. I think he then understood.

But being what I am, I picked up three pounds of powder and two packs of primers. Looked at an Omega X7 ($429.99)he said he'd make me a deal on, and also a Pro Hunter that was listed at $799.00. I asked him when he is getting in some of the T/C Triumphs. And he said after he sold off his Omega's. I also saw he is now stocking the Tradition rifles. I looked at the Yukon there as well, and the Pursuit. Nice looking rifles actually.

RE: Help me out here
 

EJ, That load sounds pretty good. Hopefully the cci's will help you.

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cayugad....thats why I looked for an alternative to powerbelts. I have been punching paper with the Hornady and Speers. Hornady are $11 and change for 50 and speer around $20. I think powerbelt is leaving a lot of money on the table being short sighted on their pricing. They are spending as much on their fancy packaging as they are in ammo.

As far as powder, I just bought a box of 777 pellets and they are $25 and some change. There are 100 in a box and I don't know how much weight that represents.

The primers....he is stealing from you. I just bought 777 primers and CCI both were $4.99 per box.

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I agree on powder and bullets going "outta sight", I just bought my first pound of Accurate Arms 5744 for the Savage Smokeless ML, a nice surprise to me is the cost of shooting smokeless over BP, 42g of Smokeless has more power than a 150g load of BP, so just shooting per shot is a saving of over 2/3. The 5744 was about 20.50 for 1 pound.

Chap Gleason

RE: Help me out here
 

I see in MidSouth Shooters supply catlog that 20 Powerbelts are just $12 and they now have packs of 50 for $24, see here:

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=00002AC1595

That helps a lot, since I know last year they were over $1/bullet.

Chap

RE: Help me out here
 

When I shoot at the range I try to mimick being out in the woods. I always shoot in groups of two. I figure that is all I will shoot in the woods while hunting so I should practise the same way. What I do is run a wet patch down the bore and then a dry patch or two. I use a commercial fluid, but when I run out I will use a mixture like the one Cayuqad uses. Then shoot two more. This seems to work for me.

RE: Help me out here
 

I cast my own mini balls from a Lee mold for my Traditions .50 cal inline. At times the first shot with a clean barrel flies 3-4 in. high at 100 yards (not always though) but the groups seem to tighten with the 2nd and third shot....????? May be the gunner not the gun but this has been consistant since I have owned the gun. I use Pyrodex so perhaps the residue in the barrel tightens up the load.