$.64 question .

[Harter66]

No ,no prizes or trip to the pyramid.

Why is it that Muzzle loaders never loose their accuacy due to having damaged crowns or ''bugled'' muzzles ?
I mean they get a rod down the bbl after almost every shot . The bullet lube is typicaly ''wet'' or at least sticky and coats the bore both ways. Any dust found in field use would certainly stick to it. And the carbon build up ... stuff sticking to the jag, patches, rods....It's perfect storm to total the last 4'' of bbl . I almost forgot about the inheirent corrosive nature of the powders and water clean up.
Enough devils advocate.

Muzzle loaders are more muzzle conscience, the lubes keep stuff from sticking hard the carbon is ''soft'' ,the hot (boiling ) water is ''self drying'' ,the powder is less corrosive than you'd expect , none of this is really an issue w/a properly seasoned bbl.

Which does nothing to objectively answer the question of why don't they get wrecked ?

[Blacksmith]

When they get to much wear they change the name to Blunderbuss and keep on shooting.:kidding:

[quilbilly]

Traditionals shooting sidelocks etc like me use wood rods and brass fixtures on the rods so not much damage comes from them. Also, I consider a big shooting day 15 rounds. After the boiling water treatment, the inside of the bore gets thoroughly greased as well while the bore is still hot from the water which helps prevent rust. Also, the bore gets "seasoned" just like cast iron cookware depending on the grease being used (in my case, same as patch lube).

[bob208]

they do get wrecked. the most common is muzzle wear from the ram rod. the worst rods are the fiberglass impregnated. they are like running a fine file in the muzzle. I have seen a .54 barrel bulged from shooting it with a short started ball. I have seen a black eye and cracked wrist from shooting the ramrod.

but the worst is when some one gets a ball stuck and they try to remove it.

[45workhorse]

they do get wrecked. the most common is muzzle wear from the ram rod. the worst rods are the fiberglass impregnated. they are like running a fine file in the muzzle. I have seen a .54 barrel bulged from shooting it with a short started ball. I have seen a black eye and cracked wrist from shooting the ramrod.

but the worst is when some one gets a ball stuck and they try to remove it.

A stuck ball?
Never heard of such a thing!!!!!!!![smilie=1:
PGIF
Powder Goes In First.

[wgr]

[/COLOR]

A stuck ball?
Never heard of such a thing!!!!!!!![smilie=1:
PGIF
Powder Goes In First.
stuck ball that is when you drop one and it rolls into a crack and you can,t get it out

[Harter66]

This probably came to mind because of a boss coming off in the bore of a CVA Frontier. Good news I did get the rod back in the boss and get that back out and use a knock off super rod to get the jag out.

15 shots, so 8-10 swabs ,15 loads thats 30-40 passes down the bbl, more than a typical clean up after a trip to the range w/most of my other rifles. It just seems like you'd hear about it more often.

[rr2241tx]

Most of the shooters I compete against use a brass muzzle guide and a stiff rod, either stainless or aluminum. Essentially no contact between the rod and the rifling. A typical 40 shot match will entail at least 48 shots for a fouler and a sighter at each distance plus the counters. Figure another 48 shots of practice prior to the match. We go through a lot of powder and ball. Anyone who is really going to compete cleans and oils obsessively. Those who don't take care of their gear seldom show up for a third match.

[Goatwhiskers]

The only stuck balls I've dealt with are those left in the barrel since last hunting season and the guy has no jag to remove a load. "Ball puller? What's that?" If compressed air doesn't work, I inject water by whatever means necessary and plug the nipple hole. This kills the powder and gives me water where I want it. I then WARM the chamber area with a torch, when the water gets to 212 the ball comes out, sometimes with a bit of force, best to do outside. Dry everything up, reassemble, done! GW

[Boyscout]

I have accidently loaded a sabot without powder. I made sure the bullet was fully seating, took off the nipple, forced powder through the channel, replaced the nipple, capped and fired it. The bullet barely makes it out but it has never failed me the three times I have had to do it. My side-lock Traditions Lightning-fire is a tack driver and I have never wanted to replace it with an in-line.

[Thin Man]

Same as Boyscout, a friend brought me a sidelock rifle where the grandson of the recently deceased owner had inherited the rifle. Having no idea how to load a muzzleloader, he dropped a ball down the bore and rammed it home. Then the rifle came to me. I removed the nipple, charged powder into the bore, reset the nipple, capped and fired the rifle 4 times to generate enough space for enough powder (thus pressure) to get the ball out of the bore. The final shot sounded like a hang-fire between the times when the cap broke and the ball exited the barrel.

Thin Man

[Pb2au]

Fiberglass rods are a plague on the barrel. I machined a rod guide out of brass and have used it for a million years. Wooden rod, brass tips and jags, etc etc.
Cleaning while shooting like others have mentioned, plus a thorough cleaning at the end of the day.

[quilbilly]

Fiberglass rods are a plague on the barrel. I machined a rod guide out of brass and have used it for a million years. Wooden rod, brass tips and jags, etc etc.
Cleaning while shooting like others have mentioned, plus a thorough cleaning at the end of the day.
Last year I picked up a T/C Cherokee made from kit with a machined brass rod. What you said warmed my heart.

[Hickok]

The Civil war era muskets are bad for muzzle wear due to the steel ramrods used and the shallow rifling for minie boolets. I replaced mine with brass ramrods.

When shooting in a N-SSA skirmish, the ramrod gets used hard and fast!