Muzzle Loader 101

[dukeboy_318]

Okay, been given a muzzleloader by my grandfather as an early christmas present. The problem is that this thing is from the 70s and is loaded and hasn't been shot in probably 20 years! how do I SAFELY remove the load? Or should I just take it to a gunsmith to remove it and have it checked out before shooting?

 

[baldguy637]

Go buy a bullet puller, it screws onto the ramrod then screws into the projectile and you pull it out. IIRC you can get one for a few bucks at Walmart.

They also make a CO2 gun that you can press on the nipple and it pushes the charge out with compressed air. But they are a little more expensive.

Black powder is very corrosive, so I'd be willing to bet the breech is pitted, but some elbow grease, solvent and a wire brush should get you going.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

Try firing it; it should. Just have it aimed downrange and all. Gunpowder is remarkably stable. Hundred year old loads have been fired. Otherwise, if you're not comfortable with it yourself, yeah, a smith should be able to unload it. Once it's empty, drop the ramrod in and put a mark on it with a sharpie indicating empty, so anytime you drop the rod in, it'll tell you empty or not.

 

[dukeboy_318]

Where can I get one of these Co2 guns?

 

[baldguy637]

Where can I get one of these Co2 guns?

RMC The B.I.D. Muzzleloader Unloader, CO2 :: RMC :: Cleaning Kits :: Muzzleloading Accessories :: Black Powder/Airgun :: eders - Archery Equipment Bowhunting Equipment

 

[dukeboy_318]

The nipple itself is plugged

 

[baldguy637]

You can try a nipple pick, but I'd just purchase a new nipple.


Here is a nipple pick on eBay, but you can find them much cheaper than this...
http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem?itemId=260897381008&index=0&nav=SEARCH&nid=48357780019

 

[meyer4589]

Track of the Wolf - Muzzle Loading & Black Powder Guns Kits, Parts, Accoutrements, Rendezvous Gear & Primitive Americana

Track of the Wolf is a good source for parts and and accessories for traditional style muzzle-loaders

 

[Flinttim]

I would not shoot it out. Take it to someone who knows and let them help you.For all you know it might have 100 grains of Red Dot in it. Now is NOT the time to learn how to shoot a muzzle loader.Let someone competent help you. in person and not on the Internet.

 

[clt46910]

After that long, take it to a gunsmith.

 

[Cerberus]

If it has a regular crew in tang they aren't that hard to remove with a vise and a pipe wrench. Pad the vice, pad the pipe wrench jaws and turn it off. Knock out the old load, clean everything up real good, replace the nipple. When you put the tang back in make sure the witness marks line back up.

ps. you may need to find out the thread on the old nipple, those things were made all over Spain or Italy if it's imported so it may be metric.

 

[dukeboy_318]

Thanks for the tips guys. I need to get a pic up, This is an old Thompson Center Arms kit. I'll probably end up taking it to a smith simply because I have 0 experience with muzzleloaders, especially this one

 

[dukeboy_318]

ah ha, this is it here

Muzzleloaders - Traditional Flint Lock And Cap Lock Rifles - Thompson/Center

 

[bobjones223]

I would not shoot it out. Take it to someone who knows and let them help you.For all you know it might have 100 grains of Red Dot in it. Now is NOT the time to learn how to shoot a muzzle loader.Let someone competent help you. in person and not on the Internet.

 

[Dirty Steve]

Do not shoot it out. It could be over charged and or double loaded. If you decide to pull it yourself, pour cold water down the barrel first to saturate the charge, then liberal amounts of oil to help pull the bullet out. One spark could ignite the charge while you are trying to pull it.

Best advice, take it to a gunsmith who deals with muzzle loaders. Have them pull it, inspect the bore, check the breech plug and replace the nipple. The breech plug is probably corroded in-place as well.

Traditional muzzle loaders are cool, but they take a lot of maintenance and dedication. I have several custom flintlocks and they are a blast (pun intended) but can be as or more dangerous than a modern weapon if you do not know what you are doing.

Dirty Steve

 

[billybob44]

Owners Manual

ah ha, this is it here

Muzzleloaders - Traditional Flint Lock And Cap Lock Rifles - Thompson/Center

duke, in that ad it has in red the info for obtaining an owners manual. That would be a good start for you..Bill.

 

[DownByTheTracks]

We remove the nipple, charge up a standard home-sized air compressor and blow air into the breach to blow out the charge. Please note that the ball will fly out with considerable force, so keep it in a sage direction.

 

[phatgemi]

Safety is the utmost concern but by the time you add a gunsmith bill, a "free" early Christmas present could get pretty pricey. Good luck.

 

[dukeboy_318]

I've ordered one of those CO2 discharge kits. Hoping it works as the ball screw didn't. I did get the nipple to unscrew rather easily so I'm hoping its not a total loss. Worse comes to worse, this goes up on the mantel and its still a pretty nice looking gun.

 

[dukeboy_318]

duke, in that ad it has in red the info for obtaining an owners manual. That would be a good start for you..Bill.

I've got the owners manual that came with it, its not a lot of help, some, but not a lot.. Thanks for the suggestion though.