# Question?



## 4pointmuley (Sep 18, 2007)

I have new T/C Triumph. How many shots can be fired until you have to clean it? Also as far as cleaning in the field. Do I just need to clean the barrel, and breech plug? Thanks, I am new to muzzleloaders.


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## 10yearquest (Oct 15, 2009)

At some piont you will have a hard time loading or accuracy will go bad. I dont shoot my ml more than about 12 times in a session anyway cause my accuracy usually goes out as the flinch sets in. While hunting I have not ever cleaned mine because it has not gotten that dirty. Have you consulted your owners manual?


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## 4pointmuley (Sep 18, 2007)

Yeah I looked through the manual. It basically says to clean the barrel, and clean the breech plug when storing for the year. The reason I ask is because I had bought a T/C Black Diamond XR a few years ago for my kids who were youth hunters and we were cleaning the gun every 5-7 shots, so with this new Triumph I wasn't sure what to do in the field and how often? I have never hunted with a muzzleloader, but I want to get into the sport.


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## bow&muzzyhunter (Mar 28, 2009)

I have an omega and at the range when i am shooting i run a wet cleaning patch down the barrel after every shot. In the field there is time for that if you have to hurry and reload. Your second shot may be a litter harder to get down because of the burnt powder. What I do with this situation in the field is I use a Hornady 250 grain bullet as my first shot and then i have a T/C Shockwave as my second shot and it goes down easier on a fired barrel than a Hornady.


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## MarkM (Sep 7, 2007)

I think alot if it has to do with what powder you are using. With Pyrodex or Black Powder I find i have to clean every 4-5 shots and I get the best groups when running a wet patch between shots. With the new Blackhorn 209 powder you can go alot more shots before you have to clean. Last time I was at the range with my CVA Accura shooting Powerbelts with Blackhorn I shot about 20 shots without swabbing at all just kept loading and shooting and I experienced no accuarcy problems or any problems reloading.

Mark


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## Windage (Mar 11, 2010)

I like to clean it after 5-10 shots. I clean the breech plug, barrell and inspect the rest to see if anything needs attention. After sighting it in and before I go into the field I'll clean it then shoot 2 shots to make sure its still on and to foul the barrell. After the hunt I'll completely strip in down, clean and oil it and then sadly put her away till next time.


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## Windage (Mar 11, 2010)

I forgot to tell you congrats on the new muzzleloader and enjoy.


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## muzzlehunter (Nov 29, 2009)

I shoot the omega. I shoot 140 gr pyrodex with a 300 fpb, shot 20 + rounds without cleaning. The only thing that affected accuracy was a sore shoulder. With a new ml your better off swabbing every 3rd shot until your sighted in.


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## muzzlehunter (Nov 29, 2009)

Also if you plan on shooting sabots you will want to swab after 1 or 2 shots, plastic will foul a barrell worse than powder will.


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## 4pointmuley (Sep 18, 2007)

Thanks for all of the good advice. Most of you talk about swabbing the barrel frequently. I have heard to use T/C Bore Butter 1000, which supposely helps to load your muzzleloader with ease with every shot?


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## Windage (Mar 11, 2010)

Sometimes I'll brush the barrell between shots to make loading easier but have never put a lubricated patch down the barrell. I worry about oil/cleaner getting down to the powder/breech plug area and causing a misfire.


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## Gumbo (Sep 22, 2007)

muzzlehunter said:


> Also if you plan on shooting sabots you will want to swab after 1 or 2 shots, plastic will foul a barrell worse than powder will.


When you say "swab", are you meaning with a bore cleaner or oil/lube?


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

I swab between every shot with the exception of a quick rare followup shot. If I swab between shots I get on average 2" or less groups at 100 yards. If I dont swab my 2nd shot is usually 3" outside of the average group, the 3rd will be somewhere in a 8" ring and after that its completely random. Tight fitting conicals can be a little more flexable in the number of shots between cleanings as when you ram them down the barrel they scrape off some of the previous rounds fouling (but subsequent rounds build up lead fouling).

For swabbing, take a couple patches and make them sightly damp with windex. Put in a ziplock bag for "in the field" use. The windex does a couple things, it quickly loosens the fouling and it also evaporates very fast. As the patches are only slightly damp, you dont have to worry about a wet breech and ignition issues (if you do have those, you have too much windex on the patch).

I own several muzzleloaders, been shooting frontstuffers for 30ish years now. With the exception of an overbore roundball barrel designed to shoot with squib loads, they all shoot better with clean barrels.


-DallanC


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## Racklover (Apr 18, 2010)

Look hard at Blackhorn 209. This powder is awesome. Last outing, 13 shots, no swabbing between shots and no crud ring. Cleans up with Hoppe's.


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## Windage (Mar 11, 2010)

> For swabbing, take a couple patches and make them sightly damp with windex. Put in a ziplock bag for "in the field" use. The windex does a couple things, it quickly loosens the fouling and it also evaporates very fast. As the patches are only slightly damp, you dont have to worry about a wet breech and ignition issues (if you do have those, you have too much windex on the patch).


I've never heard of using windex, i'm going to give it a try.


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