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I Shot 30 Muzzleloader Rounds Without Cleaning (Here’s What Happened)

RGS Restorations Inc

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Can a muzzleloading rifle fire 30 consecutive patched round balls without cleaning or swabbing the bore between shots?
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In this video, I demonstrate wet patching—also commonly called spit patching—and fire 30 patched round balls at 50 yards. From the first shot through shot number 30, every ball loads and seats with essentially the same amount of effort.

The water-based patch lubricant keeps the black-powder fouling soft. As each patched ball travels down the bore, the damp patch helps control the fouling left by the previous shot. This prevents the hard fouling, powder ring and “crunchiness” that can make loading increasingly difficult during a long shooting session.

The rifle used for this demonstration is a Thompson/Center Hawken with a 1:48 twist barrel.

We also discuss:

• How wet a shooting patch should be
• Preparing wet patches ahead of time
• Why the exact lubricant formula is not the most important factor
• Barrel twist rate and fouling
• Accuracy during an extended string of fire
• Hoppe’s No. 9 Black Powder Plus, SKU 999
• Ballistol and water
• Dawn dish soap and water
• Traditional “moose milk”
• Water-soluble cutting-oil mixtures
• Windex, Murphy Oil Soap and alcohol-based variations

The additional recipes shown in the video are commonly reported formulas that viewers can experiment with; they were not used during this particular demonstration.

Wet patching is especially useful for range shooting, offhand matches and other situations involving long strings of fire. It allows you to continue shooting without stopping every few rounds to wipe or scrub the bore.

What do you use for patched round balls? Do you prefer a wet patch, Bore Butter, a commercial lubricant or your own homemade mixture? Let us know your formula and experience in the comments.

CHAPTERS

0:00 The only way to shoot a patched round ball?
0:45 Wet-patch lube basics
1:51 The 30-shot test begins
2:33 Why barrel twist rate matters
3:18 Shot 10—still loading easily
4:38 Shot 20—no hard fouling
5:51 The final shots
7:19 Results after 30 shots
7:59 How wet should the patch be?
8:54 Why wet patching works
9:47 Accuracy and practical advantages
10:43 What happened to Hoppe’s Black Powder Plus?
12:33 Five commonly used patch-lube recipes
12:55 What method do you use?

EDUCATIONAL & HISTORICAL NOTICE:
This video documents professional techniques and historical study related to firearm restoration, repair and/or controlled shooting tests. All activities are performed by trained professionals in controlled shop environments or at shooting ranges, following all applicable local and federal laws. This content is intended for documentary, educational and historical purposes and is not an instructional guide. We do not provide instructions on the manufacture or modification of firearms or ammunition; this content focuses on professional firearm restoration, repair, historical study and controlled testing. Do not attempt to replicate any specialized gunsmithing, metal-finishing, heat-treating or firearms-testing activities shown, as these require appropriate professional knowledge, equipment and safety procedures.

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#Muzzleloading #BlackPowder #PatchedRoundBall

20 Comments

@RGS_Restorations_Inc Creator 2 weeks ago (edited) Pinned

This video came directly from the comments on our earlier comparison of Bore Butter and wet patching. From those comments it became clear that many viewers had never been introduced to wet patching in the first place, so this time I wanted to start at the beginning and demonstrate exactly what it can do.

What method do you use: wet patching, spit patching, Bore Butter/grease, or wiping between shots? How many shots can you fire before loading becomes difficult? If you have a favorite homemade formula, share it below along with your rifle and caliber.

Watch our original Bore Butter vs. wet-patching comparison here:
https://youtu.be/sqLMx0Vbkqw

@308dad8 2 weeks ago

I personally like Dawn and water but it makes your hands slippery so bring a towel to wipe your hands off every shot. But it lets you load and fire until you run out of components or you get tired without swabbing between shots.

@kevinivy-n2n 2 weeks ago

I think using 80 grains of powder would be more realistic.

@4570duplex 11 days ago

I have been using Goop, the hand cleaner available in most auto parts stores, since the late 1970's. I can shoot any rifle I own literally all day long, dozens of shots, without ever having to wipe. I use it straight out of the can, not mixed with or diluted by anything at all. I do switch to a grease of some kind when hunting, however, as many have already mentioned.

@JamesMarsh-e9h 11 days ago

Great advice and good shooting thanks for the advice.

@jamesbaillargeon7404 2 weeks ago

been shooting black powder since 1971, i wet patch, not with any solution, but good ol spit, every shot is easy to load, on hot summer days, the patch is juicy, damp weather, patch is dryer. it is simple to determine how wet or dry it needs to be,by how easily the last round went down

@populustremula7496 2 weeks ago

Two years ago I assembled a Kibler Southern Mountain Rifle (SMR) in .36 caliber and took up black powder shooting. Being retired I shoot 15 rounds just about every morning. I have had no one to consult about shooting a muzzle loading flintlock and I am always interested about the experiences of others through YouTube. For patching I buy cotton fabric I have measured the thickness of with a micrometer then cut into approximately one inch strips. I gave up on pre-cut round patches because for .36 caliber they are so small that centering them is tedious. I lube the material from a spray bottle, center it over the bore, place the ball, short start it with the nubbin, cut off the patching flush to the bore, seat it deeper with the long part of the short starter and them use the long rod to seat. I early on started using a wet patch lube consisting of about 50/50 water to Dawn dish detergent. Over time I reduced the amount of Dawn put in the water to about one teaspoon of Dawn to 4 ounces of water. For a long time I swabbed after every shot figuring consistency of bore fouling (after a fouling shot) made sense. I now swab after every fifth shot and when I do I always can feel a crust ring. This may be due to the small caliber I shoot. If I lube with a 50/50 concoction of beeswax and Crisco I never get a crust ring but it’s dirtier to use so I've gone back to water and Dawn. Thanks for your video. I’ll try upping the Dawn ratio and see if I can find a ration where no crust ring forms. Anyone that shoots a .36 that cares to comment, I'm all ears.

@lelonbond6682 2 weeks ago

i shot a lot of black powder years ago we had patches in our mouth and wet patched with them it wiped the bore with every shot and you could shoot till you got tired.

@ralphperez4862 13 days ago

Very Very Cool. Thanks Man!

@Said-d5d1x 2 weeks ago

Thank you! This is a great idea and I'm off to try it!

@JoelSavoy-x4v 2 weeks ago

Great video! Thank you!

@Mosin33596 11 days ago

Trappers pure mink oil is my favorite patch lube, a dry patch in my mouth while I load is fine for plinking, but for best accuracy I use the mink oil. Plus it won’t freeze or leach into the powder when hunting

@mr.somebody1493 2 weeks ago

There is a science behind these...Once you understand it , you'll never buy a patch lubricant or cleaning solution ever again.

@stephenhausheer8206 13 days ago

+1 on the 50/50 dish washing liquid and water 👌

@luckynorm100 12 days ago

good stuff/info

@markchabot3684 12 days ago

I've been shooting muzzleloaders for about 40 years. I don't care how easy it is to clean. It HAS to be accurate. That being said spit patches have always been the most accurate in my rifles and pistols. I've tried every concoction you can think of. Yes some of them make cleaning easier but accuracy is paramount.

@lancewhite4806 2 weeks ago

I've tried various patcg lube. From my experience, you can't beat a spot patch . This is in above freezing weather. If your shooting/hunting in extreme cold situations I go to mink oil.

@Lee.K91725 10 days ago

Funny that everyone thinks Dawn is some magic soap. Dish soap is dish soap. And yes, the original Hoppes No. 9 Plus black powder solvent was amazing stuff. You could shoot all day and never swab. Thicker than the new Hoppes BP cleaner but that works at the range too.