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Getting Ready for my Blue Ridge Rifle

19K views 128 replies 20 participants last post by  austinjoe13 
#1 ·
I've decided to hold off on my target bow this year in lieu of a muzzleloader. The one I have picked out is a Pedersoli Blue Ridge rifle. I'm opting for the .50cal percussion model. I have handled a few different rifles--Hawken, Kentucky, and inlines to name a few.
Product Beige Tan Sword

The blue ridge is what holds best for me. I'm wanting this rifle for plinking and deer hunting. I could care less that the max charge is only 80grs of BP. I plan on being as close to game as I would with a bow. That has been happening a lot to me this season.

So far, I have a box of .490 balls, patches, powder horn and measure, and some cleaning stuff. Some of this I already had my 45cal Kentucky pistol. I still need a long aluminum or composite ram rod (I'd like to not use the wooden one if I don't have to), some conicals/sabots to try (Hornady Plains bullets have caught my eye, and also the Barnes Expander MZ sabots with the big HP), and preferably real FFg black powder. I'll get some FFg equivalent for goofing around, but I think I'd like real BP for hunting.

Anyways, I will keep updating this thread as I go.
 
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#35 ·
I worked my $200 order down to $100. For now, I will be sticking with round balls. I'll buy some conicals later on. I rounded off my Cabela's order to a nice possibles bag, and my Track of the Wolf order was the big one. I ordered a delrin ramrod that I'll cut it down to size and stick a brass tip with an 8-32 female end--the preinstalled end is 10-24. I also ordered a ball puller, leather lacing, and a breech scraper. I will shoot it over Christmas break at my grandparents' house :)
 
#36 ·
I have the stock stripped and hanging in the furnace room to let the linseed oil dry. I want that beautiful walnut to shimmer and shine. Above all, I want it sealed up from the moisture while I hunt.

In the meantime, I have adjusted the set trigger down to the lightest I can possibly set it without accidentally discharging. I'll test it again once it's in the stock, but I think it is good to go.

I am eagerly waiting to go out and shoot it!
 
#37 ·
I pieced together a little rifle kit tonight in a 5.11 tactical bag I had laying around. Round balls, powder and measure, cleaning stuff, it's all in there. I call it the Black Tac Sack. It has a secret pouch for a little .31 Colt or my Glock 36 :)

Brown Bag Costume accessory Headgear Beige


I have not quite decided on a nice leather possibles bag to get. This 5.11 is much too big, and I have a whole pound of powder and a whole box of balls in there, even. I'll have to work the kit down in size. It's only for hunting, anyways. Instead of a powder flask, I'll have some of the Blackhorn 209 powder fill tubes. Once I use enough caps, I'll use the tin as a patch box. Then all I'll have to do is grab an empty chew tin from a buddy for the patch lube.

Once I down a deer with this rifle, I'd like to tan its hide (some leather, some hair-on) and make my own possibles bag.

I'm thinking I'll head home this weekend and shoot it instead of waiting until Christmas. The weather is supposed to be fairly mild—well, Minnesota mild, anyways. I just want to dink around for a bit.
 
#38 ·
My package from Track of the Wolf came today. I should have ordered a 3/8" instead of the 5/16". I didn't expect it to be so floppy, either. It will work for now.

I rammed a ball down the barrel to test out the ball puller. I definitely do not want to have to do that again.

I picked up a small fanny pack today to use as a possibles bag. I could still use something smaller, but it is a lot better than the 5.11 bag. I can wear this around my front like a batman utility belt of black powder stuff.
 
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#39 ·
I went out shooting this morning. I started my powder charges at 50gr of pyrodex select and worked up to 80gr. My POI went from 4.5" low to 2.5" low at 20yds... So, not very good.

I lined up my sights and lifted my head until the front sight post was lined up with the previous shots. It ended up with the post right in the middle of the buckhorns, so it was a pretty easy sight picture to aquire—almost like a ghost ring. My next shot landed half an inch high.

I backed off to 50yds and put a decent group just right of the bull's eye. There was another guy at the range wanting to shoot his inline at 200yds, so I got my 243 on paper quick and packed up to move back.

Colorfulness Circle


He gave me some pointers on muzzle loading, though I think I had already read a couple of those tricks. He was pretty cool to talk with, anyways.

As for Pyrodex—I think I will try Triple Se7en powder. There was very little smoke, but holy fouling. One spit soaked patch cleaned the bore enough for easy loading, but there was a ton of crap at the breech. That must be why I started getting hang fires as I kept shooting. I'm glad I invested the $3 or whatever for a bore scraper. I just need a 10-32 bore brush, now.
 
#43 ·
I did get my order of bullets last week. The maxies weigh about 380gr, and the minies weigh 365gr. I'd like to get some lighter maxies before I go all out with testing.

I checked the bore the other night and saw there was a little rust forming. I swabbed it out and got some TC No13 bore cleaner and cleaned it well. Then, I boiled a pot of water and poured it all down the barrel to heat it up. I ran several bore butter patches through it hoping to get a seasoning started. I rubbed it into the bluing of the barrel, too. Hopefully that will stop any new rust from forming.
 
#47 ·
It has been way too cold for me to shoot as much as I had planned for this weekend. Today's high was -5F, and so is tomorrow's. I was hoping to do a little accuracy testing with the Triple 7 powder. Oh, well.

I did go for a nice walk through my grandparents' tree groves the other day when it was 20F. This rifle is so nice to carry. While the length makes it kind of awkward, the balance point being dead center made up for that. Maneuvering through brush and branches was almost dance-like.

I never put the rifle down because I was tired; only to take a look through the binocs. I ended up discharging the shot on an old soup can. That CCI #11mag cap lit up the pyrodex immediately.

I received some blackpowder stuff for Christmas, too. My sister got me a pound of Triple 7 FFg and more CCI magnum caps. My grandparents gave me a gift card which I used for an order of stuff,with the most important item being a cap magazine. That'll free up some space in my belt bag.

I think I will be buying a casting pot, too. By buying some cheap lead shot, I could cast balls for less than four cents a piece. I'll also get a conical mold once I decide on a type and weight. I ordered some Hornady Great Plains bullets to try, also. If I like those, I'll just plan on buying them since they're so cheap.
 
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#48 ·
It has been way too cold for me to shoot as much as I had planned for this weekend. Today's high was -5F, and so is tomorrow's. I was hoping to do a little accuracy testing with the Triple 7 powder. Oh, well.

I did go for a nice walk through my grandparents' tree groves the other day when it was 20F. This rifle is so nice to carry. While the length makes it kind of awkward, the balance point being dead center made up for that. Maneuvering through brush and branches was almost dance-like.

I never put the rifle down because I was tired; only to take a look through the binocs. I ended up discharging the shot on an old soup can. That CCI #11mag cap lit up the pyrodex immediately.

I received some blackpowder stuff for Christmas, too. My sister got me a pound of Triple 7 FFg and more CCI magnum caps. My grandparents gave me a gift card which I used for an order of stuff,with the most important item being a cap magazine. That'll free up some space in my belt bag.

I think I will be buying a casting pot, too. By buying some cheap lead shot, I could cast balls for less than four cents a piece. I'll also get a conical mold once I decide on a type and weight. I ordered some Hornady Great Plains bullets to try, also. If I like those, I'll just plan on buying them since they're so cheap.
I go to scrap yards to buy lead.
80 cents a lb for pure here
 
#49 ·
Couple of technical questions for ya Jason...

Was the pillowcase pure silk or silk finished polyester? It makes a difference in terms of burning rates, fumes and residue in the barrel. I realize it was a long time ago, but if it was real silk, you'd remember it smelling like fish when you got it wet. :)
Wet silk undergarments?
Ah
The bittersweet memories
The smell of my misspent youth
 
#50 ·
I got some 300gr Barnes Expander MZ's today. These are what I'd like to hunt with. They have a big gaping hollow point cavity, and their expansion is supposed to be just under an inch. They're designed for the lower velocities of a muzzle loader, too.

I also grabbed a pound of Triple 7 FFFg powder to try. If I don't get good results from it, I can still use it in my Kentucky pistol. It'll be a while until I can get out shooting again. It's going to be cold for a while.
 
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#52 ·
777 likes 209 primers but it's a fabulous propellant.
Goex Black powder is my go-to for #11 caps.
You may have great ignitions... Please tell us of your results.
My long rifle likes balls only as twist is 1:66"
View attachment 88755
Triple 7 has worked well for me, so far. I've been using the CCI #11 magnum caps, and they have been working well. I'll be doing some more testing this weekend.
 
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#53 ·
Looks like I need to get some lighter bullets to try. Sabots are off the table, now. The Barnes keyholed at 50 yards. Plus, it took me about five minutes to seat it...

Text Colorfulness Parallel Circle Rectangle


So far round balls are the rifle's prefered projectile.
 
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#54 ·
I put a few rounds through the BR today. Those paper cartridges I made gave me one heck of a hang fire. I handed it to a buddy to shoot, and tood him how to use the set trigger. He did it, then was a bit surprised at how light I have it set. I brought the rifle into work with me to quick swab and test the trigger pull. The first pull was 6.8oz. I moved the finger to the very end of the trigger and got down to 4.1oz. As unsafe as that sounds, the rifle does not go off when bumped. It's set as light as it would go without going off inadvertently.
 
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#55 ·
I made some smoke today. I got some Hornandy PA Conicals to try. They're a 240gr domed and hollow base slug. They look kind of like a foster slug, but they're not that hollow. They seemed to shoot well over 80gr of FFFg Triple 7. The barrel stayed a heck of a lot cleaner, too. I forgot my little shoot'n'see spots, so I had trouble seeing the bullseye at 50 yards. I may also swap the rear buckhorn sight out for an adjustable model.
 
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#57 ·
I broke out the front stuffer today. Boy, was it nasty! The nipple was rusted closed, and I also can't remove it at the moment. There was a bit of scale around the drum, and the breech. A bronze brush took care of it. As for the nipple, I will need to replace it. I ended up drilling it out with a 1/16" bit, and that is just too big. 50gr charges with a round ball were good, but the heavier loads and conicals would blow the hammer back to half-cock. I must have put 15 shots through it, anyways. The rifle's all cleaned and lubed and is currently sitting in a corner.

The next trip out with it will be a bit more serious. I'll have a file for the front sight, a hammer and punch, and actual targets.
 
#61 ·
I’ve bought a few things from Track of the Wolf great place!
I just bought some Ballistol for the first time myself. Have always just used either Hoppe’s black powder cleaner or Thompson’s number 13.
Although I have always used Hoppe’s products for my regular guns, the Thompson’s stuff seems to work pretty good for my Muzzleloader.
 
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#63 ·
That seems to be the general consensus, what about any water getting between the stock and barrel?
I saw a guy rigged up some sort of flush deal, but still the residue needs to be cleaned around the outside of the barrel and nipple area, and it would seem some of that water would get down between the barrel and stock there...well it does because I have removed the barrel after 6-8 months to do a more detailed clean of my Colonial pistol and stuff was all in there between the stock and barrel.
 
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#64 ·
I take the lock off and clean it in a pan of warm water with a old tooth brush and blow dry(no water going between the wood-barrel) and use a damp cloth to clean around the cone or touch hole. if you can take the barrel off, so much the better to clean. after dry lightly oil with your favorite lube. I can completly clean a TC muzzle loader in 15-20 minutes at most, my pedersolie blue ridge flint lock takes a little longer as it does not use keys to hold the barrel in.
 
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