How to Load & Clean a Muzzleloader

Muzzleloaders are early weapons that have given way to modern day high-powered rifles. Muzzleloaders are guns that are charged with black powder and have thick, rifled barrels. They are normally fired with a percussion cap or flint and steel lock. The term muzzleloader comes from the fact that these weapons are loaded from the end of the barrel, or the muzzle, by hand. Muzzleloaders are just as powerful and accurate as their high-velocity counterparts if used correctly, but loading and cleaning these weapons is a bit of a different story.

Things You'll Need

• Cleaning kit (rod, cleaning solution, swabs, gun oil)
• Ammunition (caps, bullets, powder, ramrod, powderhorn, flashpan powder)

Instructions

Loading

1. Stand the gun upright with the gunbutt on the top of your foot. Measure out your blackpowder with the powderhorn and then carefully pour the powder into the barrel.

2. Lay a cloth patch on top of the muzzle hole and then lay a bullet on top of the patch. Use the ramrod to push the ball and patch all the way down the barrel until it "seats" on top of the powder.

3. Lift the muzzleloader up and place a cap on the percussion nipple or pour some flashpan powder into the lock and close the lid. Cock the hammer, take aim at your target, and squeeze the trigger to fire.

Cleaning

1. Disassemble the gun and stock by pushing out the latchpin midway down the stock with your finger. Slide the pin out and pull the barrel out of the stock.

2. Wipe down the stock with cleaning solution and gun oil. Use the swabs with a bit of cleaning solution on them to clean the lock.

3. Attach a swab to the end of the cleaning rod and soak it with cleaning solution. Swab the inside of the barrel two to three times and change the swab, resoaking with cleaning solution. Repeat this process until the swab comes out without any discoloration.

4. Reassemble the gun by placing the barrel back in the stock and pushing the latchpin back in place. Store in a cool dry area until use.

Tips & Warnings

• The cleaning solution is highly flammable. Make sure that the gun is unloaded and you are away from any ignition sources before you begin cleaning.

Resources

• Purchase muzzleloading supplies and cleaning accessories here.