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ok, got a smoke pole

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JW_Halverson:
Run the "dry ball test" I told you about earlier.  Then look closely at your patches.  If there are any cuts, nicks, or tears in the fabric then you know your rifling is sharp (a real common situation with new barrels).   

Another thing to do is take a bit of your patching and put a match to it.  If you get nothing but ash, then it is all cotton.  If there is any residue that is crumbly, burnt plastic then you have a blended material and they never hold up no matter how well the barrel is lapped and shined.

Jeweller's rouge mixed with your chosen lube will also lap your barrel smooth, too.

WOODSLORE:
Halverson, No I do not unfortunately, but in quite a few paintings of real mountain men I see a long strip of thin canvas like material hanging from the stap of possible bags that closely resembles pillow ticking.

JW_Halverson:

--- Quote from: WOODSLORE on September 17, 2010, 03:56:05 pm ---Halverson, No I do not unfortunately, but in quite a few paintings of real mountain men I see a long strip of thin canvas like material hanging from the stap of possible bags that closely resembles pillow ticking.

--- End quote ---

I'm always interested in the artwork of a period just as much as the written accounts because it shows many things that are just not mentioned...for instance, how clothing or accessories are worn.  One thing I learned about colonial times that went unprinted was the wearing of a belt around pants that didn't have belt loops.  Woodslore, could you send me a list of those paintings and the artists?  Some of the stuff gleaned off paintings is pure gold for a historical re-enactor.

And back on subject...smokepoles, that is.  Yesterday I unlimbered "The Fat Lady".  She's a Pedersoli double barreled caplock 10 ga. 90 grains of FFg down each with an equal volume measure of #5 lead shot.  Got off 4 rounds at some sharptail grouse and came home to clean the gun only.  Sometimes you eat the bear.....

Knocker:
I use a left handed flinter myself.  I believe a bore on a blackpowder rifle is similar to a good frying pan - it needs to be seasoned.  I clean mine as described above with as hot of water as I can handle, and when it's clean I let it sit inverted for a few minutes for the heat to evaporate the moisture.  Then I use "Bore Butter" instead of a petroleum product to protect the metal from rust.  When I shoot, I just keep the next patch in my mouth and load with the spit patch.  I usually don't have to clean a barrel between shots, but will sometimes run a cleaning patch every 25 shots or so...

HTH,
Keith

Grunt:
If you are shooting a single ragged hole at twentyfive yards you have the right balance of grains of powder, patching thickness, and ball diameter. If you are getting occasional flyers hunt some of your shot patches out in front of you. They should be intact with no blow outs and a nice golden burnt brown. It takes a little fine tuning to get everything just right. My .25 gets fed 17 grains of 3F, a .010 ticking patch and .244 ball.

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