Buying a used Muzzleloader?? ALWAYS check the bore, here's why

[jaguarxk120]

Many of the CVA's used a unique breach plug/ drum setup.

The drum was threaded into the breach plug from the side of the barrel and had to be removed first, then the actual breach plug can be unscrewed from the barrel.

[deerslayer303]

Well I got the ball pulled out. Man I almost ruptured a Corpuscle pulling that thing out. The patch looked deteriorated so i think that load had been in there a while. I got it all cleaned up and from what I can tell the barrel looks good after a good scrubbing. I have to tell ya the unbreakable CVA range rod with the wood T handle gets my respect it held together, I'm not a little fella and I was putting everything I had to get that ball moving. My friend has backed out and doesn't want the Plainsman, So I guess I have two of them now PARTS RIFLE

[FrontierGander]

should have put a little oil down the bore first and let it soak into the patch. Makes it a little easier.

I bought a renegade once that had a load in it. For the live of me, I could not get that sucker out no matter what I tried.

Strapped it to a lead sled I had at the time, 20 foot string around the trigger and me hiding behind the wood shed. BOOM! Easiest way to unload that rifle!

[Dragonflydf]

Here is a easy way to unload a muzzlestuffer. I bought a Cabellas Hawkins that had a ram rod broken off inside, 2 different people spent several hours each trying to clear it, so needless to say, I got a "deal" it was actually free when I bought a shotgun he was selling. I wanted to Hawkins more than the shotgun.

Here is the trick, remove the cap nipple and replace it with a metric grease zerk fitting, use a grease gun and fill the barrel with grease, which will slowly and in control push the charge and ball, or barrel obstruction clear. When it is cleared, flush out the barrel and go shooting.

it took me less than 5 minutes to clear the Hawkins, the guy I bought it from could not figure out how I was out shooting it later that same day.

[TripleSe7en]

Happened to me also, buying on Ebay.

[mannyCA]

great post! gives us something to think about.

[brazosdave]

last summer, i bought my wife a inline off gunbroker, it was sold by a pawn shop in Colorado. (all we have are right hand sidelocks, she's a lefty and got tired of getting burnt, lol!). It had the old big musket cap nipple on it, so i ordered a 209 primer mod kit. When i was installing the new breech plug, lo and behold, it contained a couple pyrodex pellets sitting under a hornady sabot, lol! Hence the saying "a good soldier always checks his chamber", lol! Not all people who sell guns know guns, kinda like the little teenage girls that work at the auto parts store, they sure as hell weren't the old gearheads from my youth that you could describe something and old boy would tell ya exactly what was wrong, how to fix it, etc. Lol!

[KEYBEAR]

Years ago at a big Gun Show I picked up a used pump shotgun from a table full of use guns . First thing I did was to point it up and slide the bolt back .
It had a high brass load of 6,s in it . I ask the dealer to come look at the gun and he had a fit and accused me of putting the shell in the gun . He called security and it was an off duty cop . I ask him why I would load a shell in the gun than tell the dealer to look at it and next time I will just set it back down if that was better .

[Pahoo]

Recently at a local gun show, I was checking out an M/L off a dealer's rack. This dealer always carries a bunch of M/L's. I kept good muzzle control and dropped my bore light down, to take a look. It looking a little dirty and when I slid my light back out, I not only got my light, but a few grains. Just thought it was dirt and then that little bell in my head, went off. Proceeded to do my load check and sure enough, more powder came out. Crushed it and smelled it and it was BP. Informed the dealer and he just about crapped his pants. Later found out that it was loaded but he didn't go into much detail .....

Be Safe !!!

[stagpanther]

I know some BP guys knock modern in-lines--but with mine all I have to do is pull the breech plug, dump the charge and the bullet is pretty much inert and can be easily pushed out the breech end. I assume this is not an option with more traditional ML's?

My impact came with shot residue in both the barrel and breech plug--yet both the manufacturer and retailer swore it was impossible they had anything to do with it being in that condition. Sorta like the immaculate conception--nowadays I seriously believe that when someone says "new in box" it means the box is new and there's something in it. LOL

[deerslayer303]

With sidelock ML'S you can't easily remove the breech plug. Like you can with an Inline.

[FrontierGander]

Traditions has a sidelock with removable breech plug.

Most traditional muzzys you dont have to remove the breech plug. Just pump warm soapy water through it and it washes all the corrosive fouling away. Not hard.

[maillemaker]

All muzzle loaders have a breech plug, but it usually requires a special wrench and care with a vice to remove it. It's not necessary for removing a fouled bullet except in the most extreme of cases.

Steve

[wogpotter]

I wouldn't suggest that with any of the CVA's, or anything with a drum breech. They specifically forbid it in the manual.