The Shootin Iron

Dec. 01, 2005 By Steve Osborn

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The Black Powder Cowboy
Shoots A Match

Written by: Steve Osborn

Keepin' yer black powder guns workin' for a whole cowboy match is as important for the black powder cowboy as keepin' yer saddle on straight is durin' round-up. I've seen many a black powder shootist step up to the line and drop the hammer on a cap with the worst of results....silence. Cartridge shooters who prefer to fill the case with the black stuff are not immune to black powder peculiarities. More than once, I've seen a shooter makin' smoke, and suddenly have the cylinder bind from fouling, unable to complete the course of fire. By paying attention to a few details, you can keep them smoke wagons workin' all day. Let's face it, during a cowboy match, we probably shoot more black powder in a day than the cowboys of old did during a year. First, make sure your pistols are ready before you leave home. I begin by thoroughly degreasing my pistols with something like Gunscrubber or Gunk-Out, which flushes out all protective lubes and evaporates, leaving no residue. On my cap n' ball revolvers, I remove the nipples, and using a pipe cleaner dipped in denatured alcohol, I wipe the inside of the nipple completely. Once dry, the nipple is visually inspected to make sure the opening is completely clear. Every surface that makes contact with other metal is wiped with a patch soaked with Gunscrubber. Before the cylinders are replaced, I cock the hammer and drop a little Breakfree on the trigger and hammer pin, and work the action a bit to spread it around. When I shoot cap n' ball, I find that nothin' keeps me shootin' all day like Pennzoil 705 Multi-Purpose White Grease. I put a dab on the threads of the nipples before replacing them (be careful not to get any in the nipple). Makes it easy to get 'em out at the end of the day. I also coat, liberally, the cylinder pin. I find that the white grease acts as a seal, keeping powder fouling off of the pin, allowing it to rotate freely all day long! On cartridge pistols, I coat the cylinder pin and bearing surfaces of the cylinder with a little break free, adding a drop or two between stages to the same areas. Now I'm at the match and shootin' away. I seldom, if ever, have to remove the barrel from my cap n' ball pistols since I started using the Pennzoil grease. I will punch out the bore about mid-match but that's it. Before loading each time, I use a nipple pick (a piece of stiff wire) inside each nipple to ensure it is not obstructed. On my cartridge guns, I find that fouling is more of a problem. About every two stages, I remove the cylinder, and with a brass toothbrush saturated in Ol' Thunder Blackpowder Solvent, I brush the cylinder face and the entire inside of the pistol frame. Takes about 60 seconds, and I wipe it all dry with a towel. With a round nylon brush, I soak it in the Ol' Thunder and quickly brush out the cylinder chambers and bore. I have another cleaning rod already handy and use a patch or two to dry em' out. Another drop or two of Breakfree, and it's shootin' time again. The whole cleaning process only takes about 3 or 4 minutes, and I have never had a pistol fail to function. I will repeat the process two or three times during a match and just before leaving at the end of the day (makes the final clean up a snap!). Make sure you bring a pair of needle nose pliers if you shoot cap n' ball, and for the rare occasion when a cap falls into your lockworks (and someday it will), a good set of screwdrivers to remove the trigger guard and grip frame is a necessity. I should mention that when I shoot cap n' ball, I use an over powder felt grease wad, and after seating the ball, I use a commercial grease patch squeezed right from the tube to seal the ball. This dual lube approach keeps foulin' soft and yer pistol shootin' straight on, in addition to reducing the chance of a chain-fire. A final word about The Original Ol'Thunder Blackpowder Solvent. It's made by Ol'Thunder Mfg, 3120 John Olsen Ave, #27301, Hillsboro, OR 97124, phone 503-690-0503. At $4.75 a quart retail, it can't be beat! I pour it into one of the wife's plant misting spray bottles, and spray it on everything that I clean with or needs cleanin'! It's a light blue color, almost odorless, and cleans like a champ. Only place I've found it is in Sisters, OR, so ya might want to give em' a holler. My rifles are far less finicky. I flush em' out with Gunscrubber like the pistols prior to the match. A couple of drops of Breakfree on all bearing surfaces (not too much, ya don't want to soak your stock in any oil). Not all match stages require a rifle, so I punch the bore with a little Ol'Thunder after each use to maintain accuracy. That's it. With a little preparation before a match, and a little cleanin' during, your equipment ought to function like new, all day long. Adios for now amigos.