V. M. Starr is one of my heroes for several reasons but putting his spitter in-line with the muzzle of his loaded shotgun was not one of them. He was here and gone before my time but we disagree about 3f, too. Bill C. is also a hero of mine and a personal friend but I disagree with his sometimes blowing down the barrel. I expect the NMLRAs rule against blowing down the barrel is a relatively recent rule. Recent in the history of muzzle loading guns. The fact remains it is an unnecessary and dangerous habit. If you really want to help assure that nothing is still glowing inside the barrel before pouring the next powder charge down, wipe the bores with a damp patch. That's what I do, after every shot. Makes it load like a clean barrel, as well. You don't need the wet fiber cleaning wad then. This is an extra operation, an extra component to buy and carry, it adds a small amount to recoil and sometimes messes up the center of the pattern. One thing Mr. Starr and I DO agree on. You only need a cardboard wad over the powder and the thin one over the shot.
Last edited by Jim Legg; 02/01/07 11:57 AM.
