Stuck on the barrel - my first black powder shooting incident

It's one of those "faux pas" that most on the MLAIC community says "It will never happen to me - I'll always follow the procedures, and never skip any steps - that will only happy to losers". I was, in part at least, one of those "claimers". But today, December 26th, 2010, after two average match simulation training sessions (13 shots each, 87 / 100 on the first and 85 / 100 on the second), and while doing some "long range" testing (50 meter ISSF pistol target)... it happened... I got distracted (talking around, changing lanes, etc)... and I end up loading only cotton patch and lead ball - no powder, no corn semolina - only the "bullet". And so I end up facing the "nightmare" - a "stucked ball" on my .36" Billinghurst black power muzzle loader pistol...

Time to use the extraction tool... a long aluminium rod, topped with a wood handle, terminated by a brass "cap" where a steel screw is placed - it will then "drill" into the stuck lead ball and, with some effort, extract it to the outside of the barrel.

... just after extraction out of the barrel - cotton patch still attached

... cotton patch removed and the "pierced / screwed in" detail can be seen.
The steel screw went easly into the lead ball  - but to get the all set
from inside the barrel required some "smart use of muscle"

To screw into the stuck lead ball, with the steel screw "tool" on the aluminium and brass rod is, per se, a easy task - but to remove the all set from the barrel... it was another... ball game. Thanks to the help of my good old friend R.Vilhena the all thing was removed using a "smart approach" - hammer impacts on a piece of wood againts the wood handle of the removal rod.

... a piece of wood (a debris) found at the shoting range trashcan
proved priceless to help removing the extraction rod from the barrel

The hammer (aluminium handle and body, large plastic impact points - so no risk of damaging the pistol steel) and wood "trick" will provide short term but highly concentrated impact movements - that the "pull" approach is unable to generate. With those hard strokes (yes, some "graphical" jokes were made at the shooting range during this process) the removal was be made with minimal effort and in less than 2 minutes of "hammering out" work. Any attempt to remove the extraction rod by simply pulling it ... will only tire you (and add desperation).

The two "action photos" bellow are a "home reenactment " of the extraction process - for educational proposes (and yes I now have this 30 centimetres long piece of pine wood on my tool field set). 

 

Fire from the Billinghurst

... two "photo capture" moments, from the December 11th 2010 video of the "shooting première" with my german made black powder muzzle loader Billinghurst .36 precision pistol.

Video - Cleaning my Black Powder Muzzle Loading Precision Pistol

89 and 90 series on MLAIC Kuchenreuter class training

... spent part of today's morning, December 18th, 2010, at Carregueira's shooting range (Belas, Portugal) shooting my black powder muzzle loader precision pistol, a Billinghurst .36" caliber, custom made in Germany by Tilo Dedinski. 

I followed a "match simulation" routine, simulating two consecutive matches (13 shot series each)... Scoring follows the rule of the best 10 out of 13 shoots, with a maximum of 100 points, shooting at a precision ISSF 25 meter pistol target. I managed to score 89 / 100 on the 1st series and 90 / 100 on the 2nd series - I'm very happy with the results, in particular since I only have 50 shots with this new pistol.

My workbench - after a complete match training / simulation

I series - scored [111] 89 / 100

II series - scored [112] 90 / 100

My field notes on the 2 x 13 series...

... used cotton patches ("calapinos" in Portuguese)

Portuguese Book on Small Arms at The Peninsular War 1808-1814

Yesterday, December 16th, circa 19h00... at the Portuguese Military History Museum, near Sta. Apolónia, Lisbon... took place the national presentation event for a Portuguese book - " Small Arms at The Peninsular War 1808-1814 " (" Armamento Ligeiro da Guerra Peninsular, 1808-1814 "), by authors José António Faria, President of the Portuguese Napeolonic Association (" Associação Napoleónica Portuguesa ") e Silva and Jaime Ferreira Regalado (ISBN: 978-989-8070-52-4).

"Small Arms at The Peninsular War 1808-1814"
by J. Faria e Silva and J. Ferreira Regalado

... hand signed and personally dedicated by the authors.

Portuguese Shooting Federation 2010 Awards Ceremony

Last Sunday, December, 12th, 2010, at the Portuguese Air Force Association Restaurant, Lisbon, the Portuguese Shooting Federation held the ceremony for the 2010 Awards - where the medals for the National Championships, National Shooting Records and Master Shooter titles were awarded.

Master Shooter Award

"Mestre Atirador"

I got 5 awards - 2 as a individual and 3 as a team. Individually I got the silver medal for Benchrest 50 "Heavy Varmint" class and the "Master Shooter" title - this last one the highest shooting title that a civilian can be awarded in Portugal (yes, I'm very proud of it!). As a team member - along with fellow shooters from CPTPP -  I got the gold medal for Benchrest 50 "Heavy Varmint" (with A. Ramos and P. André), the silver medal for ISSF Standard 25 meter Pistol (with M. Miranda and M. Antão) and the bronze medal for ISSF Air Pistol 10 meter (with M. Miranda and F. Lopes Neto.

I dedicate my Master Shooter award to my good friend R. Vilhena - for all the personal friendship, technical support and overall shooting companionship. This award was achieved after scoring 245 / 250 on the Benchrest 50 Nationals last September.

from the left: C. Agria, S. Rita (Board of Directors - Federation) and P. Mateus

from the left: S. Rita, A. Churro (VP - Federation) and P. Mateus

... proud and happy holding the "Diploma"

... the "Master Shooter" ("Mestre Atirador) diploma

3rd place by Teams, HS2 division, ISSF 10m Air Pistol

2nd place by Teams, HS2 division, ISSF 25m Standard Pistol

And again - personal record broke on break barrel 10 meter air rifle

With 346 out of 400, yesterday morning, Dec. 11th 2010, at the 10 meter ISSF shooting range of C.D.A., Cascais, Portugal, on the 6th and final match of their year-long Tournament (final score made by the best 5 out of 6 matches) - I broke my previous record of 341 points at precision break barrel air rifle shooting.Yes!

The (personal record) series where 90, 83, 86 and 87 (out of 100) - even with one of the ever-present 5 points impact (a ghost that keeps hunting me). I feel a lot more confidant and "natural" with my shooting kit (HW 35 air rifle with custom Ginb stock fed with H&N Finale Match Pellets) and - thank you F. Lopes Neto, R. Vilhena and all others for the "coaching & tips" - "in sync" with all the changes on the shooting (feet) stance (no angle, no more then 40-50cms apart), back recoil pad height settings (lower) and, last but not least, on the "tune up" of the artillery hold (more "free recoil", less "hunter hold").

346 / 400, 7th place within 21 competitors at CDA 6th 2010 Tournament

... 5th overall on the "5 best matches out of 6"
CDA 2010 Tournament

Cleaning my black powder muzzle loader pistol

After the première of shooting session with my Billinghurst pistol - my first ever black powder muzzle loader pistol - it comes the task of cleaning (or shall we say literally wash it up).

First the pistol is taken a part by removing a single punch pin from left to right that holds the barrel to the trigger and grip (and "opening" the under hammer so that it is no longer in contact with the nipple and thereby releasing all contact with the barrel).

Next steps, around the hot water sink, are simple - remove the nipple with the appropriate key (provided by the pistols manuf.)...

... close up detail on the residue accumulation around the nipple

... detail on the just removed nipple (removal tool on top)
The white residue comes from
protective teflon tape applied to the screw sectiion

... and start washing the barrel (already without the nipple) under (very) hot water and with a tiny bit of window / dish detergent. A used tooth brush and a smoking pipe cleaner tool will come in handy to remove residues. Keep water flowing (be generous, and keep it as hot as possible for you to stand) until it comes clean and no more black stuff is present.

Using a .22 brush and cotton swabs it's a great help to reach the inner section of the "powder funnel" - and then proceed with dry cotton patches to remove all excess water from the barrel. Last but not least, use a hair dryer on maximum heat and make sure you get the barrel all dry. Same clean and dry procedure should apply to the nipple (be careful - do not lose it on the sink - use a protective drain tight grid). A tiny bit of teflon tape should be applied to the nipple screw - to avoid the heat and residues from ignition to damage / obstruct extraction.

Final touches should involve a lightly oiled (I prefer Balistol) patch running to trough the barrel... and, after reassembling the all kit for safe storage, to oil it on the outside for protection.

Premiere with my own black powder muzzle load match pistol

Today, Saturday, 11th December 2010, along with fellow club member P. André (and later, at the range, with the company and wisdom of M. Cruz), I made it - my "première" shooting my own black powder muzzle load match pistol - a custom made Tilo Dedinski Billinghurst under hammer in .36" caliber.

Using loads of 10 grains, I made a total of 20 shots (from first ever "sight in" - up to a mini match simulation) - and the last sequence of today's shots - a 5 impact series ("match simulation"), scored 47 / 50 ! Overall I was deeply impressed with both the pistol and my skill - almost no horizontal shift... and verticals all in a very decent and "predictable" range.

Air Rifle Sunday - HW 35 and Diana 66 Training

Today, December 5th, I took my "recordist" HW 35 (Ginb stocked) and my "vintage collectable" Diana 66 for training at Jamor ISSF 10 meter shooting range. Some videos of the training session bellow (my fellow Club member, F. Lopes Neto, took the Diana 66 for a "trial run" while I video documented it in action).

The HW 35 and my shooting stance (with some great tips from F. Lopes Neto - keep feet closer, keep muscles tighter, lower gravity center on the back) are all on a great moment - a "demo match" during today's training session granted me 339 / 400 points (series of 89, 82, 82, and 86 (/100) - with 84 on the "sight in" series) - just 4 points lower then my new personal record from yesterday.

My first loads for muzzle loader competition

With my "muzzle loader / black powder enabler diploma" obtained after Portuguese Shooting Federation  MLAIC official training and certification last February, and with my fully custom Billinghurst pistol delivered last June, I started today, December 4th, the first loads for the première shooting I expect to perform (over a training session) within the next coming weeks (before year's end).

My diploma for muzzle loader and black powder
handling and shooting  (Portuguese), February 2010

Across the last months I've been procuring and stocking all the required supplies and tools - in particular Eppendorf laboratory tubes (safe and resistant plastic, strong lid cover, single handed operation), appropriate funnel (from the "micro" perfume refill segment), measure tools (for both "size load" and "weight load" - double check standards are never to much safety for the subject at hand) storage cases and, of course, the "raw materials" - black powder (FFF) and corn semolina .

First task was to test measure and weight for the FFF black powder loads - the Billinghurst manufacturer, Tilo Dedinski, recommends a load between 10 to 12 grains (I will stock with the lower value). I used Lee Precision Inc. reload measure tool for 0,70 cc (according to Lee's included documentation "matrix") and my digital precision scale to cross check all items.

Lee Precision Inc. "slide" matrix for
measure tool size versus grains weight

"Eppendorf" laboratory tubes and "micro" perfume funnel

0,70 CC Lee Presion Inc. measure tool "re-tested"
with digital precision scale.

Next task... to measure the same weight (and naturally ending up with a much higher volume) for the corn semolina - where the Lee tool for 1,00 cc was just the right one. Once again double checking weight with the precision digital scale.

... side by side black powder and corn
- same weigth (10 grains), but approx. double volume for the corn

MTM transport cases "refactored" from standard rifle ammo standards (with appropriate "safety" labels, and a "custom" extra padding from the spares of my Peli transport cases) and a overview of my working desktop.