Wondering what i need for cleaning and shooting a .50 caliber Renegade Hunter?

[Red Badger]

I'll add my two cents worth here... when looking at items you think you might need there are a variety of sites out there for supplies, for example I got my range rod from October country, and my nicest forn from Stumblin Wolf,(one of the members here).  Powder measures etc can be found here by various people and Rev is a great source of information and items (If he does not  deal in the item he can tell you where to get it!)

Look, read, and then ask here about anyone you want to deal with.  The membership will as you can see have their own ideas about almost everything, but you will have a wealth of information to sift through to help you make an educated decision.

As for the push button pour spout as was mentioned earlier... IMHO safety is a primary condsideration and I have seen an individual walk by me with his horn/flask tipped down and pouring out a trail of powder.... not good!

Also you asked about total breakdown of the rifle - I break my rifle down after every envent I go to and clean and oil everything...  during the events I go to (usually 3-5 day events) I use boiling water and dawn dish soap to clean the barrel without disassebling the internal parts (my main rifle is pinned not wedged) but if I am having a sticky lock or trigger trouble I am prepared to take them all apart at the event.  I shoot a lot here at the home camp and so I use sweet oil (common vegitable or olive oil straight from the bottle) to lubricate my rifles... If you are not going to use them for a month or so this may not be a good idea as it will gum up after a time....

[isaacdavis1214]

Thanks Red Badger,i had no idea some members on here deal in Black Powder items.I'd rather buy some of the stuff i need from people on this board than online companies.I think either the Oil or WD-40 will be alright,if i have anything to say about it i'm gonna shoot my rifle once every week (i wish more).

[William]

Thanks Red Badger,i had no idea some members on here deal in Black Powder items.I'd rather buy some of the stuff i need from people on this board than online companies.I think either the Oil or WD-40 will be alright,if i have anything to say about it i'm gonna shoot my rifle once every week (i wish more).

By all means buy what you need from the folks here that make them, I posted the links so that you could see what was being referred to, not to get you to purchase from that particular dealer, although things like the range rod might only be available that way.

[Dogshirt]

I personally have had good results with Hoppe's Elite gun oil. It SEEMS a bit epensive when you look at the
price, but I have used the same 2 oz bottle for a over year, on multiple guns, inside AND out, and am just
now getting ready to buy another.
Hoppe's has been around for ever, and their products are great. Some of their new generation of products
are even more so!

[Rocklock]

Good info here but I went back to the original post where it says "i am buying a .50 cal Renegade Hunter Rifle' and have a question.  Is this barrel a 1/45 twist TC Renegade barrel or a 1/28 twist TC or GM drop in Hunter barrel?  If the latter, the barrel will probably shoot bullets or conicals better than patched round ball.
Good Luck
TC

[William]

Good info here but I went back to the original post where it says "i am buying a .50 cal Renegade Hunter Rifle' and have a question.  Is this barrel a 1/45 twist TC Renegade barrel or a 1/28 twist TC or GM drop in Hunter barrel?  If the latter, the barrel will probably shoot bullets or conicals better than patched round ball.
Good Luck TC

If I remember correctly, the Renegade barrel is a 1:48 twist but I don't know what kind of rifling TC used so it may shoot both well or have a preference for RB only.

[Rocklock]

My 1/45 was a typo that should have been 1/48.  I only knew of a TC Renegade barrel with 1/48 twist.  Never heard of a "Renegade Hunter".  But TC may have made em.  If so what is the twist?  And if a GM "Hunter" it is 1/28 twist.  What is the twist? 

1/48 TC barrels with relatively shallow grooves made by button rifling will shoot RBs OK but usually with moderate powder charges in .50 bores.  In my experience, not many fast twist barrels with shallow rifling will shoot well with RBs unless they are smaller bore like .32 or .36.
TC

[William]

Yes, it has a 1:48 twist rate and with the shallow cut rifling should be quite accurate with the right conical as well as PRB with a powder charge of between 70-90 grains, but each rifle is an individual and half the fun is finding out it's likes and dislikes.

[isaacdavis1214]

Thanks everybody,i only plan to shoot 50 grains of black powder per shot since i am just target shooting and not from that far away.Would keeping the container of powder 20-30 feet away from the gun and taking the powder measure that far away to fill it safe?If so i will stay away from buying a flask for now.Since Renegade is nice enough to send me a Jag with the gun i am going to buy a range/cleaning rod (are they the same thing?) to save my ram rod.And buy some cleaning brushes along with pre lubed patches,caps,cleaning patches,WD-40 or some type of storage lube,and balls and i should be good to go.Along with a powder measure and powder of course,what should i use to wipe the outside of the gun to prevent rust?Would any gun oil work?

[William]

Thanks everybody,i only plan to shoot 50 grains of black powder per shot since i am just target shooting and not from that far away.Would keeping the container of powder 20-30 feet away from the gun and taking the powder measure that far away to fill it safe?If so i will stay away from buying a flask for now.Since Renegade is nice enough to send me a Jag with the gun i am going to buy a range/cleaning rod (are they the same thing?) to save my ram rod.And buy some cleaning brushes along with pre lubed patches,caps,cleaning patches,WD-40 or some type of storage lube,and balls and i should be good to go.Along with a powder measure and powder of course,what should i use to wipe the outside of the gun to prevent rust?Would any gun oil work?

You should start with 50 grains but learn how to work up the best load for your rifle as I suspect you will need a bit more powder for best accuracy.  Why buy cleaning brushes?  I think that you will be fine using cleaning patches on the jag with the soap and water method.  If you have a spout for your powder can that allows you to fill the powder measure safely away from the firing line then I think you will be alright, just be careful.  Now, a matter of personal opinion.  WD-40 does fine for cleaning things like the inside of your lock and other places that fouling can build up or removing water from a gun that you've dunked in the lake but for lubrication and rust prevention there are much better things.  Good old Remington oil does fine, as does Hoppes, Barricade (my favorite) and similar products.  Just a few drops of oil on a cleaning patch swabbed in the bore should do, then use the same on all metal parts.  The trick is in not overdoing it in the bore because any leftover oil will combine with the next fresh powder charge and render it inert, that is why you should swab the bore with a cleaning patch dampened with alcohol before each new range session which will remove any excess oil.

[Hawken50]

I second William.WD40 is a great moisture displacer but not so hot a lubricant.Ballistol works great.But so does the natural patch lubes.Any more i just clean with water and oil up every thing with either tc bore butter or young coutry when i can find it.You'll notice over time bore fouling will get easier to clean when using non petroleum based lube.

[William]

I think I need to point out that when referring to "lube" it means what is being put on the shooting patch (patched round ball-PRB) rather than what is being used to lubricate moving parts such as the inside of the lock.  When lubricating or preventing rust on the metal parts, use things like Rem Oil, Barricade, etc., but for lubing the shooting patch you use things like olive oil, olive oil & beeswax, etc.  Ballistol, which is mineral oil and other additives can be used both as a patch lube as well as a rust preventative and there are plenty of opinions as to using it for both.  I know the mountain men, pioneers and the like never had Rem Oil or Ballistol and used bear grease for everything but they didn't make their barrels from modern steel or select their stocks from kiln dried, quarter sawn woods either, so take advantage of technology when you can.

[isaacdavis1214]

I just assumed i would need brushes,but since i don't i am not going to buy them.I'm trying to save money but get everything that is needed,so WD-40 is basically good to spray in the barrel after you are finished cleaning the gun to dry up the water and to spray on the lock,or is WD-40 not necessary and you could use plain old rubbing alcohol in place of WD-40?After you have done that (and cleaned the gun with hot soapy water and patches of course) then you lubricate the bore and outside of the gun (including the nipple of the gun?) with Remington oil or Barristol?I believe i asked this earlier but i am about to leave for work.But should i remove the nipple of the gun everytime i clean?Or should i only remove the nipple after i have cleaned the bore,or does it matter when you remove it?

And of course before i shoot the gun i should run a patch soaked in alcohol (plain old rubbing alcohol i am assuming) to get the Barristol/Remington Oil out of the barrel.Just to make sure i am also going to swab the barrel 2-3 times with a dry patch and shoot 1-2 caps to make sure the nipple is clear.I am taking no chances lol,i believe that is everything.Besided buying a Range Rod (with a Muzzle protector?),potentially a flask if none of the Black Powder cans come with a pour spout,patches for cleaning and pre lubed ones for shooting,Barristol or Remington Oil,Alcohol,Nipple Wrench,Nipple Pick,and an Extra Nipple and Cleaning Jag,Ball Puller and Patch Puller,and Balls and i should be ready to go.Does that sound about right?Thanks once again everyone.

[William]

I just assumed i would need brushes,but since i don't i am not going to buy them.I'm trying to save money but get everything that is needed,so WD-40 is basically good to spray in the barrel after you are finished cleaning the gun to dry up the water and to spray on the lock,or is WD-40 not necessary and you could use plain old rubbing alcohol in place of WD-40?  Yes, rubbing alcohol will remove the powder fouling followed by Rem Oil, Ballistol, Barricade or whatever rust preventative you choose
Should i remove the nipple of the gun everytime i clean? Remove the nipple before you place the breech end into the soapy water and pump the water in and out with your range rod fitted with the jag and a cleaning patch.  You will see the water turn dark gray to from all the powder fouling that the pumping action removes.  Pour the dirty water out and replace with clean and give it a few more pumps, remove the barrel and carefully withdraw the rod.  Replace the cleaning patch a few times and them let it dry. Using warm to hot water will speed the drying, or you can use WD-40 to drive out the rest.  Then when it's all dry, a drop or two of rust preventative oil on a clean, dry patch and swab the barrel with it to get the bore evenly coated.
And of course before i shoot the gun i should run a patch soaked in alcohol (plain old rubbing alcohol i am assuming) to get the Barristol/Remington Oil out of the barrel. Yes
Just to make sure i am also going to swab the barrel 2-3 times with a dry patch and shoot 1-2 caps to make sure the nipple is clear.I am taking no chances lol,i believe that is everything. You got it!
Besided buying a Range Rod (with a Muzzle protector?), Bore guide, it is to keep the rod from wearing out the rifling at the muzzle (crown)

[isaacdavis1214]

Thanks for the tips William!Now all i need is to but the list above and i feel confident enough to be able to shoot the gun safely,and to clean it properly.