Alright guys, I've had a CVA Bobcat .50 cal caplock for about 10 years now. Yeah I know it's not a top of the line sidelock but it has done well over the years. Picked it up used for next to nothing. Over the period I've had it I have only shot this rifle about 30 times. Due to it being such a pain in the rear to clean (hot soapy water method). It has set for the last few years collecting dust and I pulled it out today to try out some projectiles I picked up the other day pretty cheap. I have been doing some reading and I am curious about this barrel seasoning I've read about. Can any of you traditional BP shooters shed some light on this for me? Also what you guys think of bore butter. And also any do's and don'ts of muzzle loading that I probably never figured out. I know enough to shoot this thing safely and clean it with hot water and soap for about 45 minutes after each shooting session but that's the extent of it. Hoping you guys can offer me some advice to make shooting more enjoyable.

I also have a question. If I intend to just sit out and shoot this thing (say 30-40 rounds at a time), what are the proper procedures to keep everything running smooth.

Bore seasoning is a myth. Don't waste your time. Just keep the bore lubed with your favorite oil or rust preventive stuff, and run a couple of dry patches through it before you shoot it to wipe out the oil.

Bore Butter is okay for a patch lube. I've used it before to keep the bore protected during storage, but after a while it will dry out and then you have to get it out before shooting. There are better options for protecting the bore during storage. It's a decent patch lube, though.



That's not necessary. When I clean the bore with soapy water, it takes me about 10 minutes. I'm not sure what would need a 45 minute bath to get clean. Run the swab/patch through a few times with the soapy water, then do it again with clean hot water to rinse out the soap. A few dry patches to dry it, then oil it.

I also dry the inside of the drum with a Q-tip or pipe cleaner. If it's going to sit for a while, I'll apply some oil in there with a Q-tip, just be sure to wipe it out again before shooting.



I'm not sure what you're asking here. Are you referring to swabbing between shots?

Cool, I appreciate the input. And yes swabbing between shots is what I mean I suppose. I just know after about 5 or 6 shots it gets quite hard to reload and wasn't sure how to remedy that without breaking down and cleaning completely which means my shooting session is over and it's time to head home.

How often you need to swab between shots will vary from one gun to the next, and will also depend on what powder you're using, what size ball, patch material and thickness, and other factors. If accuracy is dropping off or if loading starts getting difficult, you should probably swab it (letting it go too long can result in a ball stuck half-way down the bore because of too much built-up fouling).

You can use different cleaners and materials for swabbing, there are lots of options. I like Thompson/Center No. 13 bore cleaner (you can also make your own with the right ingredients). I have patches that I've pre-soaked in the stuff, ready for swabbing. When I need to, I just use a jag, run it through two or three times with those patches depending on how badly the bore is fouled (they'll come out black and mucky from the fouling), then a couple of dry patches to dry the bore, and continue shooting. Everyone has their preferred procedure, just experiment with it until you find what works best for you. Every so often you should also pull the nipple and wipe out the muck or you might have a hangfire or misfire from built-up fouling in there.

It's not necessary to end your day just because the bore has gotten dirty. Swabbing every so often will keep you shooting for the day. You don't need to break the gun down and give it a thorough cleaning until you get home that night.

Also, get a pick (usually the type made from piano wire) to run through the nipple to make sure the hole is clear.

Awesome! Thanks for that great info. I really appreciate it. I'll go pick up a few extra supplies you mentioned to add to my range kit and give it a go. Hopefully I will now be able to actually enjoy my muzzleloader instead of dreading to shoot it.

Smashy pretty well covered it.  About 10 minutes cleaning with hot soapy water (hot helps it to evaporate out of the bore), swab between every 3-5 shots (depends), nipple pick.

The only thing i could add is that a range-rod is very handy to have.  Usually they are a lot longer than the rod that came with your rifle so there is more to grab onto.

My ML cleaning routine:

Remove barrel from stock, remove nipple, squirt some stuff down the barrel and let sit a few minutes.

I've used Birchwood Casey muzzle magic and Cabella's barrel blaster using the BC bottle that foams the stuff as it's pumped into the barrel, both seem to work just as well.

I then start the oven pre-heating to the lowest it'll allow, 170 for mine.

I'll run a brush though it then rinse out with hot water while pumping the water with a brush.

Then take it out and blast it with compressed air while still hot, then put into the oven for a deep dry.

I lube with olive oil inside & out while it's still warm.

I give the nipple and any other small parts the same treatment.

I haven't had any rust issues but we usually don't have very high humidity here.

Shoot.  I don't even use soap...

Boiling water down the barrel with the nipple off.  Run a few dry patches until they come out clean.  Oily patch and away it goes.  Excess water evaporates due to the heat.  Use gloves and a metal hanger on the thimbles because the barrel will get REALLY hot.

I rebarreled my CVA about two years ago.  Not a single rough spot yet.  Skip the soap.


I takes longer to boil the water in the kettle than to clean the gun.

I clean with a vinegar and alcohol mixture. I mix it up in a squirt bottle, spray some down the bore, soak a patch in it and go to town. Fresh patches soaked with the mixture until they come out clean, a dry patch or two, then a patch with CLP if I'm done for the day. Takes all of five minutes, and I'll stack my method against any other.