Manual

L. LOADING AND SHOOTING CVA CAPLOCK MUZZLELOADERS
1. Put on shatterproof shooting glasses and insert ear plugs, as both percussion and flintlock
guns may shower sparks or bits of caps/flints when fired.
2. Verify the gun is unloaded.
a. Place a ramrod down barrel to breech plug and mark
ramrod at muzzle.
b. Remove ramrod and lay along outside of barrel, lin-
ing up mark at muzzle.
c. The other end of the ramrod should be at the bolster
(or touch hole for flintlock models). This practice shows
the gun is unloaded and should be disarmed before
proceeding.
3. Set hammer at half-cock and check that firearm cannot
be fired (that is, that the hammer cannot be moved) when the trigger is pulled. “Half-cock”
refers to the notch which allows the hammer to rest above the nipple thus preventing the
firearm from firing when trigger is pulled. (Figure 10-1)
4. Clean all oil and grease from bore and breech area. (See Cleaning and Maintenance.)
5. WITH THE GUN POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION, place a percussion cap on the
nipple. CVA percussion muzzleloaders use a #11 sized cap.
6. Fully cock the hammer and fire to dry out base of bore and nipple. Repeat this procedure
three times.
7. With muzzle pointed “up” and with no part of your body extended over the gun, pour a
measured charge (Figure 11-1) down the barrel (Figure 11-2). (See Suitable Charges,
Table 1).
11
Figure 10-1
CAUTION: Use a capper to place cap on the nipple as percussion caps are sensitive to pressure and
can explode under extreme finger pressure.
Pour BLACKPOWDER into powder measure.
Figure 11-1
Pour measured powder charge into barrel.
Figure 11-2