I read a suggestion bout using fiberglass ramrods. No no. They are very very abrasive and screw up the rifles muzzle area screwing up the accuracy.
Then beginning of the rifling lands at the muzzle can attain no wear from a ramrod without accuracy decline.
When shooting remember first off to remove all oil from the bore and especially the flash channel in the breech plug. Don't want to have only a snap of a cap instead of the boom of the powder when aiming at a big buck.
Pure lead bullets sized at .002 in. over land diameter go in straight(most imperative to accuracy) and expand the other .002 in. when the powder obsturates the bullet. Pure lead is a good hunting bullet. Test for the powder charge that is hot enough for hunting that has accuracy.
The flatter the front end of the bullet the better for a nice "wack" hitting game that you want to go right down.
Great Plains bullets have that sharp first driving band that is a good thing.
Never use a round nose bullet. They stretch the hole open that closes up too much behind the bullet.
Bullet weight from 400gr. upwards is a good rule to follow with non-saboted bullets of lead(if sabots aren't allowed). Funny rule.....since lighter bullets travel faster and pack a good womp like when a 250 grainer travels 2,000fps. at modest muzzle loading rifle ranges.
Putting a thin lube pill/grease cookie of smokeless powder lube under the bullet may stop the "hard ring" of fouling behind the bullet with 777 powder.
One powder to try besides the good ole Holy Black(I'd recommend) is that Alliant Black MZ. Seems like a good consistant powder to me.
Get the powder measure and look at a reliable source for load data.
Get the short starter to load the bullets.
Get a ramrod to seat the bullets. A ramrod with the coated non abrasive,non dirt imbedding, protection for the crown of the muzzle. Fixing the crown properly when it wears in an inline with the reamed area that sets back the crown(the area the bullet sits in at the muzzle to stabilize it straight to load straight) isn't real easy. It takes a piloted reamer to do by hand. Brownells sells the pilot at 50cal. and the reamer(smaller diameter one that can get to the beginning of the lands) that will put a 45 degree(concentric with the bore centerline) to the beginning of the lands at the muzzle to set a worn crown right again so the gun shoots right again.
Huntin out in the woods....take little things like pipe cleaners(clean the flash channel)and breech plug wrench tool and screw driver and pliars ect.ect.for any thing that pops up with the rifle maintainance.
Naturally a good comfortable possibles bag of leather with a top flap that's rain/wet snow proof is a good idea.
Speedloader for the quick load after the game is shot(always reload immediately after the first shot is taken at game whether or not you hit).
Water proof powder flask or a water proof place to keep it. A powder flask with an adjustable charge to it is a good thing and can eliminate the powder measure when hunting. Like the copper flasks with the removable spouts of different powder charges by volume.
Just go over the sequence of loading and that tellsya what to get to load.
Wipe out bore and flash channel,pour in the right amount of powder,start the bullet,push the bullet down on the powder(bullet always down on the powder),cap the nipple and then fire.
Ramrod,pipe cleaner,powder measure/adjustableflask, short starter,ramrod,capper(if needed) and caps, possibles bag(or nice big pockets) to carry stuff while hunting.
Always carry a "quick load" to reload fast after shooting game(might need the "coupe de grais" to end the thing faster on downed game.
Never shoot at game past your 100% bulls-eye capability. Aim small miss small.
I'd recommend getting a trade to end up with a top of the line side lock Hawken Rifle.
Sorry....had to add that.
One with the shallow grooved fast twist rifling for conical bullets but.....the lead round ball is one lethal projectile within it's range(hundred yards with a 50cal). Inlines have too fast of a rifling twist for the round ball other than reduced plinking small game loads. Patched balls strip thru the fast rifling when loaded up hot. Balls like the slow twist.
Pedersoli makes a real nice fast twist rifling side lock Hawken. It would look nicer hangin on the wall of a huntin cabin.
Just jokin round.
I'm a traditional rifle shooter. Of course I have a 45/70 barrel on my Hawken. A bullet swag to make the bullets loadable in the muzzle. Not really too well known though is......Hawken Brothers shop records show that they made one conical bullet shootin Hawken for a hunter that hunted the Great Plains.
Just one conical bullet shooter(they called it a "pointed bullet") out of all the rifles they made. That is a testament to the respect for the lead ball the shooters of old had.