How many shots before you have to clean BP cartridge rifle.

[chasep255]

I was wonder what a general rule of thumb is for how many shots I can take from my rifle before I need to clean it. I have a Mauser 71/84 which I will be loading BP cartridges for this weekend. Previously I had purchased two boxes of 43 Mauser ammo from Buffalo Arms. I fired the rifle on two occasions and shot it 20 times before cleaning when I got home. I am not sure if accuracy suffered since I was just shooting at steel plates. Is it dangerous to let a BP gun fowl beyond a certain point? I could see this happening since the fouling would restrict the bore and cause an overpressure maybe. After how many shots do you guys clean?

 

[4V50 Gary]

Yours is breechloader and not a voderladen waffen (front loading weapon). I would imagine it would take a long time before you'd have to pour water down the bore. Try determining the basic infantry load of the period (probably 40 cartridges) and this may give you a starting point. There is an excellent book by Deiter Stortz (sp) on the Mauser 71 and 71/84 that should cover it. It would take me several weeks from where I am at to get my hands on that book.