Black powder shooting

[kwaynem]

ok I have watched every video I can find and searched other information so what say you all? When sighting in a black powder do you clean between shots and how do you do it? When your hunting and shoot do you just reload and hope for the best?

 

[swampratt]

I got my first one in about 2001 and went to the range 100 yards Iron sights and shot it 2 times and had many misfires.
Some old bearded guy asked if I could take some criticism I said yes and he showed me the way.

Anyway 3 shots no swabbing and made a cloverleaf at 100 yards.
Good enough.
I got it at walmart for $55 and it is a CVA bobcat that kicks like a mule 90gr pyrodex and 295gr powerbelt HP it is a side lock rifle.

Deer do not walk away when hammered by that bullet.
I have 2 inline muzzleloaders I just got this year and I hope tomorrow i will make it to the range.

I will shoot 3 rounds and see if they stay together without any swabbing.

I will try 70 gr and 80 and 90 gr of loose pyrodex.
Pyrodex has treated me very well.

Now I found out years ago that TC1000 bore butter or any grease type crap you lube the barrel with will create a crud ring.
I run mine dry now and No crud ring.
I use soap and water to clean the barrel and dry it out and swab it with oil patch ..I use gun oil like rem oil or CLP and a few dry patches after that and good enough for storing and or shooting.

I left a load in one gun for a year and when the season came back around I fired it and hit within a couple inches of the bullseye at 100 yards.
Kill shot for sure.
I had a buddy leave his revolver loaded for over 15 years and all of them shot fine.

 

[DRC458]

I do NOT clean between shots when sighting in. I hit the range with it shortly before season opener and confirm zero with two or three shots (hopefully). If all is good, I will then run a dry brush through it and nothing more. It then gets loaded opening morning. If I take a shot during season, I reload and, as you say, "hope for the best." So far, so good. Hasn't failed me yet. (knock on wood)

 

[Okie4570]

I cleaned only after accuracy started to fail or my projectile became hard to stuff down the barrel. Windex is awesome by the way.

 

[undeg01]

I like to give it a field strip style cleaning after about 3 shots, but usually don’t give it a thorough cleaning until at least 5 shots.

I like to the barrel for storage, but run it dry when sighting in and hunting. Too much oil or bore butter will make your first shot high.

 

[dennishoddy]

What is this cleaning thing?
My Savage smokeless hasn’t been cleaned in years.

 

[okierider]

3 shots!! I use 1:5 mix of Ballistol and water to wet the patch. Also I have always used Pyrodex in my 54 patch and ball and always had good results but on my sons inline I never found the happy spot, Bought a pound of 777 to try out this year and Viola!! 100 grains with a 240 grain bullet is making 3 shot clovers at 100 yards!! Never occurred to me until I started researching reloading that the powder could be the issue!!

 

[slas]

I drag a bore snake through mine after each shot in the field. Of course I'm generally not trying to do any quick follow up shots. It just makes me feel better by getting out all those ugly bits and pieces I can see stuck along the bore when I look at it after a shot, and it's quick and easy for me to do and seems to keep my accuracy up.

 

[kwaynem]

The problem I have is the first shot through a clean barrel is good then they are high I might need to invest in a new one I use hornady sst and 100 grain 777

 

[dennishoddy]

The problem I have is the first shot through a clean barrel is good then they are high I might need to invest in a new one I use hornady sst and 100 grain 777

Most rifles be it BP or smokeless shoot their best accuracy after a bore is fouled by a shot or two after cleaning.