Black powder shooting

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dennishoddy

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Most rifles be it BP or smokeless shoot their best accuracy after a bore is fouled by a shot or two after cleaning.
Long range shooters as I understand it, take a fouling shot, then shoot for groups. Those of us that are hunters want that first cold bore shot to be the one that counts.
 

DRC458

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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

How high is "High"? Do the rest of your shots create a good group? I ALWAYS fire a fouling shot through a clean barrel before I start shooting for group. I never go hunting with a perfectly clean barrel. Before season, I always go back to the range and fire at least that one shot ... the fouling shot ... then shoot a second one without cleaning to ensure it's back where my groups have been. If it's where it belongs, I shoot no more and clean no more until I'm shooting at game. I'm a firm believer in the fouling shot. I've seen it hold true for too many years on too many rifles, including muzzle loaders, to discount it. YMMV.
 

swampratt

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I just sighted in 2 muzzle loaders with Nikon 3-9x40 scopes and both are 1:28 twist both would not group the 295 gr power belt in the same area with clean vs dirty barrel.
So up next was some TC cheap shot sabots.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1...240-grain-lead-hollow-point-bullet-pack-of-20

777 powder and cci 209 primers.
Seems the load that stuck them 2" apart with dirty vs clean barrel was 60gr of powder.
I found most of my shots are in the thick woods and under 70 yards during this season.

So I tested at 69 yards.
If I uppe the load to 90 gr the bullet hit in the same area with fouled barrel right near the bullseye but 1 time fired
No cleaning or swabing the bore the second shot would be 2" high and 3-4" to the right.
But fire another and it hit the same high and right area.

Swab it until almost clean with dry patches and it would be back in the bull.

Gotta try you know.
 

ldp4570

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I shoot an 1858 Enfield replica with real BP FFg. With a 30 to 35gr load of FFg an a 460 to 500gr Minie', anything walking out to 200yds is in trouble!! As to cleaning between shot's, its not needed, and when checking zero I always shoot four times with the first shot being the fouling shot, an last three my zero. I don't care for "modern" BP guns, bullets, or powders. To me you might as well use a cartridge firing rifle. I also have a flint .50cal Pennsylvania long rifle, and treat her the same as to cleaning an shooting.

Winndex is your friend when it comes to cleaning your BP toy's!!!
Pic's from a few years back, my son an his friends shooting my two toy's.
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i151.photobucket.com_albums_s127_ldp4570_GUNS_203_DSCN1605.jpg

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Buzzgun

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When working up a load or sighting in, I want the barrel absolutely clean between shots because, like PBramble, I want to know where the first shot with a clean, cold, dry bore is going.

During muzzleloader season, I load my rifle the night before opening morning and it doesn't get unloaded or cleaned unless I shoot a deer/hog or when I'm done for the season. My rifle, and every rifle I have worked with, does not shoot the same with a clean verses fouled barrel.......I don't want to leave my barrel fouled for a week during muzzleloader season, so I clean between shots while sighting in so every shot is from a cold, dry, clean barrel.

As to how I do it......(I'm use Triple 7 powder).....while sighting in, between shots I swab the barrel using plain water to dampen (not wet, just damp) the first patch or two......I always follow the water patch with patches damp with cheap walmart brake cleaner. The walmart brake cleaner is non chlorinated, removes any plastic fouling left by the sabot and evaporates quickly, drying out any water that the first patches left in the barrel. When the brake cleaner evaporates, you have a clean, dry and cold barrel every time.

When I clean and put the rifle away, run a patch with remclean or some other light oil through the barrel and wipe it down to prevent rust.

There are other ways to do it.......I've been doing it this way for decades and it has always worked for me.


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