Another crazy question

[CliffordN]

I noticed that shooting from a fresh barrel causes the ShockWave 250 to shoot high. But, shooting then reloading before every hunt means I have to clean the barrel and start the whole process over again daily.
I do not want to ruin an expensive barrel, by letting it sit dirty for too long. And, I plan to hunt 2-3 days in a row.
Is there a solution to all of this?

 

[knightrider]

I would set it for a clean barrel if i planned to hunt with one

 

[WestTn Huntin man]

You are correct that a clean barrel will throw your 1st shot wild.The barrel needs to be fouled. After cleaning run a wet patch down the barrel then a couple of dry patches
I foul the Barrel by shooting a couple of caps. When I load my gun it stays loaded till I shoot a deer,or I retire the gun for the season. You're not going to ruin the barrel by waiting a few days or a couple of weeks.. You may want to read on the M.L. forum or go to one of the ML sites. Many Many opinions on what people have found work for them and their gun. One reason many people use smokeless powder.

 

[WestTn Huntin man]

https://www.tndeer.com/search/296046/?q=Muzzleloader+fouling+shot&o=date

 

[CliffordN]

I have been adding a light coat of Bore Butter to the sabots, and the barrel is bright and shiny now. But, the breech plug gets crudded up fast! I have always fired a primer to get any moisture out before loading. Guess I will just aim a little low on the first shot. Hopefully, I am not shooting much more than 50 yards any way.

 

[CHRIS WILSON]

How much variation is there between clean vs fouled at the distances you'll realistically be shooting? If you believe it's enough to matter, then sight in with a clean barrel to ensure the first shot goes where you want it. Then, take note of the difference and adjust aim for the follow up. If you're going to be hunting 2-3 days in a row, I wouldn't worry about shooting to unload...cleaning and reloading unless the conditions have been extremely damp/wet.....say after hunting in the rain. The charge in your rifle will be perfectly fine and won't hurt the barrel.
Just a curiosity but why are you putting a light coat of bore butter on your sabots? It's not recommended for use with sabots.

 

[philsanchez76]

You are correct that a clean barrel will throw your 1st shot wild.The barrel needs to be fouled. After cleaning run a wet patch down the barrel then a couple of dry patches
I foul the Barrel by shooting a couple of caps. When I load my gun it stays loaded till I shoot a deer,or I retire the gun for the season. You're not going to ruin the barrel by waiting a few days or a couple of weeks.. You may want to read on the M.L. forum or go to one of the ML sites. Many Many opinions on what people have found work for them and their gun. One reason many people use smokeless powder.

I always did this ^^. but now I have a smokeless muzzleloader and don't have to worry about leaving it fouled. But it too still throws a shot up to 6 inches high on a clean barrel.

 

[CliffordN]

How much variation is there between clean vs fouled at the distances you'll realistically be shooting? If you believe it's enough to matter, then sight in with a clean barrel to ensure the first shot goes where you want it. Then, take note of the difference and adjust aim for the follow up. If you're going to be hunting 2-3 days in a row, I wouldn't worry about shooting to unload...cleaning and reloading unless the conditions have been extremely damp/wet.....say after hunting in the rain. The charge in your rifle will be perfectly fine and won't hurt the barrel.
Just a curiosity but why are you putting a light coat of bore butter on your sabots? It's not recommended for use with sabots.

I was using the Bore Butter because they said it would "season" the barrel, and to make it easier to get them down the barrel. The yellow sabots are much easier than the black ones, and probably don't need it. But, I never saw anything that said it would be bad to do it.

 

[Dully]

With clean barrel I always put a few grains of powder down the barrel,keep the barrel pointed up so powder want fall out,put a primer on and shoot to foul the barrel then load,don't want a clean barrel when it's time to shoot at deer or target,no bore butter or anything on sabot,tighter the sabot better it shoots

 

[CHRIS WILSON]

I was using the Bore Butter because they said it would "season" the barrel, and to make it easier to get them down the barrel. The yellow sabots are much easier than the black ones, and probably don't need it. But, I never saw anything that said it would be bad to do it.

TC actually recommends not using with sabots. Personally, I've never used the stuff. Haven't heard too much good about it.

 

[DoubleRidge]

I sight in on a clean barrel and sit and hunt on a clean barrel...but not because I'm worried about ruining the barrel but more so I don't want any corrosion developing around the firing pin or breech plug flash channel....when confirming zero I'm running patches between shots to simulate clean bore as closely as possible....and I just feel better sitting with a clean muzzleloader especially as the season goes on.

 

[CliffordN]

I sight in on a clean barrel and sit and hunt on a clean barrel...but not because I'm worried about ruining the barrel but more so I don't want any corrosion developing around the firing pin or breech plug flash channel....when confirming zero I'm running patches between shots to simulate clean bore as closely as possible....and I just feel better sitting with a clean muzzleloader especially as the season goes on.

That may explain the sudden loss of accuracy. The rifle went from stacking shots at 100 to hoping for 3 inch groups. Time to go back to the range, I suspect!

 

[JCDEERMAN]

I'm dialed on a clean barrel. Muzzys are finicky and they need to be shot the same way every time for best consistency.

 

[MUP]

I have a Knight ML that will shoot clean or fouled, but I also have a CVA Kodiak Magnum that likes a fouled barrel. I'll shoot it, now with BH209, and just dry patch it as I shoot to make sure I'm zeroed, then dry patch one last time before loading to hunt.

 

[knightrider]

Mine shoots same poi clean or fourty shots using blackhorn 209

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Mine shoots same poi clean or fourty shots using blackhorn 209

I just converted to BH209 this year and shot all three shots zeroing in within a tennis ball size group at 100 yards without cleaning between shots. I think I'll like the switch

 

[backyardtndeer]

Use triple 7 with our accuras. Best as I recall clean barrel shots usually ran less than an inch high over follow up shots from the bench where we ran spit patch and dry clean patches between shots.

 

[CHRIS WILSON]

I have a Knight ML that will shoot clean or fouled, but I also have a CVA Kodiak Magnum that likes a fouled barrel. I'll shoot it, now with BH209, and just dry patch it as I shoot to make sure I'm zeroed, then dry patch one last time before loading to hunt.

My Knight Ultra-lite is the same way. Very little difference clean or fouled. My CVA Optima is a bit more picky. I'll just dry patch it after a range trip a few days before the season starts. It doesnt get a deep clean until the end of muzzleloader season. I didn't even fool with the CVA this year.

 

[SES]

The dirtier my barrel is, the tighter the groups.