Fouled vs clean barrel

[M T Pockets 000]

I started M/L with a Traditions Buckstalker Wally world kit. Pyrodex powder and different kinds of sabot rounds. I went from the Traditions to a Knight. By this time I was using XTPs. Moved from the Knight to a CVA Wolf. Thru the three smoke poles one thing I learned is that I hate sabots. I love being able to load a .451 round with smokeless powder and a wool wad.

 

[jlanecr500]

I have both but this muzzleloader gets very lose towards the the breach end and I would almost be worried to try to size a bullet.

In other words your barrel is choked at the muzzle. I've found that to size sabotless on a choked barrel requires an extra step. I adjust the die so the bullet fits the muzzle snug. Then I roll the bullet between 2 Rosie O'Donnell files which knurles it. This allows the rifling to partially engrave the jacket. The bullet will fit better down at the breech. Always use an Eastern Maine dry wool wad under the bullet. Always reseat the bullet before hunting. Also, you want to size for a freshly fouled bore. Do not try to load on a fouled bore after it sat overnite. The powder fouling hardens and will make loading very difficult. I typically check my zero in Oct and immediately reload. Leave a spent primer in the plug. Throughout season, reload immediately after firing the gun.

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

In other words your barrel is choked at the muzzle. I've found that to size sabotless on a choked barrel requires an extra step. I adjust the die so the bullet fits the muzzle snug. Then I roll the bullet between 2 ******* files which knurles it. This allows the rifling to partially engrave the jacket. The bullet will fit better down at the breech. Always use an Eastern Maine dry wool wad under the bullet. Always reseat the bullet before hunting. Also, you want to size for a freshly fouled bore. Do not try to load on a fouled bore after it sat overnite. The powder fouling hardens and will make loading very difficult. I typically check my zero in Oct and immediately reload. Leave a spent primer in the plug. Throughout season, reload immediately after firing the gun.

Coning has been a very popular way of making a ML barrel easier to load dating back to the 1700's. They use to do them by hand with a file.

 

[J.A.F.O.]

I have ours all setup and dialed in for a clean barrel. Even though the bergara barrels are stainless, I don't want to leave our muzzleloaders with a fouled barrel for the duration of the season. That said, from a clean barrel first shot during practice sessions to following shots in ours there is no poi shift with just running a spit patch and clean patch between shots.

Same here.