muzzleloader question?

[ridgehunter]

Why does my muzzloader not group from a clean barrel but can group four shots in a quater size circle when dirty.This is at fifty yards.

 

[TN Larry]

Some muzzleloaders will do that depending on the gun and the load. I want mine to shoot good through a clean and cold barrel. I swab the barrel and let it sit to cool in between every shot. Have you tried changing loads?

 

[LY]

My 7mm-08 is the same way, all rifles are different and like different bullet/powder combos, clean/dirty barrels. If you come accross a 'fix' that works pass it on, others and myself would like to know.

 

[MUP]

Some just like having a fouled barrel and others do not. I have a knight ML that will shoot good either or, but my CVA shoots it's best groups with a fouled barrel, after a spit swab between each shot.

 

[Still-n-Quiet]

Years ago, I was trying a combination that my Traditions 54 cal would shoot well. I had the exact same problem you are reporting when I was shooting patch and ball. It would have a 5 inch pattern at 50 yards for the first 2 shots, then it would tighten to a 1 inch pattern for the next 2. After a complete cleaning, it was back to the poor pattern.

I gave up on the patch and ball and went to a conical. I shot probably 5 or 6 different conicals until I came across the Hornady Great Plains bullet. Huge bullet, too! Over 500gr.! It patterns about 1/2 inch groups at 75 yards, now.

The point is that you have to find what the gun likes. It can be pricey, too, if you don't find it fast.

 

[Still-n-Quiet]

One more thing, different loads behind the bullet matter, too. I started with about 75gr of pyrodex and moved up by 10gr until the pattern started to get worse, then I backed off by 5gr until it tightened again. That gets you to your max powder charge that the gun will handle consistently for the bullet you are shooting.

 

[Still-n-Quiet]

What are you shooting, by the way? Guns with a slow twist (60:1) will tend to like the round ball, medium twist (48:1) will favor the conicals and fast twist (28:1) will like the bullet with sabot.

 

[deerjackie]

if shooting sabots try diff thickness sabots using same size bullet and see if that helps. mmp has several for each cal.

 

[ridgehunter]

I am shooting cva optima 50 cal. I use 245gr.powerbelt aerotip.

 

[ridgehunter]

I am aslo using 777 sulfur free pellets. Two 50gr.pellets.

 

[Still-n-Quiet]

Try the 300gr SST with about 100gr 777. DA, give him the link you always post about what to shoot in the CVA Optima.

 

[Still-n-Quiet]

Here's one of the posts, since DA hasn't seen this, yet:

http://www.tndeer.com/tndeertalk/ubbthr ... ost1577290

 

[Non-Typical]

This is just a guess, but maybe it shoots better dirty because it makes the bullet fit tighter and gets better spiral action. You might want to try the Barnes Spit-Fire TMZ. They are almost impossible to push down the barrel in my Omega so it might work better in yours when clean.

 

[TennBuck]

my CVA shoots it's best groups with a fouled barrel,

same here