Patch ball help

My Renegade has an uneven bore. Lots of tight and loose spots which short of a full lap, I've done my best to correct. TC rifling being shallow enough as it is...
Anyway. She likes .010 patches best with a .490 ball lubed, and swabbed, with bore butter.
Up until recently, she cut patches in one spot ( one annoying pit). Every patch, but accuracy was excellent ( for me). However the past 2 trips to the range she didn't cut a single patch. They're almost pretty. Velocity is wonderfully consistent too. 1745 fps with 70 grains 3f Swiss. The fast/slow shot difference was 7 fps. LORD how I love Swiss black... Hornady .490 ball btw.
Accuracy is now poor compared to previously. I was getting 1 1/4 inch 3 rounders at 50 and now its 3 inches. She doesn't like my usual alcohol swabs between shots. 1 pass with a bore butter patch gave good groups.
Any ideas on what's up that she smoothed out and got all fussy?
Thanks!

Oh boy. They are going to pile on this one.
First thing will be ditch the bore butter. Its worthless to say the least.
2nd thing will be you need a thicker patch. Sounds like its finally breaking in and wants a tighter load.

Possible the bore butter is sealing gas leaking at the loose areas. Can you tell if the loose areas are in the grooves or on the lands or both? There is a method to oblain even surfaces in the grooves that at same time gain some depth. Evening the lands can be done too. Both are pretty intense job as far as time but can produce good results. If you are interested let me know and I'll PM the info.

Even though I'm sending her for a review to 54 after our flintlock season, I'd be interested in making the most of her as is.
Took her out today. .010 patches gave me a 2 1/2 inch group at 50. Meh. Went with .015 for the next 3. 5 inches, sheech that's ugly!
Hunkered down and gave her a near death grip hold and put 3 ( back to .010) into 1/4 inch center to center.
Whiskey tango...

Tight grips from a rest do nothing for accuracy.
As others have said, get rid of the Bore Butter. Invented by same guy that invented snake oil.
Try something like mink oil and .015" thick ticking.

Don't tell bench rest shooters that grip tension has nothing to do with accuracy, meaning the ability to extract maximum accuracy not the rifle's mechanical accuracy. My Firehawk also likes a firm grip for best results.
Anyway. I tried original Lehigh Valley patch lube. Not pretty and she will not tolerate .015 patches. Practically have to stand on the rammer and groups are poor.
I haven't slugged the barrel yet. But she's obviously tight.
This barrel has an M stamp on the bottom flat. What does this mean?

Sounds like you have additional variables along with the standard ones when shooting a patched round ball...and you may have developed another that is now part of the "mix". Try loading your powder and then tamping it with the ramrod. Then try adding 20 grains of cornmeal/grits/cream of wheat, followed by the patched ball. This will act as a seal of sorts, and if it works you then know you need to use something like a felt wad between the patched ball and powder.

LD

If you have loose and tight spots in your barrel, are you sure the barrel hasn't been ringed from not having the ball seated against the powder? That will kill your accuracy.

Muddly said:

Don't tell bench rest shooters that grip tension has nothing to do with accuracy

Click to expand...

That's different than what I said. Tight gripping a rifle from rest inserts a variable into the situation. The shooter will seldom be able to grip with same pressure shot to shot. Letting the rifle rest on the.....uh.....rest will give consistent results.

No signs of a ring. While used, she wasn't shot much as evidenced by the amount of blueing left in the bore ( even the edges of the crown were 100%)and not much use on the frizzen. That may be because she shot 6 inches high at 50 due to some crud in the rear sight which didn't allow full depression.
I tried a wool wad and even a cut off sabot base. No good in either case.
Today she shot quite well. Groups from 2 1/2 down to 1 1/4. Less bore butter on the swab and once down and back.
I now have 130 rounds down bore and she has smoothed up. Perhaps, with a couple hundred more balls, she'll even out a wee bit.
I am actually enjoying the challenges this rifle brings. I am an exclusive muzzleloader ( don't even own a breechloader anymore) and don't see that ever changing. This Renegade is my last huzzah for the flintlock. So far so good!