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kemart17

36 Cal.
Joined
Apr 5, 2015
Messages
333
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i think i have an odd barrel. colerain .36 cal barrel on an underhammer i built. it shoots better the more fouled it gets. load. .350 swaged ball, .018 patch, 20 gr 3f. first 4 shots were round grp 2in in size at 25 yds. they got smaller from there. after 20 shots. last 5 went in a 1/2 in grp with 3 in same hole. any other guys run into this.
 
I am curious as to what the others will say but my gut is: You as the shooter, finally warmed up, relaxed and settled into your best performance. We all have peaks and valleys when we shoot, even when using a bench. Even at 25 yards a smoothbore will get tight groups. Just my thought
Flintlocklar :grin:
 
Yep!....I call it "knocking the rust off."

Sometimes it takes me a dozen or more shots to settle in.....and start hitting the bull.

Is this a one time thing or does it always happen?
 
Could be relaxing and settling in, or perhaps your barrel likes a tighter fitting patch and ball. Might try just for comparison a .358 ball with a .15 or .10 patch and see if she shoots any different.
.350 + .18 = .368
.358 + .10 = .368
.358 + .15 = .373
 
time will tell, im looking at giving it a go again fri. see if results are the same. i have been shooting these things for yrs. was feeling good, and no coffee in the morning. have been a competition shooter in other forms of shooting over the yrs. was really feeling focused and gun very well rested, front and back. just found the results of today very interesting. thanks for input!!
 
I agree that a tighter ball and patch combo could be the answer.

Just using nominal figures.

.360” bore w .012” grooves = .384 gr to gr

.350 + .018 + .018 = .386 or barely touching the bottom of the grooves.

Good luck
TC
 
yes, it is a new barrel. not really expecting it to settle down for 100 to 200 shots. but just really think first sessions interesting. have never ran into this before.......
 
kemart17 said:
i think i have an odd barrel. colerain .36 cal barrel on an underhammer i built. it shoots better the more fouled it gets. load. .350 swaged ball, .018 patch, 20 gr 3f. first 4 shots were round grp 2in in size at 25 yds. they got smaller from there. after 20 shots. last 5 went in a 1/2 in grp with 3 in same hole. any other guys run into this.

Whatever you do, don't clean it. :nono:
 
What they all said! Also the accumulated fouling may be giving you a tighter prb fit. I find mine retains the same accuracy clean and after 25 rounds downrange. Mine goes something like this:

.360" + .012" + .012" = .384" (the bore)
.350" + .024" + .024" = .398" (the prb)
This gives .014" compression in the grooves.
 
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