I'm posting this here because this occurred with a flintlock rifle and may be unique to what occurs at ignition and discharge.
I have a very accurate .54 rifle. I use a blue/white pillow tick with 7:1 water/Ballistol "dry lube". The ball is a .530 swaged sphere. Usually, I can find patches and they are in pretty good shape. They may have some fraying at the edges and a brownish circle in the middle but are otherwise intact and could be reused in a pinch.
Yesterday I loaded the same exact way as usual with the same components. I noticed my groups were just a little bigger than usual, maybe 1.5" larger consistently for a few shot series on the same target. I found my patches. They are torn badly, have several holes and show some black burning.
My idea is to mix another batch of 7:1 and re-soak and dry the patch material and try again.
Does anyone see something I am overlooking or have a different idea?
Thanks
I have a very accurate .54 rifle. I use a blue/white pillow tick with 7:1 water/Ballistol "dry lube". The ball is a .530 swaged sphere. Usually, I can find patches and they are in pretty good shape. They may have some fraying at the edges and a brownish circle in the middle but are otherwise intact and could be reused in a pinch.
Yesterday I loaded the same exact way as usual with the same components. I noticed my groups were just a little bigger than usual, maybe 1.5" larger consistently for a few shot series on the same target. I found my patches. They are torn badly, have several holes and show some black burning.
My idea is to mix another batch of 7:1 and re-soak and dry the patch material and try again.
Does anyone see something I am overlooking or have a different idea?
Thanks