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First shot from a clean barrel
- Thread starter bluejack
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
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I have read of this problem often on this forum. I have never had the problem. I use pure olive oil to clean and mostly spit patch for patch lube. I am not saying for sure, but wonder if cleaning residue isn't hiding in the barrel somewhere. I raise the question " is there such a thing as over clean"? My old rifle is not pristine, but not a rusty hulk either. The bore doesn't shine like a baby's butt, but not pitted either. I would describe it as a seasoned cast iron skillet color and smooth. I have polished barrels with steel wool and 3M pads, but never to a new silver dollar shine. Think of how these old weapons were carried and used in their hey day. But of course they were used daily, carried loaded for days at a time.
By not having a ball loaded, the pressure of the setting off of the charge of powder leaves a lot more fouling in the bore. You won't have the same fouling to condition the bore that you have when firing a ball. You are better served by using a patch dampened by rubbing alcohol to remove most of the oils. You may need to develop a first shot, clean barrel load that performs very close to your subsequent shots if you are hunting.
If you shoot a blank load to foul the barrel before a target session, then you will need to run a damp patch to remove the excess fouling left after firing the blank round.
