fouling before hunting/shooting??

[RC]

got a gun,50 cal. shoots about 10-12" low on first shot outa clean gun.......after that, it's right on,tried it 4 times ,,tried more powder, an 495 ball, brings it up 2-3".........using .020 lubed patch.confuses me why 2-3-4-5 shots are grouped but not first....anyone have an fix?,,or an explanation? thanks!

 

[BrownBear]

You don't mention which lube you're using, but that would be the first change I'd make. In my own assorted guns lube has appeared to be the culprit when I find a spread, but I've never seen one as bad as yours.

 

[Capt. Jas.]

What are you lubing with for storage and are you getting it all out prior to loading up?

 

[flintlock50]

I would suggest a thicker patch,especially on the first shot. My theory is that with a clean barrel you are not filling grooves completely. Have you compared patches 1st shot to the rest?

 

[Mike Brooks]

I always foul a gun before I hunt or shoot target. Every gun I have ever owned the first shot was always wild.

 

[123.DieselBenz]

In my .36 I dump 10 - 15 grains down first, (no patch or ball) light it off, then swab like normal, then load for real!

Dutch Schoultz (sp?) recommends that the bore should be "CONSISTENT" so always the same amount of fouling.

 

[Vaino]

My .54 elk rifle and my .45 squirrel LR don't require fouling....I always hunt w/ a clean bbl and have no trouble hitting game w/ the first shot, including head shots on squirrels. Don't know if I'd want a MLer that required fouling to gain consistency. By the way...I use a pretty tight patch/ball combo...Fred

 

[roundball]

got a gun,50 cal. shoots about 10-12" low on first shot outa clean gun.......after that, it's right on

Good gracious, a foot low...at what distance?

 

[RC]

got a gun,50 cal. shoots about 10-12" low on first shot outa clean gun.......after that, it's right on

Good gracious, a foot low...at what distance?

50 yds! an it did it 4 times in a row..even changing powder load up 10 gr.,, an ball from 490 to 495..and yes barrel was clean..an dry..and stored jus like all the others..after first shot..gun is right on..for 4-5 shots,,confuses me!

think bluejean denim,,patch? .030

 

[roundball]

Never heard of such a difference before...makes me wonder if its something mechanical rather than simply minor tweaking with PRB/Lube...ie: barrel moving in the bed somehow and the recoil from the first shot repositions it or something...dunno...never heard of such a wide difference.

But personally I don't like the idea of intentionally fouling just to be able to shoot a rifle...if its not something mechanical, I'd try what was suggested earlier...heavily coat the bore with bore butter and see if that simulates the effects of having some fouling in the bore.

One question that just came to mind:
If you take the first shot and its low, then completely/thoroughly clean the bore at the range as clean as you can get it, does it shoot a foot low again?
If not, that might help in the thinking that the first shot is mechanically repositioning the barrel or something...but if it does shoot a foot low again, then it would seem to be internal bore related

 

[RC]

If you take the first shot and its low, then completely/thoroughly clean the bore at the range as clean as you can get it, does it shoot a foot low again?

yes RB,...completely cleaned, dried an reloaded..and 4 tries with one shooter an another try with another shooter,,
..........have received word from a very reliable source to try thicker patch..hmm now my jeans look like alan jackson's...030..will let you know results,,,soons weather clears....
..
seen a beauty of an 8pt Sunday bowhuntin...(I was, not deer :wink: )and want gun right fer lil bro Opening day saturday...so want him to score with his flinter!

 

[Rifleman1776]

Your first 'cold' shot should be just as accurate as follow ups. Like others, I suspect your patch/lube combo is not preventing gas blow-by but subsequent fouling is doing the job instead. Not the best or most consistent way to get accuracy.
As for my practice when hunting. I clean my guns, flint or perc. completely and degrease. I do not pop a cap on percs. because then the gun would be dirty and proper cleaning assures the fire tube is not clogged.
Then I load and carry until I shoot a critter or the end of season. Have never had a misfire.
Clean gun is key. In humid conditions, lubing the bore after loading is OK and good protection. Accuracy will still be 'minute of deer'.

 

[RC]

Your first 'cold' shot should be just as accurate as follow ups.

yup, thats what we going for here...an in my guns I load clean, and leave sometimes fer a week or more,then shoot--- clean--- reload...and still wonder,,,will it? lol...never had one not go..less ya count the rainy day wet flint one,,I don't.. :thumbsup:
I'll let ya know,,tryin thicker!

 

[rabjr]

Dunno RC, two smoothbores here don't do that. Cold, warm, they shoot in the same place for me. I'm using a .015 patch but a half of a lubed fiber wad too under the patch...

 

[Stumpkiller]

I run a lubed patch down & up the bore a few times before loading. That seems to help get the fist shot in the group. I always hunt on an initially clean bore.

Are you sure it's the bore and not the bedding? As the barrel warms up something changes? 10-12" is a crapload of change for a fouling shot at 50 yards.

Unless . . . it's a really, really pitted bore.

 

[RC]

good clean bore...barrel like new...next shot out is right there,,,an next,,it did come up a few inches,,2-3 with 495 ball an xtra 10 gr powder,,,we gonna try a thickerer..patch here in a bit!

 

[hanshi]

I have to agree with those who feel something else is at work other than simply a fouled/clean bore difference. I can't say I've ever had a problem with a first shot flyer.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Got it. You're flinching less on the first shot than the later ones.

:haha:

When you reload do you put the rammer back in the thimbles?

 

[RC]

well, lil bro an I pretty close, must be we flinch the same! lol rod in, usin range rod out here..
first time I've ever encountered one too, an don't like it, swore I would never have one,,but, as advised by a pretty smart fella.. used a 030 denim patch and it was right on! then used another an was right on, but loaded extremeely hard, so tried 020 patch..and that shot was right on.....sooooooo....
.
.
.
.
cleanin it..tryin it again....if it works,,,clean load an drop off a lil bro's so he can't try it,,,want him to know what it'll do Saturday morn!
back with up date soon!
:thumbsup:

 

[jethro224]

Maybe a wad under that first ball? :idunno: