Accuracy Woes: UPDATE and THANKS

[MMA1991]

Thanks to all for your help and sage advice. As noted in my original post, I was having some difficulties with my recently refurbed KY long rifle.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=741078

Tried again last Friday and this time swabbed out the barrel after each shot and low and behold I was on the money.

All round balls on the target (somewhere) at 75 yards (used standard mil spec 200 yards bull). The more I fired the more accurate I became. In the end, three were in the black and a few fliers on the outer rings but all accounted for and on the circle.

I used:

Round Ball: .440 pure lead Hornaby
Powder: Pyrodex FFG
Charge: 70 grains
Cap: Remington 11
Wad: Prelubed Ox Yoke.

I took the advise of the forum and looked for the spent wads on the ground to inspect them to see if the wads were torn in the barrel during the loading process affecting accuracy. I was able to find quite a few and all were in tact with a nice lead circle stain in the middle of the wad.

All in all I am pleased.

I now need to go to the Dr. because me thinks I have the "BP Fever".

THR is a great forum and I really enjoy reading the posts and appreciate the collegial, sound and friendly advice.

 

[Crawdad1]

That's great!!! I'm glad you worked with her and in some respects listened to what she was telling you. And we all seemed to get the idea right off the bat that you really love this rifle and wasn't going to give up on her.

 

[rodwha]

You might want to give 3F a try. It should produce a little less fouling.

 

[Acorn Mush]

Powder: Pyrodex FFG

Give Pyrodex P a try, or GOEX 3fg if you can get it.

 

[45 Dragoon]

Bulk patch will shrink groups from my experience. Old timers taught me, if ya place the weave the same way every time, start it and then cut it, you cant' get more consistant than that.



45 Dragoon

 

[MMA1991]

Thanks for the info. How do think Hodgdon Triple 7 FFFG would do in the .45 cal KY?

 

[rodwha]

It ought to give similar results as 3F Swiss or Olde E, but with much less fouling.

There is the "crud ring" mentioned often, but it seems like it's mostly found in in-lines. Maybe due to greater charges being used?

I've only used 3F T7 in my Lyman's Deerstalker once to see if it recoiled much more than the Pyrodex P I had been using (same 70 grn charge). I didn't notice any significant difference, but I've never thought my rifle recoiled much. I thought it would be more akin to a pump shotgun with a conical, but it's not.

I intend on using 3F Olde E through it. It's much cheaper!

 

[Ifishsum]

When you're target shooting, try using dry patches moistened with Moose Milk, no.13 bore cleaner or something similar. As long as you shoot the load within a couple of minutes, the powder charge isn't significantly compromised, and basically you are cleaning the bore with each shot. I can shoot 20-25 in a row in this manner, before I have to use a cleaning swab.