How long in barrel?

[JFB]

Hi all,

I'll be shooting a T/C Triumph 50 cal ML. Using Blackhorn 209 powder. I plan to simulate a dirty barrel by starting with a fully cleaned barrel and firing just a primer through to "dirty" it and then go hunt.

My question is, if I do not fire a load through after a days hunt, how long can I leave the powder charge in (remembering I'll have a "dirty" barrel from the primer discharge).

Thanks for opinions.

 

[TNBilly]

I asked the same question not long ago and the answers I got varied anywhere from all season to years. Didn't have one report of a misfire from leaving the charge in the barrel.

 

[WestKentucky]

I had one that I took on trade that was loaded when I got it. Guy said it had been loaded for about 6 years. Along with that it hadn't been cleaned and the bore was really bad with rust. I put a wire brush in a drill and rigged the drill up to the bench so it was constantly running with a 24" extension then the wire brush. I bottomed out on the bullet and do much dust/rust was floating around the shop looked like it had red smoke in it. After that I locked the gun down onto my tree stump rig and shot it with a rope. After all that the powder was good. The rifling was acceptable, and the "chamber" portion was pitted but still acceptable. Gun shot like crap with anything other than sabots so I locked the drill down again and she is becoming a 24 bore scattergun.

 

[sage5907]

You need to google Western Powder's Blackhorn 209 - Chuckhawks.com and read the information on cleaning. I got a real chuckle about what it said about Jim Shockey's Pioneer Gold.

 

[BCRider]

That's an interesting plan. Likely as not you'd need to shoot off a few caps to foul the bore to the right amount. But it would be easy enough to test to learn how to make it work.

On the other hand why not simply sight in for that all important first shot clean bore round? I'm guessing that you'd only get one kill per day given the need to clean and cart the game? And once back at the camp you could take 5 or 10 minutes to swab, brush and patch the bore so the next hunting round is also from a clean bore.

But I'm not a hunter so this might not be the issue for you. But I admit to curiosity on the issue.

And the next question would be "is the fouling from caps corrosive?".

 

[Patocazador]

BH209 attracts almost no moisture. I leave the same load all season if I don't have a shot at a deer. When I fire it, it goes "BANG" with no hesitation.
I don't leave black powder in more than a day due to the high humidity here.

 

[JFB]

That's an interesting plan. Likely as not you'd need to shoot off a few caps to foul the bore to the right amount. But it would be easy enough to test to learn how to make it work.

On the other hand why not simply sight in for that all important first shot clean bore round? I'm guessing that you'd only get one kill per day given the need to clean and cart the game? And once back at the camp you could take 5 or 10 minutes to swab, brush and patch the bore so the next hunting round is also from a clean bore.

But I'm not a hunter so this might not be the issue for you. But I admit to curiosity on the issue.

And the next question would be "is the fouling from caps corrosive?".

BCrider,

Very logical questions. The only reason I mentioned shooting the primers off to dirty the barrel was because Blackhorn is said to shoot much more accurately with a dirty barrel. I didn't really want all the powder residue (and additional odor) in my barrel while hunting. May be illogical, but thats why I had heard of people firing the primer to simulate the dirty barrel. Not positive if one primer sufficiently "dirties" it.

So I didn't want to sight in and plan for a clean barrel hunting situation if Blackhorn themselves say it shoots better when dirty. I was trying to plan for a "dirty" hunt situation without needing a recent fire.

Also, I called T/C and they firmly said Blackhorn and primer is corrosive and they highly suggested I remove the load (fired or not) and clean each day. I don't find that as a good option and TC is the only ones who say it can't be left in for a week or so.

Sooooo..... I guess for now I'll test first shot clean barrel vs. dirty barrel accuracy and start to see how much difference there is.

 

[gojuice101]

I don't use the same powder, but I inadvertently tested this myself starting last year. I fired a couple caps, as I always do to clean out anything in the barrel. Then I loaded it to go hunting. I ended up forgetting about it and leaving it loaded until I finally took it out a couple weeks ago. So it was loaded for basically a year. I was worried that it would rust or corrode the barrel, but it was just fine. Looked just like it did before.

Of course, it didn't fire. But its impossible to tell if that was from leaving it for a year or not, since the gun is temperamental and will misfire even with a completely clean bore and fresh load.

 

[44 Dave]

Caps alone would be no problem, they are non corrosive.
I clean and reload revolvers (I always keep one loaded and capped) By blowing the nipples with compressed air and swab with dry patch.
That still leaves you wanting a fowled barrel, I would learn where it shoots with a clean barrel, some thing like a deer is a big target.

 

[627PCFan]

This whole thread is interesting. I keep my hunting rifles dirty. I always keep at least 3 rounds down the tube before I hunt with them EXCEPT for my Thompson ML. It gets scrubbed down with a brass bore brush to make sure every last bit of powder residue and plastic sabot residue is gone before I load. It shoots best with an spotless barrel, Accuracy opens up on consecutive shots. Are you finding the opposite result?

 

[alsaqr]

i muzzleloader hunt with a clean barrel.

If a muzzleloader of mine shoots to a different point of aim with a dirty barrel i won't have it: The gun will soon go away.