Problem with Muzzleloader POI and fouling shot issue

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Got a question for ML hunters....

OK, the problem is that like most ML/load combos, my first shot from a clean bore with one of the two MLs I'm using to hunt with next weekend, is WAY off from it's "normal" point of impact with a fouled bore, after one or more shots. Completely unacceptable and not minute of deer from a clean bore (ridiculously off), but reasonably accurate with a fouled bore (today it was roughly 2" at 90 yards for a 3 shot group, but that first shot is 10-12" off).

Problem is, next weekend I won't be able to take a fouling shot the morning of the hunt (noise, time, etc.), and do not want to take a fouling shot the evening before while scouting, because the season will not have started yet, and I don't want the game warden or anyone else to see me "firing a gun" in the woods (even if it's just powder/no bullet).

So, I deliberately didn't clean it today after shooting, or order to keep it in a fouled/ready condition for the hunt. I guess the questions are, does anyone else do this, how much corrosion will I experience in a week from triple 7, and is there a better alternative solution I'm not thinking of?

Thanks a lot!

 

[Pasteur]

I've let guns go a couple of weeks with triple seven. It solves the POI issue related to fouling and I've never had a corrosion issue. One needs to be careful one does not leave the gun in a place that's too humid.

 

[alsaqr]

how much corrosion will I experience in a week from triple 7,

Probably not very much. 777 is not nearly as corrosive as Pyrodex. The residue of 777 does attract moisture.

and is there a better alternative solution I'm not thinking of

?

Never bought into the hunt with a dirty barrel thing. All of my muzzleloaders are sighted to put the first shot from a clean barrel on target. I use Goex Pinnacle exclusively and there is no difference in poi when shooting from a dirty barrel.

 

[mykeal]

You should not have a problem with corrosion and 777.

However, I don't see the issue with "the game warden or anyone else to see me "firing a gun" in the woods" before opening day. The practice of firing a fouling shot with muzzleloaders is pretty well known, so it shouldn't take much explanation, if any. And what's the issue with firing it the first thing in the morning? Are all the deer in the county going to go running off to the next county because of one shot? Yes, they'll hear it. And they won't be spooked by it. Whitetails have a two part flight alert trigger, and even if there are two shots, they won't go far. They actually have to perceive a threat to take flight, and they don't go running for miles because of it. They'll run into cover and stop to take another look.

 

[JamesKelly]

Couple of things. What make barrel? Ball dia? Patch thickness, lube?

Last year shot a Pedersoli .45 cal Frontier with a great deal of ignorance, did not have a good ball size/patch/lube combo at all. Gun shot very differently with a slightly fouled barrel. Think it was the fault of my loading procedure. (when injured shoulder gets better) may try again w slightly smaller ball, thicker lubed patch.

 

[Nicodemus38]

i must be genius or just lucky, i have the ability with my muzzleloading rifles to take them when super clean, and put the first shot , 2nd, 3rd, to the 10th all in a nice circle about the size of a wide mouth canning jar lid at 100 yards.

fouling shots just dont do anything at all for helping you out. fouling shots attract moisture into the next charge of powder that goes in.

 

[arcticap]

It's not mentioned what kind of projectile is being loaded.
If a sabot is being loaded, then swabbing a thin coat of Bore Butter into the barrel after the sabot is loaded can sometimes mimic a fouled barrel and produce better first shot accuracy.
Or a sabot with a different external diameter can also be tried, as can a different powder or projectile to see if the first shot accuracy changes for the better.

If it's a patched round ball that's loaded, then there's an option to switch to a sabot or conical which can fly truer from a cold barrel.
Some barrels only require being fouled with the primer residue of a cap or two prior to loading while other barrels might require fouling from firing off a powder charge.

If the problem is due in part to the barrel having been at a warmer temperature from repeated firings during the accuracy testing, then the pre-fouled barrel may not solve the whole problem either.

And it's possible that 90 yards may be too far to obtain an accurate first hunting shot from that rifle.

The next logical step would be to prove your theory that the gun will shoot acceptably closer to the point of aim at 90 yards with it being pre-fouled and cold.
Some guns may only have an effective range of 60 or 70 yards with a particular load from a cold barrel. It's best to test the load prior to hunting with it to show what the maximum hunting range should be limited to.
There may not be time for additional experimention but time should be made for at least one final test firing to determine the effective range.