Clean verses 'Fouled' Barrel Test

This comes up at times, should one hunt with a clean or fouled barrel with a M-L? My answer is usually for the shooter to test their own gun and see if & how much the point of impact changes. Even when shooting Blackhorn 209 I prefer to keep my bore clean as much as possible, though a few days fouled with B209 is no biggie. It can be more of an issue leaving the bore dirty with other powders & pellets.

My test did involve firing two primers before loading, so the bore was slightly fouled with primer residue. The gun was a 45 Cal Knight Elite, 110 grains of B209, crush-rib sabot holding a 200 grain XTP, CCIM primer.

The 1st shot was right on, the 2nd shot was almost in the same hole. I just used the 50 yd backyard range. I'm just setting up to go on an IL deer hunt this weekend.

Of course another load, another gun, another shooter may have different results with the fouled bore test. I'm just relating how my recent one went.

Thanks for the info and time spent

I posed this question a while back because it seemed like many guys claimed their gun shot better without cleaning the bore between shots. Here's what I can say about both my White ML's. First shot on a clean bore(a few caps fired only to burn away any oil residue from cleaning) is always different POI than after fouling the bore with a shot. After the bore is fouled with one or two shots, my MOA accuracy is significantly better with a light swabbing between shots. I attribute this(right or wrong) to the lead fouling in the bore and removal of the powder fouling( I use 777 and there is definitely a "crud ring" that builds up that in my opinion affects bullet seating and pressure built up behind the bullet) I lick one side of a patch and run it down wet side first, then dry side. My group sizes stay much tighter and more consistent when doing this. Without the swabbing, the group tightness deteriorates with successive shots. Granted, every gun may shoot differently and I'm sure not going to swab between shots in the field if I'm having to reload after a shot on game. But, when load testing, my opinion is that one gets more accurate results with a clean bore.

IMO each rifle barrel can be different. For short range hunting most will be good enough. However, for a possible long range first shot, some barrels need fouling. Pays to know..........

All of my muzzleloaders shoot the first shot in the right spot. The cold clean shot is not a problem for my 5 guns.

I've been on this topic for years. My guns, when shooting sabots, have first shot flyers no matter how I try to avoid the problem.

Just lat week I did the final check on a .52 Disc Extreme shoot the .275 Lehighs. 1st shot was 3-4" out of the group at 75 yards despite primer fouling.

My conclusion is that it's my cleaning procedure. I use Birchwood Casey Bore Scrubber and BC Barricade. Rather than search for a new cleaning system that does not cause flyers, I'll plan on a squib shot.

idahoron said:

All of my muzzleloaders shoot the first shot in the right spot. The cold clean shot is not a problem for my 5 guns.

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My 14 muzzleloaders (4 inlines, 10 side hammers) shoot to point of aim with clean or fouled barrels. I only use real black, #11 or musket caps, patched RB's or full bore lead bullets.

My guns put the first round from a clean barrel exactly at point of aim. If the gun puts rounds from clean and dirty barrel more than about 2" apart at 100 yards it goes away.