Cold clean bore accuracy??

Sabotloader, i dug up some old stuff on this and seen where you foul your bore with primers before hunting, can you elaborate on that more? This is about my .45 Cal Green Mountain LRH, everytime i have shot this rifle since owning it i have always burned the first shot (put it in a bank etc. anywhere besides my target) Swab, reload and start my group, up until now i have never tested the cold clean bore shot for accuracy, but since i plan to deer hunt with this rifle this year i figured i had better test it. MAN was i shocked to find it wasn't even on the target?? I swabbed, reloaded and shot again, it was right on where it was suppose to be, i shot a 3 shot group that was 1" at 100 yards, but what the heck happened to the cold clean bore shot?? I got home and thoroughly cleaned the rifle, i visited back n forth with Idahoron a bit about it, we both thought that maybe the barrel was tight somewhere etc. and after the first shot it settled in and shot like it was supposed to? The one thing that came to my mind is the hooked breech fit to tang, it has always had a very slight bit of 'spring' when i set the barrel in the tang, it hooks up good but i had to very slightly pinch the barrel to the stock, then insert the wedge key, maybe an 1/8" of spring? I pulled the tang mounted peep, and then the tang, i checked the tang fit to hooked breech and it was perfect, i then set them back in the stock allowing the barrel to naturally rest in the stock channel, i could see the rear of the Tang (at the wrist) was standing a bit, i padded my vise and slightly bent the Tang, checked fit and it was perfect. I put everything back together good and tight. The barrel now lays in the stock channel perfect, without any kind of bind.

The barrel was thoroughly clean, and bone dry, since i wanted to try it again this morning in hopes i had fixed it by relieving the pressure, i left the bore bone dry, so there was no oil etc. it was down to bare steel dry (i shoot paper patched bullets) i dont use any kind of lube. I took a larger target this morning 3ft by 3ft Square confident that it would catch my bullet in case my barrel to tang work didn't help? I loaded and shot the clean bore shot, NOTHING on my target??? I expected it to be a little low since bending the tang down would have slightly lowered my peep. I swabbed, reloaded and shot 2 more times, they were within 1" of eachother about 8" low of the bullseye (again, I expected it to shoot low) But where in the BLEEP is the Cold clean bore shot going? I couldn't catch it on a 3ft by 3ft foot square, but after swabbing, and reloading it shot perfect. So it's obvious this rifle needs a fouled bore to shoot good. I just can't imagine having to shoot it in the morning before i get to where i want to hunt, Swab and reload, I have found The bores of these Blued Green Mountain barrels rust easy, absolutely no comparison to my Stainless Green Mountain LRH .50 Cal, i dont like the idea of foul shooting, swabbing, reloading, and leaving the barrel fouled all day from Real Black powder.

Has anyone else experienced this, to this degree?

This is the rifle i am shooting to 500 yards, accuracy is absolutely amazing! But i can't hit the side of a Barn with the Cold Clean Bore shot? This barrel has to be fouled in order to shoot good. Doesn't make any sense?

Just about to head out for round 3, This time i am gonna try Primer fouling, what i read Sabotloader and others talk about doing. I am gonna push a dry patch in til it bottoms out, pop 2-3 Caps against it, remove the rangerod, then put muzzle down in a white rag on the ground and pop 5-6 Caps (as many as it takes to show Soot on the white rag) Then i will load and shoot. I will update with my results in a few hrs.

Iv always popped a cap or 3 before loading so havent had as much change in first shot accuracy, but i do know another member here has developed a method of swabbing with lock eze graphite dry lube to simulate fouling without the harmful side effects of actually fouling the barrel before the hunt.

SUCCESS at last!! The primer fouling worked AMAZING!

Here is my patched jag after firing 3 Caps against it, this was in a Clean bone Dry Cold Bore



Here is my Clean cold bore shot just a few minutes ago, Now remember I couldn't hit a 3ft by 3t Square the last 2 days on the cold clean bore shot? After primer fouling its right in there now!!



Here is my 3 shot group, right with my cold bore!

Here is a look at the target for size that i shot at yesterday with my cold clean bore and NEVER TOUCHED IT??? The little hole above the target is from my .308 awhile back, other than that 1 shot from the 308 this BIG target was totally clean, and remained clean after my Cold clean bore shot, i couldn't even get the cold clean bore on this entire target?

As you can see this is a LARGE target to COMPLETELY miss! And this is with a rifle that will consistently shoot MOA, and sub MOA if i hold in and do my part, BUT that is on a Fouled barrel, The cold bore goes COMPLETELY AWOL?

I'd like to Thank ALL of you guys in that old thread, Sabotloader, Shawn T, i cant remember everyone in that thread? But anyway a BIG THANK YOU to all of you guys, i was at my Wits end with this thing!!

My fouling recipe was as is follows: i popped 3 Caps against a dry patch seated to the breech with my range rod, pulled the rod and set it aside (as you can see the burn on the patch was really good) I then tossed a folded white rag on the Ground and rested the muzzle in it and popped 5 more caps off through the entire barrel, i checked the Rag but didn't notice much if any soot? I opted to NOT dry swab, i wanted to leave all the primer fouling i could in the bore, I normally use a .060 Thou Vegetable fibre over powder wad, but they fit fairly tight and i was hesitant about it, thinking it would push the primer fouling down with it? I chose to use an oversize wool over powder Wad, i used a Store bought Oxyoke Brand .50 Cal wool OP wad, the .50 Cal Wad is obviously tight in the 45 bore but since it is wool it goes down easy, with these undersized paper patched bullets i have found it is IMPERATIVE that you use a good TIGHT fitting over powder wad to create the best possible gas seal behind that bullet! After seating the Oversize wool over powder wad i sent the bullet down good and snug on top of it, settled in and took the shot, SUCCESS FINALLY!! This rifle obviously requires fouling before it will shoot the Cold Clean Bore right, Primer fouling worked like a charm!! Thanks again guys

I decided to try a totally different rifle and see if i got the same results? I chose my Stainless .50 Cal Green Mountain LRH since it is a proven shooter. I set the same size 3ft by 3ft square Target up with bull in the dead center, i loaded and shot my Cold Cleanbore without popping any caps, walked up and checked my target NOWHERE to be found, Totally missed the entire target again?! I swabbed, reloaded and shot my other 2, here they are

Its a bummer the third shot isnt here, this target had AWESOME potential. This bullet is from a custom mold i had Tom at Accurate molds cut for me, I sent him 2 Lee S&W .500 bullets and asked him to duplicate it as close as he could, minus the Gas check, and i wanted the diameter to be .493-.494 for paper patching UP to bore, as can be seen here SHE WORKS!


My Target is set up in that far sand bank, this is 100 yards, actually a little over with my Leica 1600 Range Finder, but my bench legs sit nicely here.

In conclusion, While The cold clean bore might not effect a Sabot or a Grease groove bullet as badly as a Paper Patched and sized bullet? (I have no proof with Sabots, or Greased bullets as i dont shoot them) In the testing i have done in the last few days, i can assure you it is DRASTIC with Paper Patched and sized bullets!! I am holding in the center of a 3ft by 3ft target and have missed the entire target 3 different tries now with the Cold Clean Bore shot, that means it is missing by at least 18" in whatever direction?

Bear with me here, i feel it's important to explain my cleaning procedure so you get a better understanding of what my Cold Clean Bore is. And remember i only shoot Dry Paper Patched bullets, i dont use any kind of lube.

My Cold Clean Bore is probably different than most, i use a small hand held steam cleaner as part of my cleaning routine, i pull my barrel from the stock, take the nipple out and lay it aside, i then point the Nozzle of the steam cleaner in the threaded nipple hole and blast hot steam through the Snail, i do this til 8-10 of the barrel is to HOT to handle (This is not only getting the Snail clean back to brand new shiny metal, it is also getting the Patented Breech that some folks don't even realize exists?) Then i place the breech end in a 5 gallon bucket filled about a quarter the way full of Warm water and start my cleaning, a little dawn dish soap on a good fitting patched jag back n forth, drawing water in, and shoving it back out thru the nipple hole, i then make several strokes with a good quality bronze bore brush to get any possible fouling that might be tucked in the grooves, i change my old water out to clean in my bucket, i fill the barrel with water from the Tap and dump it several times, then stick the breech end back in the bucket of fresh clean water and start over with a new patch on my Jag, i do this until the patches are coming out cotton white, Then i dry the exterior of the barrel with a bath towel, and run several dry patches down the bore to dry it out, i made a fine point nozzle for my air compressor and i use it to blow out any moisture from the Thimbles, The under rib, etc. And last i run another blast of hot steam back through the nipple hole til its HOT, then run several dry patches through to get any excess moisture from the steam, The back 8-10" of barrel that is HOT from the steam will evaporate ANY moisture inside QUICKLY. I set the barrel aside and move on to my lock and hammer, Nipple, etc. by the time i am done with everything the barrel has cooled down and i am ready to oil everything up good. I am 100 percent confident you can NOT get a barrel any cleaner than i can with the process above

If i know i am going to shoot again the next day i skip the oiling of the barrel process and leave it BONE DRY, So when i say Cold Clean Bore shot, my barrel is DEFINITELY clean!! With My findings the last few days of testing, i feel the BIG key to success with the Cold Clean Bore Shot is to pop several caps, I think it is a good idea to pop 2-3 caps against a patched jag bottomed out in the barrel, and then pop a few more caps straight through the barrel.

Idaholewis, i found you. what on earth happened. does this site have a pm avenue?

triggerhappy243 said:

Idaholewis, i found you. what on earth happened. does this site have a pm avenue?

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Hello Trigger! Good to see ya here!! I sent you a PM

triggerhappy243 said:

Idaholewis, i found you. what on earth happened. does this site have a pm avenue?

Click to expand...

Yes it does... just click on the name of the individual you wish to PM or do a name search then click on the name

triggerhappy243 said:

Idaholewis, i found you. what on earth happened. does this site have a pm avenue?

Click to expand...

a little different than most sites. his message to you will come with a moderators name attached just so's ya know not to delete it. or ya might just get his email & message him direct.

Moisten a patch with lock eeze and a quick swab mimics the fouled bore first shot problem, and is non corrosive. basically graphite powder in an alcohol

Squeeze, i will definitely give this a try! Wish i knew where i could find this stuff locally i would go grab some and try it first thing in the morning. I will run to the auto parts and hardware real quick and see if i can find it?

I found it! I got it in 2 different ways, aerosol can, and the squeeze bottle like you have pictured. I will test this first thing in the morning, and report back with the outcome. i was thinking about seating a dry patch against the breech and popping 1 cap off so it fouls the snail, and Patented breech area, you think this is necessary or not? The thing about testing this cold clean bore shot is you only get 1 swing at it Then wait til the next trip for another try. I remember reading this somewhere when i was digging through older threads. I am looking forward to trying this!

Ive tried it in several guns, just a quick in and out swab before loading and works to mimic a fouled bore first shot. I used to pop 2-3 caps (or primers, usually inline) but not necessary with the graphite. there's a few threads on it here. Its been tried in quite a few guns

I Gave the Lock-Ease a go this morning as i said i would, i made sure and shot a known good shooting load in my rifle, last night before i headed for bed i wetted a patch with Lock-Ease and made 1 pass through the barrel, i propped the gun up against my wall with the barrel pointing down (it was only 1 wetted patch but i wanted to make darn sure nothing got in the snail, and powder chamber) at daylight this morning i loaded the rifle and headed for the pit, my cold clean bore shot with Lock-Ease was on target but it was left and just barely cutting the edge of the paper (at least it wasn't a total miss like ALL the others!) i then loaded and shot the last 2 to finish the group, as you can see the last 2 are cutting each other. So the Lock-Ease definitely helped, but it was not as effective for me as primer fouling, when i primer fouled they all shot together!

One thing again, i am cleaning different than most, i use a steam cleaner, after i pull the nipple i point the nozzle of the little steam cleaner in the nipple threads of the barrel and i blast about 10-15 seconds of piping hot steam in there! This is cleaning the inside of the Snail and Patented Breech/Powder chamber back to shiny new steel, SO I've come to the conclusion that i need to pop a couple of caps off against a patched jag so it fouls inside the Snail and Patented breech/Powder chamber. By running the wetted patch of Lock-Ease down the bore it is ONLY coating the bore to the shoulder of the Patented Breech/Powder chamber where the patched jag stops and no way to coat the Patented Breech/Powder chamber, and inside the snail.

Here is my target, This rifle/Load combo will put these Lyman Plains bullets inside each other as long as i do my part! This was 50 Yards to test the Lock-Ease


And here is a Group i shot with Maxi balls, this 1:28 Fast Twist Green Mountain barrel does NOT like Maxi balls! I am done messing with them in this rifle, i have tried several different wad, and powder combos, this was the worst group ive shot so far with the Maxi's, i dont need them anyway, the Lyman Plains is flat out AWESOME in my rifle! And i have Tom at Accurate Molds cutting me a mold like the Bullshop bullet that recently shot so well for me. Here is the Maxi DUD 3 shot group, there is one in the black, you can actually see the Lube speckled on my Target, i am using Gatfeo No. 1 Lube