Do You Hunt With A Clean Barrel?

Fiddler said:

I always go hunting with a slightly-fouled barrel in my centerfire and rimfire rifles. This seems to reduce flyers during that all-important first shot.
Does the same rule apply to muzzleloaders?
Do you hunt with a clean or fouled barrel?

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sabotloader said:

Fiddler said:

I always go hunting with a slightly-fouled barrel in my centerfire and rimfire rifles. This seems to reduce flyers during that all-important first shot.
Does the same rule apply to muzzleloaders?
Do you hunt with a clean or fouled barrel?

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Never! I always hunt with what I will call a 'semi-fouled' barrel.

Shooting a ML typically you can hunt with a clean barrel if the rifle is zeroed with a clean barrel because the first shot for most will be all that matters. Problem for me is there may be several other shots taken after that initial shot during a long hunting trip. I much prefer a 'semi-fouled' barrel. Not sure I would advise that if you are shooting real BP or any of the Pyro powders. I am shooting T7 and have never had a problem with corrosion if I do my part. Shooting BH-209 is even less of a problem. Both powders are corrosive or the residue is over time but after shooting simply neutralize the powder residue in the bore.

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CoHiCntry said:

sabotloader said:

Fiddler said:

I always go hunting with a slightly-fouled barrel in my centerfire and rimfire rifles. This seems to reduce flyers during that all-important first shot.
Does the same rule apply to muzzleloaders?
Do you hunt with a clean or fouled barrel?

Click to expand...

Never! I always hunt with what I will call a 'semi-fouled' barrel.

Shooting a ML typically you can hunt with a clean barrel if the rifle is zeroed with a clean barrel because the first shot for most will be all that matters. Problem for me is there may be several other shots taken after that initial shot during a long hunting trip. I much prefer a 'semi-fouled' barrel. Not sure I would advise that if you are shooting real BP or any of the Pyro powders. I am shooting T7 and have never had a problem with corrosion if I do my part. Shooting BH-209 is even less of a problem. Both powders are corrosive or the residue is over time but after shooting simply neutralize the powder residue in the bore.

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How do you "neutralize" the powder residue in the bore?

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Do you guys clean every time even after sighting-in/confirming zero before the season?

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sabotloader said:

Do I hunt with a squeaky clean bore - NO! I hunt with what I will call a 'semi-clean' bore in fact the 'semi-clean' bore is in that state all hunting season. I have been using this same practice for several years with no ill effects at all. Note: I shoot T7 and/or BH-209

I also would indicate to you that were I shooting real BP or one of the Pyro's I would have to revisit this whole routine as they are so much more corrosive than T7 or BH. Were I shooting a blued barrel I would also need to be more diligent in what I am suggesting.

As I have indicated - the residue of the powder burning is the corrosive part of the equation and only when it gets wet with moisture and remains wet/damp. No moisture no corrosion. I in my little world also try to minimize the amount of residue in the bore + neutralize the residue that it there.

I believe there are several agents out there will do the job... A few of the more common are: Alcohol, Brake Cleaner, and my favorite regular Blue Windex - the Windex with a minimal amount of Ammonia in the solution. Ammonia is a natural metal stripper cleaner and the small amount of Ammonia in Windex will not etch or harm your bore + as it evaporates it carries moisture vapor with it.

So... my routine is normally before the season starts is to run to the farm shoot 3-5 shots to confirm the rifle is sighted in. Then I will run a couple of Windex patches (both sides) up and down a few times in the bore. This operations removes the bulk of the fouling in the bore - not all but most. At the same time the chemical reaction of the Ammonia, Alcohol, or brake cleaner with the remaining fouling will weaken and mostly neutralize the effects of the remaining Sulphur salts, and potassium ash in the bore. It is now my responsibility to keep the bore dry while hunting. If at anytime I feel that I got the bore wet I will either pull the load or shoot it out and repeat the process - this hardly ever happens but it could.

This pic shows how I prepare the Windex patches...



This is a question I was asked recently and the answer I provided...

Do you guys clean every time even after sighting-in/confirming zero before the season?

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Most every BP shooter will tell you to clean well each time you shoot and if you are using real BP or any of the Pyro's I would say good plan! I shoot T7 and really do not do the then great clean each time, but it is something I have been doing for many years and have developed a routing that works for me. I will check the rifles zero in September and in most case t will not be really cleaned until the end of the hunting season. T7 IS corrosive but not anywhere close to real BP or the Pro's. What you really need to know is that the residue in the bore is what is corrosive. If you neutralize the residue as I do the corrosive ability is greatly reduced even to the point of being non-existent. So what it comes down to is I shoot a semi-fouled barrel. After shooting I will wipe the barrel with a damp blue Windex patch both sides. Allow the bore to dry if your patch is to wet and/or dry it with some dry patches. From there you can reload and go for it. BUT, if at anytime I feel I have gotten the bore wet while hunting - then I will re-do the whole process.

Here is another operation I do for cleaning...



Again this is what works for me shooting T7 in any Knight stainless barrels - you need to develop your own methods as we all have.

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twild

Great post

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bestill said:

This topic has many opinions from individual experience.

Ive spent many hours talking with lab guys at western powder concerning blackhorn209 powder. While they completely agree many guns at the range will shoot tighter groups with a fouled barrel.
But blackhorn fouling left in barrel is extremely hydroscopic which is like a sponge with moisture.
They highly recommend not leaving blackhorn fouling in barrel.

So question what about clean bore accuracy hunting.
They recommend sighting for first shoot accuracy and then make correction for followup shot if needed.

Clean bore will repeat poi
Fouled bore will repeat poi
Fouled moisture rich bore wont repeat poi.

Just some thoughts

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bestill said:

This topic has many opinions from individual experience.

Ive spent many hours talking with lab guys at western powder concerning blackhorn209 powder. While they completely agree many guns at the range will shoot tighter groups with a fouled barrel.
But blackhorn fouling left in barrel is extremely hydroscopic which is like a sponge with moisture.
They highly recommend not leaving blackhorn fouling in barrel.

So question what about clean bore accuracy hunting.
They recommend sighting for first shoot accuracy and then make correction for followup shot if needed.

Clean bore will repeat poi
Fouled bore will repeat poi
Fouled moisture rich bore wont repeat poi.

Just some thoughts

Click to expand...

bestill said:

This topic has many opinions from individual experience.

Ive spent many hours talking with lab guys at western powder concerning blackhorn209 powder. While they completely agree many guns at the range will shoot tighter groups with a fouled barrel.
But blackhorn fouling left in barrel is extremely hydroscopic which is like a sponge with moisture.
They highly recommend not leaving blackhorn fouling in barrel.

So question what about clean bore accuracy hunting.
They recommend sighting for first shoot accuracy and then make correction for followup shot if needed.

Clean bore will repeat poi
Fouled bore will repeat poi
Fouled moisture rich bore wont repeat poi.

Just some thoughts

Click to expand...

CoHiCntry said:

bestill said:

This topic has many opinions from individual experience.

Ive spent many hours talking with lab guys at western powder concerning blackhorn209 powder. While they completely agree many guns at the range will shoot tighter groups with a fouled barrel.
But blackhorn fouling left in barrel is extremely hydroscopic which is like a sponge with moisture.
They highly recommend not leaving blackhorn fouling in barrel.

So question what about clean bore accuracy hunting.
They recommend sighting for first shoot accuracy and then make correction for followup shot if needed.

Clean bore will repeat poi
Fouled bore will repeat poi
Fouled moisture rich bore wont repeat poi.

Just some thoughts

Click to expand...

I was looking at the Blackhorn website and one of their claims is that BH209 is "non-hygroscopic"??? I'm getting kind of confused. Here's where I saw it at... http://www.blackhorn209.com/specs/comparison/ Could it be that the powder itself isn't hygroscopic but the fouling is???

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