BH 209 - Wiping between shots?

[Chick]

I have always just shot the BH 209, and cleaned at the end of the year. Not that many shots. BUT, how often do you clean or wipe your barrel?

 

[toytruck]

My optima V2 has a nitride barrel so I probably could get away with only cleaning it after the season. I always clean it after a range trip or after a hunt when shot. Only gun I have that shoot's BH209.
I don't wipe/clean after each shot, not needed at the range.

 

[WV Hunter]

Same as toytruck.
I always clean after range session or if I shoot while hunting.
I don't swab or clean between shots.

 

[Chick]

Same as toytruck.
I always clean after range session or if I shoot while hunting.
I don't swab or clean between shots.

So, You and Toy Truck go hunting on a non-fouled barrel? How far is your furtherest shot?

 

[Chick]

My optima V2 has a nitride barrel so I probably could get away with only cleaning it after the season. I always clean it after a range trip or after a hunt when shot. Only gun I have that shoot's BH209.
I don't wipe/clean after each shot, not needed at the range.

Both my Accuras are Niride over SS. My Optima is just plain SS. So, you go hunting on a non fouled barrel? Do you notice any difference of impact, between a fouled and non-fouled barrel? How far is your futherest shot?

 

[shiner200gr]

Only reason to swab or clean between shots with any gun shooting black powder or a black powder substitute is if you are one of those picky guys that insist on accuracy lol.

 

[toytruck]

Both my Accuras are Niride over SS. My Optima is just plain SS. So, you go hunting on a non fouled barrel? Do you notice any difference of impact, between a fouled and non-fouled barrel? How far is your futherest shot?

Yes, barrel is not fouled with no difference in accuracy. Longest killed deer shot is 80yds.(give/take).
I didn't use the optima this past season. My Whites and Remington rifle filled the freezer, not needed.

 

[sdporter]

Shoot a clean shot at one target a dirty shot at another target swab and repeat 3-4 times. You can see then if it makes a difference or not in your rifle with your load.

 

[hawki]

I have a Knight in stainless, hunt with a fouled barrel, clean it at the end of the season. I’ve been doing this since I ve been using 209, no issues so far. My longest shot, 248 yds.45 cal, 83 grains (weight) 200 grain Shockwave, harvester sabot.

 

[Neumonic]

Only guns that don’t get cleaned after every use in my house are my 9mm pistols and my AR.

Always hunt or take my first range shot with a clean barrel with regards to my hunting rifles including my ML’ers.

Farthest shot at both places I hunt is just under 300 yards.

Personally, I don’t get the fouled barrel thing nor do I fire a primer to ensure the flash channel and combustion area are dry, I know everything is dry because I cleaned it all in preparation for my next use and have yet to have an ignition issue or an accuracy issue.

 

[toytruck]

I don’t get the fouled barrel thing nor do I fire a primer to ensure the flash channel and combustion area are dry, I know everything is dry because I cleaned it all in preparation for my next use and have yet to have an ignition issue or an accuracy issue.

Some guns shoot better and are more accurate with a fouled bore. White rifles, for example, were designed that way by Doc White for shooting slip fit conical bullets. I too have not had an issue with ignition with inline guns. Sidelocks sometimes, depends on the brand of cap used.

Do you store your muzzleloader muzzle down or remove the breechplug until needed?

 

[eekjellander]

Only guns that don’t get cleaned after every use in my house are my 9mm pistols and my AR.

Always hunt or take my first range shot with a clean barrel with regards to my hunting rifles including my ML’ers.

Farthest shot at both places I hunt is just under 300 yards.

Personally, I don’t get the fouled barrel thing nor do I fire a primer to ensure the flash channel and combustion area are dry, I know everything is dry because I cleaned it all in preparation for my next use and have yet to have an ignition issue or an accuracy issue.

I get it , cause a fouled bore will most definitly shoot different than a clean bore depending on propellent used ! Back/subs foul at different rates causing different bore conditions . If you believe consistancy equals accuracy you wipe between shots and if it does"nt matter (accuracy) you don"t and it ain"t hard to see the difference. BH 209 is more of a smokeless sub and most smokeless powders do not create the same amount of fouling so it is not the same result ,in fact there are many shooters of smokeless that like fouled bores /but thats another story/Ed

 

[Chick]

I get it , cause a fouled bore will most definitly shoot different than a clean bore depending on propellent used ! Back/subs foul at different rates causing different bore conditions . If you believe consistancy equals accuracy you wipe between shots and if it does"nt matter (accuracy) you don"t and it ain"t hard to see the difference. BH 209 is more of a smokeless sub and most smokeless powders do not create the same amount of fouling so it is not the same result ,in fact there are many shooters of smokeless that like fouled bores /but thats another story/Ed

There was one guy on the forum, who claimed to have shot like 2000 rounds, without cleaning, with BH209, with no loss of accuracy. I have no idea how much truth there was to it. As long as I have shot in lines, with BP subs, I have got unexplained flyers. Normally 5-6" high

 

[hawki]

To those that hunt with a clean barrel, do you do the same level of cleaning between shots at the range? If so, how do you prepare for a 2nd shot and possible change in POI with a fouled barrel?

 

[eekjellander]

To those that hunt with a clean barrel, do you do the same level of cleaning between shots at the range? If so, how do you prepare for a 2nd shot and possible change in POI with a fouled barrel?

I try not to require a 2nd shot (HA) ,it does not change much for the 2nd and have not ever needed a 3rd/Ed

 

[WV Hunter]

To those that hunt with a clean barrel, do you do the same level of cleaning between shots at the range? If so, how do you prepare for a 2nd shot and possible change in POI with a fouled barrel?

I always hunt on a clean barrel, only fouled by a primer or two.
Have not noticed significant variance in shot 1 and 2... not enough to worry about.
Like eekjellander, I try to make that first shot count so I don't need a second shot. I've taken dozens of deer with my ML, and only 1 time shot twice, hit the deer both times.
I don't do any cleaning between shots at the range with BH209. If using Pyrodex, I swab between shots.

 

[Neumonic]

Do you store your muzzleloader muzzle down or remove the breechplug until needed?

I store my ML’ers muzzle up, clean and breach plug installed with small amount of lube on the threads just snugged up to the barrel. If I soak a BP after a good range day gun is stored same way without the BP until I have gone through it and finished my cleaning process on that plug(s).

 

[Boreal]

I run a brush down the barrel after every shot whether hunting or shooting at the range. It's something I've always done with blackpowder first, then 777 and now with Blackhorn. It always made a difference with the other powders, with Blackhorn, I couldn't say one way or the other. But repetitiveness is good for safety and consistency.

 

[GregK]

I use Jeff from BeStill Creations procedure for swapping in between. It can be found on here along with a lot of other valuable information about Blackhorn 209
Prior to that I have shot hundreds of shots without cleaning in between. No change in accuracy and no change in loading pressure. What I did see using this procedure was an increase in accuracy, Plus BH209 is still corrosive just at a slower lesser rate than other black powder substitutes.

Greg

 

[Chick]

I try not to require a 2nd shot (HA) ,it does not change much for the 2nd and have not ever needed a 3rd/Ed

Unrelated to the question.