I have always donemy sighting in the summer during the warm temps and have been able to shoot multiple shots and have them touching or within an inch or so. This year I took my gun out for BP season and after a day of not seeing anything I decided to go shoot a few off at the gravel pit. Well my first 3 were ok but after that they were a few inches off. I was not cleaning the bore between shots or anything but I have never had to clean that much during the summer shooting,could the cold be playing a part in this? Any Ideas as to what could cause this would be helpfull. BTW its a traditions tracker with bushnell 4x scope, and I'm shooting hornadys 44 cals and xtp sabots with 100 gr pyrodex pellets.
i have a problem in cold weather where after the first 3-4 shots, its hard to load the bullets. In the summer, with my traditions flintlock, if its the high 90's the bore butter on my patches just melts all to hell and shoots all over. If i switch to adry patch over 2 shots, i get a great pattern again. And then there are days we all have when we go out and cant hit jack, then the next day, we're shooting great lol. Could have just been one of those days u know?
Well I might suspect that the cold is playing a part in your experience. I've noted that rifles shoot different depending on the temp and the temp of the barrel as well.
__________________
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, a total wreck, screaming Yahoo, with a big smile on your face."
I have always donemy sighting in the summer during the warm temps and have been able to shoot multiple shots and have them touching or within an inch or so. This year I took my gun out for BP season and after a day of not seeing anything I decided to go shoot a few off at the gravel pit. Well my first 3 were ok but after that they were a few inches off. I was not cleaning the bore between shots or anything but I have never had to clean that much during the summer shooting,could the cold be playing a part in this? Any Ideas as to what could cause this would be helpfull. BTW its a traditions tracker with bushnell 4x scope, and I'm shooting hornadys 44 cals and xtp sabots with 100 gr pyrodex pellets.
If you hunt in the late fall cold, why are you sighting-in a muzzleloaderwhen it's hot & summertime? Always sight-in these primitive gunsnearer the temperature you will hunt in.
__________________ Make Smoke - Not War with those using a different style muzzleloader than you.
I have always donemy sighting in the summer during the warm temps and have been able to shoot multiple shots and have them touching or within an inch or so. This year I took my gun out for BP season and after a day of not seeing anything I decided to go shoot a few off at the gravel pit. Well my first 3 were ok but after that they were a few inches off. I was not cleaning the bore between shots or anything but I have never had to clean that much during the summer shooting,could the cold be playing a part in this? Any Ideas as to what could cause this would be helpfull. BTW its a traditions tracker with bushnell 4x scope, and I'm shooting hornadys 44 cals and xtp sabots with 100 gr pyrodex pellets.
If you hunt in the late fall cold, why are you sighting-in a muzzleloaderwhen it's hot & summertime? Always sight-in these primitive gunsnearer the temperature you will hunt in.
That is a good point I never really thought temp could play that big a part in accuracy.
trac209 how much time between shots? Both Harvester and MMP say that if the outside of the barrel is warm to the touch than the inside is like a oven and when you load the sabot starts to get soft and doesn't make a consistent seal or support the bullet uniformally. They suggest inhot weather 15 minutes between shots. If the barrel and the scope feel equal temp. to the touch it is ok to load. I was not to sure of this at first but if I waitI don't have the flyer's.
trac209 how much time between shots? Both Harvester and MMP say that if the outside of the barrel is warm to the touch than the inside is like a oven and when you load the sabot starts to get soft and doesn't make a consistent seal or support the bullet uniformally. They suggest inhot weather 15 minutes between shots. If the barrel and the scope feel equal temp. to the touch it is ok to load. I was not to sure of this at first but if I waitI don't have the flyer's.
Well it was cold out about -8 Celcius so the barrel was cool between all the shots although it probley warmed up some it would not have gotten hotter than when I shoot it in the summer and those shots are always tight. The only thing I can think of is that in the cold has a greater affect on the fouling of the barrel perhaps. The bullets were harder to load in the cold from what I recall.
Actually a lot of powders react differently with temp extremes, even smokeless. While reloading we have noticed the biggest variences with ball type of powders.
The Gents that have stated that you need to sight your rifle in again in the fall are 110% correct.
Eric
__________________
Not only should we take a child hunting but we need to teach them the pride and respect that makes a hunter truely great!
Anybody ever experiance this?
