Barrel protection while hunting????????

SHulion · 11-19-2008, 06:55 AM

Our early, 3 day muzzleloader season opens this Friday here in Florida. Friday morning, before I do anything else I'll swab the barrel of my Endeavor with a couple dry patches, an alcohol patch, and then a couple more dry patches. After I finish that I will fire a few primers to foul the barrel and then load it for the hunt using 110gr. BH209, 250gr. shockwave and a Harvester short black. My question is, if I don't shoot anything the first day (I'll hunt Friday, Saturday and Sunday) what should I do about the barrel now that I have completely removed any oil from it. Will it be Ok for those three days or should I run a lighlty oiled patch down the barrel to where the bullet is seated and then dry patch out the excess to help protect the barrel. I'm affraid this might affect acurracy. I understand that if it rains, I will probably need to shoot the gun, clean it and start over but there isn't any rain in the forecast. The weather is supposed to be perfect. What do you guys do when hunting 3 or 4 days in a row. Thanks again for your help.

TNHagies · 11-19-2008, 07:09 AM

My loading meathod is very similar to yours. After I load, I do nothing to the barrel.I know guys that use a lightly oiled patch but I've never done that because I've never tried it at the range so I have no idea what it would do to the accuracy. I would encourage you not to do that if you haven't first seen where it shoots with that process.

I've left a gun loaded for two weeks before and it went boom just like it should have and hit where it should have at the end of the two weeks. I donot bring the gun in the house though. It stays in as consistent of a temp as I can keep it. I normally keep it in the truck.

SHulion · 11-19-2008, 07:43 AM

Thanks for the info. I'm not really worried about the powder going off. I will do as you said and not bring it in the house. It wil stay in a case in my truck. I'm wondering if the barrel will be ok for three days without any oil in it to protect it. I don't want any rust to start. I'm like you though, I'm a little worried about putting any oil back in the barrel since I haven't tried it that way at the range

Lefse · 11-19-2008, 07:58 AM

When I clean my endeavor, I just use hoppes nine,then a lightly oiled patch. Before I load it, I run one clean patch through it. That leaves a little protection. The first shot is in the group. I do the same thing on my center fires. I don't know if this will work in yours. The only way to find out is to try it.

sabotloader · 11-19-2008, 12:09 PM

SHulion

As you might already know I am one those does have a light coat of oil in the bore. Here in Idaho we have to hunt in some really lousy weather and so i do put a light oil patch down the barrel. Now I am talking a very lightly oiled patch. I have not experianced any accuracy problems with this procedure at all.

With a loaded gun, cause I leave mine loaded few weeks at a time in good or bad weather provided I feel that I have protected the load, I will check for the need of bore protection. What I will do run is run a dry patch patch down the bore to the bullet.... you can really tell if you need to do anything just by the way the patch goes down - if it goes down smoothy and uniformly - then I leave it as is... If I were to run a very - very lightly oiled path down I would run it about halfway - then follow with a dry patch to the top of the bullet - run the same dry patch a couple of times...

Anyway as best I can run write this is close to my procedure....

Should have added I shoot T7 - so if you are shooting a Pyro or real BP then all bets are off...

SHulion · 11-19-2008, 01:31 PM

Thanks guys. I think if I don't shoot anything on Friday I'll try the very lightly oiled patch with Birchwood Casey Sheath and the next morning I'll dry swab it a couple of times to make sure there is no excess oil in the barrel. Thanks again for all of you help and opinions.

gearheart · 11-19-2008, 04:52 PM

Put a finger cot over the end of your barrel and it will stay dry inside. Pharmacies have them. They look like mini condoms. The guys in Vietnam used condoms on their guns to keep the water and the jungleout. No need to remove them just shoot through.

jascoesens · 11-19-2008, 05:09 PM

SHulion,

You may want to try using WD-40 for protection, followed by 1 or 2 dry patches. WD-40 is pretty thin to start with.
Best option would be in the future to try degreasing your barrel prior to a shooting session, then use the WD-40-dry-dry patches. Then check point of impact of your 1st shot in relation to the next 2-4 shots ( to see if it shoots out of your group). Then you would know what to expect.
Good luck, and good hunting