Ongoing First Shot Inconsistency - Ideas??
 

Ok - so I cleaned my MZ (50 cal TC BC Triumph - shooting 100gr by volume of BH 209 with 250gr TEZs with supplied sabots) after last trip to range - brass brush with regular solvent, then wet solvent patches, then dry patches, then a very thin coat of hoppes #9 oil.

So Tuesday night prior to going to range wednesday I ran a dry patch through the barrel numerous time to catch the oil and then ran through some alcohol wipes to get it cleaned and dry. I then fired three primers and ran a dry patch down one way one time only. Next day I went to range and sabot went down perfect not too easy and not too hard. Pulled trigger and dead on. For those that have been following my plight/learning curve to get ready for this weekend - you can imagine how happy I was.

So I decided to confirm my result by going to range the next day. I have a real hard time leaving the barrel fouled on this gun - if it was a stainless barrel I wouldnt mind. So I decided to clean the gun and follow somewhat the same procedure:

So here is what I did to prepare (note the differences):
1. didnt use a brush this time due to only having shot once - so I just used solvent soaked patches ran through till clean.

2. Then dry patches

3. Then alcohol patches

4. Then shot three primers

5. the ran a dry patch one time only and one way to even out powder residue.

6. Cleaned breech plu thoroughly.

So I go to range today - load up same load. I notice sabbot goes down a bit easier today than yesterday but not much - enough to get my attention though. I am on a rest (no trigger jerk and scope is non-issue), pull trigger and its a flyer. 7" high and 4" to left. I was not a happy camper cause I thought i had it figured out. No way i was leaving on that note so I put in two more loads and both shots back on the money. I know I didnt jerk the trigger on the first shot and the only other thing i can think of is that i may not have had it firmly enough up to my shoulder. I just doubt it though.

So now I am going to go back to range with the dirty gun and shoot it cause I am hunting Satyrday with it and have to have some confidence on what this things going to do. The reason I was cleaning after everytrip was that I am scared to leave the gun dirty due to rust etc. But I am about to the point now where I will leave it dirty if that means some confidence and accuracy. That flyer really would have not been good on a deer.

What are ya'lls thoughts???

I really dont think its a primer situation (remington STS)

Would going to 110grains from 100gr help minimize the first shot variance?

I just wish I had more time to get this figured out.

What you are experiencing is not all that uncommon. I have rifles that shoot different on a clean barrel and then again on a fouled barrel. What I do is decide what I want to do. Since I shoot a lot, I sight them in on a fouled barrel. Before I hunt, I just shoot a squib load. Dump 30 grains of powder down the barrel, push a cotton patch on top of that and fire it off. Now the barrel is fouled and should shoot like it normally does.

Others hunt on a clean barrel and sight in for a clean barrel. Although they do note what the fouled shot hits. Another thing you might try is, if you shoot on a clean barrel. When you get done shooting the first shot, do an extra extra good job of swabbing the barrel. Almost to the point of it being clean. Then shoot it.

I don't know Bonner. Could be about anything I guess. But I can tell you that when I load a sabot that feels "funny" for some reason, I expect a flyer. Sometimes it's not there, but usually is. Sometimes it's extreme. Sometimes not.

Too complicated. No need for the alcohol patches, firing the three primers or the dry patch to spread out the powder residue. Just fire the gun with a clean barrel.

I think the squib load may do a little better fouling it. Thanks for input. I wish I knew how long i can leave this thing fouled and not worry.

i'm in the hunt on a clean barrel camp.i just dry patch the storage oil out of my barrel and make sure my breechplug is dry and load.it does take me a little longer to sight in and if i'm using blackhorn my clean barrel groups are only slightly larger.when i've shot while hunting i'll just reload and then run a damp solvent patch both sides,dry patch and retape the muzzle.this load has always shot very close to the first and i,ll leave this load in the rest of the season ,with no issues so far..........karl

I am not an advocate of leaving a rifle fouled for extended periods of time, but with some powder, the rusting clock sure seems to slow down. BlackHorn 209 I have read is one such powder. Another is Triple Seven. Some people leave their barrels fouled for up to a week. Ask Sabotloader how long he has gone between cleanings with Triple Seven.

I would never try that leaving them fouled with Pyrodex or Black Powder. Although a few years back I did a test with Pyrodex, APP, Triple Seven, and Goex I believe was all of them. And I cleaned barrel steel then placed powder on that barrel and ignited it. Then just let it sit. The control sample being clean steel never rusted of course, but Pyrodex RS and Goex did rust with in a couple days.

Almost everyone has there own way of doing it. Here's mine. I believe that hunting with a muzzleloader is for the most part a one shot deal. The only time I've found a second shot neccesary was to either finish off a downed deer or to shoot a second if the chance arises. Which is rare but has happened. When sighting in all my shots are with a clean barrel. With a side lock three caps are fired to dry the barrel and the gun is loaded and shot, cleaned and repeated. Before hunting the same process is followed, three caps fired and then the gun is loaded for the hunt. With an inline it is a little different. No caps are fired to dry the barrel since you can dry the barrel and primer hole before loading without firing off primers. If you feel uncomfortable leaving your sidelock loaded for any period of time after having fired off caps before loading then you will have to fire the gun at the end of the day after and clean it that night. I don't do that. I leave it loaded for the next days hunt. Unless you have a bore light you'll never see the inside of the barrel, as I have never seen the inside of mine. I haven't noticed any ill effects as far as rusty patches to indicate any damage to the bore. And I have left mine loaded for days before shooting it. Good luck. I'm sure in time you will develope your own procedure. I give you mine just for some ideas. One day I should buy a bore light and drop it down the barrel of my almost 25 year old Hawkins to see what it looks like. No sweat, she still drops 'em.

I remove the oil from barrel. and after firing the caps off load it and shoot.i "don't run a dry patch" once i have fouled the barrel with the caps.

i dont oil my bore period. Oil always screwed up first shot accuracy for me. Even with an alcohol or windex patch prior to loading.