Clearly, it's the first shot that counts in a hunting situation.

I hate hunting with a fouled barrel, though with some guns it's necessary because you just can't find a "clean barrel load".

It can take a lot of experimenting, but I try to find a bullet and load combination that will put the first shotfrom aclean barrelwithin two inches of the 100 yardpoint of aimevery time*. I know - I'm talking about a 4-inch group. Believe me, if you hit within two inches in any direction from your point of aim it will be plenty good enough. You can use one inch if you want.

Finding this kind ofload requires that you fully clean (or come pretty close to fully clean)and dry the barrel after each shot during your range session so that every shot is a "first shot". It's a pain. But once you find the golden load, you can hunt with a clean barrel with confidence. If you don't get a shot, you can leave the load in the gununtil next week, or next month, without concern.


(*Of course, if the gun issighted in to hitthree inches above the point of aim at 100 yards,the clean barrel shot should impact within two inches of a point three inches above the point of aim.)