Stupid question.....I have never fired my rifle with just powder.....what can I expect?

If you have no wads, shove a cotton patch down on top of the powder before you shoot it. What you get is a BOOM! some smoke and noise. The more powder the more BOOM and smoke.

My final adjustments to a scope are done the way I want to hunt and target shoot with them. When I shoot my Knight, I know the first hit will be two inches off the center of the bull. That's ok with me because I hunt on a fowled barrel. My White is the same way, first shot about an inch or more low, but the rest go into the bull. Again, I hunt on a fowled bore so that is fine. So I dial mine in on a fowled bore.

oldrookie

I would like to add a little bit to your question.... my scopes are sighted in with the barrel in the condition it will be in when i shoot i shoot it at an animal. So in that and in my case the barrel is not clean per-say, because it has been shot and it has been damp patched - so it is somewhat fouled.

My routine is the same as my centerfires.... I shoot the gun preseason, verify that everything is a go, and then I will damp patch the barrel (field clean) but the barrel really does not undergo a bench clean until after the hunting season. Hence the barrel has always been patched cleaned and is semi-fouled for shooting whether it is shooting at the range or hunting. But again remember I am using T7 powder, I am not sure I would do the same thing shooting Pyro or real BP.

My first shot out of a "well oiled" barrel is always some what off, but a coupleof alcohol patches prior to shooting eliminates most of that problem also.

Hope this make some sort of sense...

Sabotloader, I have been racing home after a day of shooting to break the rifle down and get it cleaned. Obviously, if you go a whole season without breaking it down, this must be a little anile on my part. I will fire some powder though before hitting targets and see what happens. Thanks for the comments. Thats what makes this forum so great for the newbie!

oldrookie

Remember, I am shooting T7 if you are shooting Pyro it might be prudent to clean it well.

Another thing my damp patches are regular old blue windex - it has a bit of ammonia in it which serves to dry water and speed drying in the barrel, not to mention that it is death on T7 residue, just melts the stuff. It will take 3/4 windex patches to cleanmost of the residue from your barrel, then two dry patches and then a very lightly oiled, and I mean lightly oiled patch down the barrel, then a dry patch and your barrel will be good for the duration. Your barrel is still acutually fouled a bit but not heavily. Enough that your accuracy will remain the same.

Also, I do not remove the breech plug, I am a wrapper - I wrap the plug in teflon tape and it is good for thewhole season no matter how much I shoot.

The one thing that can change all of this is if I get the interior of the barrel really wet.... if I contaminate a load with rain or snow - then I will strip clean it and start over, because of rust not fouling.

I use this same procedure with stainless and blued barrels... I really believe the cleaning qualities of windex allow me to get away with this. Reminder the gun is never put away or stored any length of time on a fully fouled barrel, it would have to be damp patched and dryed.

Sabotloader, I have been using the clear windex. I think it has vinegar in it....not sure about the ammonia. I have been using the 777 pellets but will cross over to powder once I figure out what I need to measure it and pour it....lol. Your right, a couple of swipes with the windex patches and the dry one simply comes out grey. I thought that was pretty good just swabbing.

I learned the wrapping thing from you. I have been using the plumbers tape since day-1 and can break the plug loose with one hand.

I'll remember the fouled barrel routine as I get closer to hunting season. As stated earlier, my Optima does not like a clean bore but I am sure there is a fine line when it becomes too fouled.

oldrookie

You are correct.... but regular windex with amonia is, I beleive a bter cleaning and drying agent - ammonia displaces water and dry rapidly. Ammonia agressively attacks the residues both T7 and polymere if there is any.... it will not harm your barrel... as some people think.. it is not straight ammonia...

Regular Windex is not near as potent as Butches Bore Shine.... just fyi

Thanks cayugad for the above suggestion. I did shoot 30g of 777 and a patch to foul my barrel. Just as you said, BOOM smoke and a patch on fire came out the barrel. The range was full and I think they thought I was nuts! They didnt put me in time out though!

I swab with Butch's BLACK POWDER Bore Shine between shots, and love it. Thestuff labeled "Black Powder" isnot the same as regular Butch's Bore Shine. I don't believe the BP stuff has any ammonia. It's almost odor free, with a very, veryslight smell that reminds me of shampoo.

I use onefairly damp patch, in and out once on each side, followed by two dry patches. The second side of the second dry patch comes out almost perfectly clean.