Need help with "my homework"
 

I got out and shot the new hawken today. After getting the gun sited in I set up a target at 40 yards. All shots where using 60 grs. of pyrodex RS and a .15 patch w/ .490 RB. The 1st shot was inside a 2" bullseye, 2nd shot was 4" low and left. 3rd shot was right back in the bullseye. 4th & 5th shot missed the paper completely. I swabbed the barrel between each shot. I found all 5 patches and they seemed pretty ripped up. What went wrong and how should I fix it?

Thanks a bunch

P.S. I am new to this traditional stuff so feel free to give me some pointers.

Die Hard

RE: Need help with "my homework"
 

Sounds like it may be a flinching problem....Keep trying,ok
and report back to us..

RE: Need help with "my homework"
 

I doubt it was flintching cause I have never fliched in my life even when shooting 3" 12 gauge slugs ( I weigh 120 lbs). I am sure that every time I pulled the trigger I had a good sight picture and the front sight was taking up the whole dot. Heres the 2 good shots.




Die Hard

RE: Need help with "my homework"
 

The patch problem could be caused by the lube thats on them. I simply use Crisco, melt it and then dip my patches. Corey came up with a nice idea of mixing bore butter in with the crisco. I feel that adds a little better protection to the patch. How does it load on a fouled barrel? If it still loads easy, Buy some .018 pillow ticking patches.

RE: Need help with "my homework"
 

The ripped up patches kind of bother me. It would suggest either you have old patches and they are getting blow out, or you have a ruff bore. The other thing could be something as simple as you have not found the sweet load yet. Also the rifle is new, lots of times it will take a few rounds to break them in. So do not get too concerned about it yet. Also how old is your powder?

I would get some new patches for starters. Try them.If the powder is real old,get a new pound of that also. If you have a bore light, check the bore for ruff places. To do this, that some cotton balls and work them into a patch worm. Then push the cotton balls down the bore and back up. Drop a bore light down there and look for fiber hanging off the walls. Now a little is normal. A lot is not. If there is a lot of cotton fibers, then you need to use something to smooth the bore a little. Something else to try is a bore button between the powder and the patched ball. That will protect the patch. If you have no bore buttons, some corn meal will also work.

I really think all you need do is maybe get some new patches if yours are old. And just keep shooting. Also kick the charge up a little on that rifle. Most of my T/C rifles are powder hogs. They like a good strong charge. Like I said, I would not get too worried, just go have some fun and see what happens. If that rifle will group consistently like what you show there, you will have a real meat pole filler.

RE: Need help with "my homework"
 

I have not gotten my new englander shooting good yet. but what I can tell the 50% bore butter and 50% crisco on store bought .015 patchs are working well next time out I going to try corn meal buffer.

RE: Need help with "my homework"
 

The powder is maybe 2 weeks old. The patches are also 2 weeks old, they are tc pre lube patches. I am going to shoot some conicals and see if I can get good accuracy with them. If I do then I know its not me. I want to hunt with a prb though.

Thanks,

Die Hard

RE: Need help with "my homework"
 

:D:D i always had problems with those tc prelubed patches. They never lube them enough and burn right up. Buy unlubed patches and do your own, You'll be A LOT happier.

RE: Need help with "my homework"
 

With the new powder and patches as you report, I would guess you just have not found the right load. I would kick that powder charge up to 70 grains next time out and see what happens. I do not think your flinching. And I am guessing the fix is something very simple. Maxiball shoot well out of my Hawkins rifles...

RE: Need help with "my homework"
 

I tried the TC pre-lubed in my New Englander. Ended up throwing them away. Shoots fine with WalMart pillow ticking and spit or CVA Grease Patch.

RE: Need help with "my homework"
 

I have not used a pre lubed patch in so long.. I have a couple hundred of them around the house still. But they are very old. I think next time I think of it, I will throw them in the burning barrel.

RE: Need help with "my homework"
 

Diehard,

You could wrap some #0000 steel wool around your cleaning jag then put some oil on it and polish the bore with that for about 100 strokes to smooth out the edges on the rifleing. Swab the oil out with denatured alcohol when your done. I do it with every barrel I have ever bought. I also clean between every shot for the first box of 100 balls just like my centerfires; I think it helps break in the new barrels.

If your patching is cutting then you need to smooth it out some by just shooting it more or doing the steel wool treatment. Use a bore button, wasps nest or you could try a buffer of cornmeal like some people do. Protect that patch; I use Crisco shortening (not oil) for my lube and it has been more accurate than anything that I have run across ( tried most of the commercial lubes and some homemade as well) in all of my ball guns. My TC PA Hunter barrels do not like lots of lube either; they shoot just as well with no lube. Idip my patches in melted Crisco and then lay them on paper towels and try to get as much of it out of the patch as I can. I use a .54 bore button in a .50 caliber rifle. I buy the unlubed ones and do the Crisco thing with them as well but I only use the bore buttons for my full power hunting loads.

I have found that the tighter the load is the better accuracy I get. I use a .018-.020 patch with a .495 Hornady ball in my rifle and it groups much better than the .490 ball with the same patch. Actually; I think a little thicker patch would work even better for my rifle. In no wind with 90-100 grains of Swiss 3f, weight sorted Hornady balls to +/- 1 grains and the bore buttons I get 2-3" groups from the bench at 100 yards.

RE: Need help with "my homework"
 

There are several possabilities, a rough bore is one,do the cotten ball test if the cotten ball leaves bit of cotten snag up in the barrel then you may have to do some polishing or even lapp it. Patch and ball, if the patch is to thin or the ball to small you can blow the patches to doll rags. Theres a good chance if its a new gun with a cut barrel you may have a few sharp edges or burrs, if thats the case the fast remedy would be either JB bore paste or jewlers rouge and a good tight jag&patch and about 50 strokes. Lee

RE: Need help with "my homework"
 

Yep...Ditch the pre-lubed patches...Go to WalMart and buy some cotton pillow ticking, it's tougher...

I used SnoSeal for about 25 years for lube, now I make my own using 2 parts bees wax, 8 parts castor oil and one part Murphy's Oil soap, melt in a double boiler and blend together, it is more heat resistant than BoreButter...

To apply to patching, cut strips about 1 1/2 inch wide, put ticking on newspaper and take a putty knife and spread lube on both sides of ticking, then heat in microwave for about 20 seconds so the lube penetrates the ticking (I cut about a 20 inch strip)...To use, just put under the ball, start the ball flush with the barrel and cut the ticking, then ram home...

You can buy bees wax from Home Depot and the castor oil from a health store, buy the kind to apply to your joints, not the kind you swallow, it's cheaper that way...