Wingbone

I've been doing my shooting homework for my Co elk trip. My KRB has been giving me good groups out to 150 yd. with the powerbelt 338's in front of 777. However, generallymy first shot out of a clean barrel is high and the rest of the group is where I want it. I generally use a light coat of oil on my last patch, followed by dry patches til there's no trace. Any suggestions on how to have a clean barrel and have it shoot likeits fouled?

txhunter58

Not me, I fire a fouling shot and then load for the hunt. Then you have to make a decision: how often to shoot clean, reload? Me, I feel comfortable going 2-3 days before I reload and have not had rust problems with 777. If you don't feel comfortable with that, you can always shoot, clean, and reload each night, but that is a pain.

I suppose that you could take a target out each time you shoot and only shoot once at it, from a clean barrel. If the first 4-5 shots out of a totally clean barrel group well, just adjust your sights to hunt from a clean barrel. Then, if you have to take a second shot, just know how much to correct by holding a little higher.

frontier gander

Ah yes thats almost the same issue i had with triple 7. 225g powerbelt with triple7 , first shot dead on, every shot after that was 3" high of the first shot.

Took care of the problem and switched back to pyrodex.

What kind of charge are you using? If you go with pyrodex, try the pyrodex select with 90-100 grains behind that 338.

lemoyne

I use the new noncorosive Black Horn 209 . I also use the FPB form Hornady no more problem don't clean very often always will check sights one last time before season then load for the season no cleaning wiping.
And the best conical accuracy I have seen. Since as far as I know no one has yet taken game with the it will be interseting to see the first reports come in. The testing that has been done on ballistic jell looks promising. Lee

Semisane

How high is the first shot Wingbone?

As txhuntersuggests, the big question is "does the clean barrel first shot hit in the same place every time?". If it does, sight in for the clean barrel shot and hunt that way. That's what I do. If I ever need a second shot (haven't yet) I know it will be within three inches of my sight in. That's good enough for a second shot emergency.

Wingbone

The first shot is about 3-4 in. higher at 100 yd than the group fired with a fouled barrel. The rest of the group is clustered into a neat 2" with open sights. I'm shooting 120 gr. of 2f 777. The gun is 3" high at 100 yd, dead on at 150 yd.I've tried lower powder charges, but my groups start getting flyers. I'm getting suchgood consistent groups with my load I hate to start changing things at this point. I suppose I could hold a little low on the first shot if it's 100 yd. or less. I've thought of firing a fouling shot, but after a week, I'd beconcerned about corrosion.

frontier gander

What part of colorado are you hunting?

120g triple 7 is a lot of powder and i would cut it back to 100 grains. Im not sure i would feel comfortable with that much powder and lets say a lucky 50 yard shot on an elk.

cayugad

An easy way around this is to hunt off a fowled barrel. Shooting Triple Se7en you should be good for a couple days without danger of rusting. Although I understand how you feel when you know the bore is dirty.

Some other things to try... After you load the rifle, take a patch and swab the bore with bore butter. Not a lot of it mind you, but a little . Some people find that the bore butter acts like a fowled barrel.

Others claim that if you wrap the conical with some teflon tape, that it too will act as a fowled barrel. These are just a few things you can try. I do not guarantee they will work.

Personally I would hunt on a fowled barrel.

txhunter58

"I suppose I could hold a little low on the first shot"

When I am taking a first shot at game, I want to be able to hold dead on, no distractions about distance, etc. So if you are going to adjust the sights, I would do it so the first shot is dead on accurate.

And even though you are getting good accuracy with that load, sorry to rain on your parade, but I would be afraid to shoot an elk with a 338 platinum powerbelt pushed that hard. You are shooting the equivalent of 138 grains of blackpowder/pyrodex. I just don't think they are designed to take that punishment and I would be afraid of it coming apart on impact. Many, many reports of them doing just that when you push them that hard. Even though this one has been redesigned, I personally wouldn't trust it, especially on a close shot. That is one of the reasons I have switched to the hornady FPB, and even then, I am going to use 90 grains of ffg 777.

Lemoyne: Unfortunately, he can't try BH209 since he is shooting a gun that won't reliably ignite it.

" Personally I would hunt on a fowled barrel."
What kind of bird do you fowl your barrel with??? LOL. Sorry, you can make fun of me and my misspelled words now. But I would have to agree with it. Anyone out there had problems with rust leaving a fouled barrel loaded for a couple of days? I haven't

nchawkeye

When I am sighting in EVERY shot out of my gun is from a clean and lightly lubed barrel...

The problem is not your 1st shot, it is that you aren't cleaning and lubing the barrel properly between shots...