First shots in a clean barrel are always a problem. Even with CF guns.

Like others here. I get better accuracy using BH after the bore is fouled. I don't shoot sabots though, and have no problem loading 30-40 conicals of different makes with no swabbing.

This year i'll be doing something that really goes against my grain. I'll go to the range the day before hunting season starts. I shoot enough rounds until i'm getting good groups. Then i'll load it and leave it that way for the whole season. Just taking the primer in and out as needed. I'll be using iron sights this year, and I need the 1st shot to be accurate.

I'm not sure i'll be able to sleep at night with a dirty gun, but i'm going to try.

I know exactly how you feel. I was at a hunting camp for a weekend, and did not clean the rifle every night. I never was so happy to go home and clean a rifle as I can remember. I mean three days.. big deal right. Well I never shot it until the second day. And I was shooting Black Powder. After the shot I reloaded. That third days, end.. I fired it off and went home and cleaned that rifle. It was fine by the way.

You're stronger than I am. I wouldn't last long with real BP in the barrel. Even though it would probably be fine.

I feel pretty safe with BH though.

There's no way i'd do it with Pyrodex.

Dave , I have to agree with Builder, I have found that to tight blows the accuracy. My rule of thumb on it is that is that it needs to be tight enough that I need both hands on the ramrod to push it down and that if I feel like I need to pound on it it won't shoot good. I truly believe that a lot of these people settle for 1.5 to 3 inch groups just because they never learn to find that narrow slot where just the right amount of pressure gives the barrel what it needs to stack bullets at 100 yds.
I have found this to be true of all powders Blackhorn is the most sensitive to it but they all shoot best at that same set pressure.

I keep a good supply of various sabots on hand.mmp-24,harvester Crushed rib,smooth and even the long smooth for 300 gr and up bullets.i own 3 rifles and there is no way i can cram a MMP-12 down any of them.Lee is spot on,the best shooting sabots require 2 hands with nice steady even pressure.i have shot up to 40 shots with Bh209 with no loss of accuracy and no swabbing.