BH209 1st shot accuracy...again but with Slip 2000
 

You may recall this recent thread http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/blac...cy-report.html
where I had poor 1st shot accuracy with a squeaky alcohol clean barrel. Well I received my order of Slip 2000 lube and Hoppes Elite cleaner and finally made it out to the desert today. I had cleaned and lubed my bore a few days ago and wiped it with a dry patch.

Well, the sabot/bullet went down noticeably easier compared to squeaky clean, and the first shot was about 6 inches higher than I'd bean grouping. That's the opposite of of my 6" low shot on a squeaky clean barrel. The next shot was maybe 2-1/2" lower than the first. I then tried d.winsor's trick of cleaning with Hoppes Elite, dry patching, then lubing with Slip 2000, then another dry patch. The next two shots almost touched each other at about 1" higher than I'd bean grouping before I ever tried Slip. Note, I didn't swab between these two shots.

Then I decided to take the rifle apart and do a pretty thorough cleaning. I cleaned everything except the breach plug, which I only drilled out. I then used Slip 2000 and another dry patch. After waiting a few minutes for it to dry good, I loaded up and shot. Again, it was about 6" high. My next shot was a real puzzle, as it went about 9" low. The third shot was about 2" lower than I'd been grouping. Fourth shot was right in my group area. Very frustrating.

It was getting dark, so I didn't have time to clean again and try primer fouling or squib fouling. That's what I'll try next time. For now, I left the gun fouled as my javelina hunt starts Friday.

You are having a mess of a time with that. I thought trouble was brewing when you said your sabot went down easy. That's bad news right there, concerning a powder that likes a snug bullet.

What bullet / diameter and what sabot you got there?

.451 Nosler Partition, Crush Rib. I'm not saying it went down easy--just noticeably easier than before the lube. After its been shot a couple times its actually a little difficult to push down.

So, you shot two rounds which fouled your barrel, then the rifle grouped again?

Try a regular sabot, instead of an easy loading one.

Also consider moving to .452s and try both new options. The Slip-stuff ritual may work better after that tweaking.

I'm about to try Mr. Flintlock's Lube and cleaner in a similar manner as you. Just as soon as Michigan weather cooperates. My Flintlock lube will replace your Hoppes and Slip 2000 uses. It better work, or I'm a big dummy for buying two bottles online, then paying to have it shipped. :sad:

But hey! I've been a dummy a few times already, experimenting to achieve first two shots touching, starting with a clean barrel. So nothing's new there. :o The real, genuine Mr. Flintlock tells me it "might' work. He's had success that way using a traditional ML and old-school bullets.

This product is the old re-badged Lehigh Valley Lube and Cleaner, highly acclaimed for many years and the original inventor/ owner suddenly one day dropped off the end of the earth online.

Well Mr. Flintlock found him, talked him into revealing a secret or three to share, and now you know the rest of the story.

It seemed like that's what happened. And the swabbing (without pulling the breachplug) didn't really clean it enough to get that 1st shot results.

TSe7en, I have a couple of .452 gold dots around, and I've calipered them and cannot tell the difference from the .451's--they both caliper at about .4515 as I remember. I also have some Harvester smooth sabots, and with both bullets, you practically have to hammer them down (especially after the barrel is fouled).

Try the Smooth Harvesters now with Slip 2000. You may be able to keep that hammer out of your Possibles Bag from now on. :cool15:

I just may. But after a few shots, it's quite tough to push the Crush Ribs down--even with the Slip 2000 treated bore.

Well since that's the case.....

Perhaps your first shot should be a regular Harvester, followed by Crushed Ribs?