1950KID

If you want everything to be the same for every shot, you have to foul the barrel, then wipe it out like you do between shots. THet way, the first shot is the same as the last.

bronko22000

I've read most of the postings on this topic and my opinion is whatever works best in your rifle. Mine shoots best and loads easiest when the bore is clean.
Also, you should NEVER use any petroleum based product if you are using black powder. (not sure about triple seven or pyrodex) When petroleum mixes with the burning black powder (sulfur) you get that gummy tar like residue and it is very corrosive. Even though I do clean my black powder rifles every time I use them, because I use natural lube I really don't have to except for extended storage. Early settlers used bear grease and other natural lubes for their guns and didn't have a problem.

cayugad

I think some people have the wrong idea about petroleum based products and black powder rifles. Granted, black powder and petroleum do not mix so I have been told also. My idea is, the rifle started out clean so there is no petroleum products in the rifle. I swab with denatured alcohol but if you ever see how fast that evaporates, I really do not get concerned about that after the dry patches. When I store the rifle, I want the barrel protected. I want a good petroleum based product like Birchwood Casey Sheath in and on my rifles.

Bullet lube is important without a doubt. Yet, I do not want any of that in my barrel after I clean it. I do not want a build up of any bullet lube in my barrel or what some call seasoning. I always thought lands and grooves are put in the barrel for a reason, and I intend to keep them as clean as the day I bought the rifle. That's the difference between me and others. As I said, it is their rifle, so I really do not get concerned.

etothepii

After I clean my ML, I run a patch soaked with light gun oil. That's it. Should I use a different product? I figured that a coat of oil would prevernt rust better than anything.

Before I shoot, I run a couple of dry patches, and blow off a couple of caps.

bigcountry

Basically, your POI might be off shooting thru a barrel with oil down it after its been stored. The fouling creates consistent pressure thru the barrel. So lets say you sight in a gun, and your cleaning between shots. The sight in you put your gun is not with an oiled barrel but a fouled one. Then you go home and clean the gun and put oil down the barrel to protect. You barrel pressures won't be the same for the first shot. What I usually do is not leave the crud in the barrel, but before muzzleloading, the gun is usually clean with oil. So night before I cap off a shot, then use TCNo13 and clean out the bore like I do at the range between shots, then next morning go hunting. After muzzleloader season, I clean the barrel out and oil as usual.

skeeter 7MM

Just like a CF the only way to know how your gun will shoot is to shoot it - both clean and fouled, then pick your practice based on your OWN GUN'S FIELD RESULTS/TESTS. For me most of my CF's & ML's have shot just fine clean, so with them I just lock and load. The ones I noticed a difference I stuck to the routine that gave me the best results. One must error on the side of caution when reading reports of the must do's, as it only pertains to a certain setup that was tested...which can be a stark contrast from your own!

Jim Shockey who hunts only with ML (inline if that matters) is dead against snapping caps and fouled barrels now. Funny when I first met Jim 10+ years ago, he was the opposite. Why he said: you just have to trust what your gun is saying(AKA: different gun, different verse! )

skeeter 7MM

oops double post

Triple Se7en

Cayugad's way of thinking is very similar to mine.

In order to obtain very similar shot groups with shots 1-2-3-4... for instance, you must show bore consistency first. That means if you are using Remington-Teflon as a bore protectant during storage (for instance), swabbing the bore with two dry patches will NOT remove the teflon-based oils when it comes time to squeeze the trigger at your 1st target. As a result, your 2nd shot will not touch your first, because most teflon was removed AFTER firing the first shot.

Use alky-removing properties first like Cayugad expressed (or) continue to use your bore protectant as your bore-swabbing/ wet patch between shots.
For instance:
Non-petroleum bore protectants exist.... ie... Ballistol & Lehigh Valley Lube are just (2) out there I'll use as an example. You can use either one like you did with the Remington Teflon -- but instead of removing it at the range with alky-- you keep it in the barrel for the entire range work.

Both Lehigh & Ballistol will keep your 1-2-3-4 ... etc.... infinity number of shots more consistent.

herman

Only trying it will tell you were you hit either way.My encore with a clean barrel will hit most of the time 1 inch to the left of the fouled barrel,and my savage will hit 1/2 inch to the right of the fouled barrel.Don't worry about hitting a deer with it either way but have seen some that really spread out between clean and fouled barrels.
Before I load mine,to hunt with, I shoot about 50 grs and a patch to make sure i get all the oil outand the barrel is dry.
Over the years I have used several lubes in the barrel from lard,bore butter to just regular oil,but the last 2 years I have been using an oil with telfon and like it,I think it helps fill the pores in the barrel.But what works for me might not work for you.

kyhuntsman

I use powerbelts in my encore and if I do not fowl the barrel the powerbelts will not stay seated. Once I fowl the barrel, I have no problems with the powerbelts moving.

So, I fowl my barrel for a different reason.