Muzzleloader Accuracy - Dirty barrel or Clean?

Mount Sweetness

Mount Sweetness

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Many complain that after a certain number of shots their accuracy will suffer.

With a dirty vs a clean barrel - will the groups simply open up when too dirty?

Or is it possible that the Point of Impact will shift......Will a clean barrel shoot higher than a dirty barrel or to the right slightly etc.???

Or is a shift due to a warm barrel vs a cold barrel?
 
I think there are a lot of variables in your question. Is the rifling deep or shallow and how dirty is dirty? My guns have deep rifling and the biggest difference I notice is that the gun becomes harder to load after a number of shots if I am using a coarse powder and / or greasy lube. Using moose milk and 3F powder I can shoot all day with no problems

cheers mooncoon
 
I'm a newb to inline muzzle loaders, so all I can offer for advice is to give different things a try and see for yourself. I'm not sure how a guy can actually shoot from a fouled barrel without it corroding or causing rust if you don't clean it and leave it for days at a time.

I've read that snapping a few 209 shotgun primers before loading will take care of any oil and foul the bore slightly.....how much it will help I don't know. I've also read that the point of impact can change from different seating pressure of the bullet/sabot. Also, without frequent cleaning, the pressure could increase over the course of many shots with a fouled bore.

I've had mine out twice so far, and if you be consistent, your groups should be as well. I snap a 209 and then load the rifle. Take a shot, swab bore with a slightly damp patch of water (or windshield bug juice:eek:). I've read that some guys follow with a dry patch but I haven't. I'm trying to keep it dirty.....just not too dirty.

I have loaded a 2nd shot without cleaning and noticed no difference in where the bullet went....just a bit harder to load. In a hunting situation where I'd have just taken a shot, I would just reload without a swab. Any after that and I'd give it a swab.
 
I get my best accuracy from a clean bore. Using a traditions with 209s I have tried 777 and blackhorn with the same results. The black horn is not as bad just a brush and dry patch will keep accuracy good. When using the 777 I would do one wet and one dry and it would shoot the same as a really clean barrel. I used a clean bore for hunting so thats the way I shot it and got the best results.
 
There is no hard or fast rule for this. Your rifle will dictate what it likes. Right now, I shoot a clean barrel with sabotted bullet, and lube (OMG, did he say lube..and sabot?ovrec). Weird. Thats my Knight disc 209.

My previous CVA ML liked a dirty barrel, the one before that - a spitpatch between shots. You have to find that combo.
 
Start with well clean bore. Fire 3 shots with no cleaning. Then clean well again.

Best way to replicate hunting scenario in my opinion. Not likely to ever fire more than 3 shots from a ml while out hunting.

I have not found any accuracy loss on the 3rd shot.
 
In my .54 TC Renegade the first shot is out an 1" or so left then proceeds to put the next three in one jagged hole dead center.A G.Mt 1-70 " twist ball barrel.........Harold
 
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