gelarson

What are the advantages of fouling a bore and what is the proper method of cleaning it afterwards? Will the barrel rust or pit without a proper cleaning?

thanks in advance

Eric

cayugad

Some people find that a rifle shoots different from the first shot on a clean barrel to the consecutive shots on a dirty barrel. The purpose of fowling the barrel is to make all the shots the same. So they dump 20 grains of black powder down the barrel, then push a patch or two on top of the powder and touch it off. They then swab the barrel like they had just fired a shot and load as always.

Others who do not want to fowl keep very close account of where the rifle shoots on a clean bore and a dirty bore. Say for instance on a dirty bore the rifle shoots two inches low and an inch to the left. So they load the rifle clean, have the scope or sight set to the clean barrel and make their first shot count. Should they need a second shot they know they have to aim two inches high and an inch to the right.

Not all rifles chance the POI between a fowled and clean barrel. You need to shoot the rifle and the projectile you want to hunt with a couple times, taking note if there is a difference.

If you fowl the barrel you have to clean the rifle that night after the day of hunting. Another disadvantage to the fowling of the barrel....

sabotloader

gelarson

Going back to the old days of competitive centerfire shooting - I am terribly skepticle of firing a bullet that counts from a really clean well lubed barrel.

Now, I can only speak to t7 powder, none of the others - I have been using t7 since it came out and I have a lot of faith in it. I am also shooting sabots so there is no metal contact with the bore. And the way I treat my barrel with bore butter I do not get plastic fouling or the infamous "Crud Ring." I will take my rifle out prior to hunting season and re-sight it in and generally check it for proper operation. Generally, I do not strip clean it again until after hunting season - I want the fowled barrel. I DO however swab the barrel with damp windex patches, dry it, and then I will lightly, and I mean lightly coat the barrel with a high quality gun oil. I do not remove or clean the breech plug unless I have shot 30 rounds or so. When the season starts the rifle may stay loaded the entire season, depending on my bad luck and/or if I feel I may have compromised the load in rain - snow - sleet... Most often I do not worry about it, because of the protective measures I have taken to keep everything dry. Storage of the rifle between weekend trips is also important and related to the temperatures and hunidity out side.

I use this same technique with my stainless barrels, nickel barrels, or blued barrels. It works for me and several of my hunting partners but YOU have to see what works best for you.

Good luck in your ML'ing efforts - they really are fun

skeeter 7MM

It really depends on the ML. I have had some who will shift and others who do not shift POI with clean barrels. So the only way is to experiment. My current inline shoots the same if clean or fouled, but I also swab between every shot with a windex solution followed by dry patches.

sabotloader

skeeter 7MM

Yep! I agree both my Remingtons and the A&H shoot about the same spot clean or fouled, BUT that is at 70,80,90 degrees... I am not really sure at 0 degrees or when it is really cold out there. Things change a lot under those conditions so I would just as-soon have fouled barrel with very little oil in it...

Might be out in left field here but confidence is a big part of shooting and hunting...

slugman

I just fire off a primer , no need to use powder to foul the barrel.

skeeter 7MM

sabotloader I also use a remmy and here the weather in ML season can be 50-60 to well below freezing, no changes in POI on the range in my T&E with a clean/foul barrel. I have done a few tests where I never swabbed and found some decline, particularily after the 2nd shot is fired when using 100gr range of Loose T7 (upto 100 grain pellets I can get 3 shot before this degrade shows on the target). In the field I do carry a small clean bag with me JIC, but thankfully never needed to worry about the second shot (at this point).

Like I said the only way is try and adopt the best practice for your situation. I believe whole heartily in practicing as I will hunt so I have pretty much tried everything imaginable to simulate what I may see on any given day in the field...thus I hunt clean barrels and don't give it a moment thought with this particular inline!