Accounting for fowling shot when hunting

[Sandpounder3/7]

Good morning ladies(should any be present) and gentlemen.

The fowling shots point of impact seems to always be a bit off, more or less, from where the main group prints when shooting. How do you account for this in hunting? Is it better try and sight in where that cold, unfouled shot is usually going to land, or apply some good old Kentucky windage and sight-in on your hunting pieces main cone of fire? I am very interested to see what other people think on this for muzzleloaders.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Daveboone]

With my percussion rifle, I jag the bore, then pop a few percussion caps, then another dry patch. Never enough difference on a deer to know the difference. I have flashed my flinters pan too, but dont think it makes a difference.

 

[PathfinderNC]

Good morning ladies(should any be present) and gentlemen.

The fowling shots point of impact seems to always be a bit off, more or less, from where the main group prints when shooting. How do you account for this in hunting? Is it better try and sight in where that cold, unfouled shot is usually going to land, or apply some good old Kentucky windage and sight-in on your hunting pieces main cone of fire? I am very interested to see what other people think on this for muzzleloaders.

Thanks in advance!

I understand about the first shot going off, as this has been my experience with some rifles as well.
I would use a fowling shot and then load it for the hunt. Then at the days end (if I hadn’t had a shot), I would discharge my rifle, and clean it for the next days hunt. Then repeat the process.
I don’t like the idea of all that fowling in the bore, and most especially if it’s humid.

 

[ETipp]

I think it depends on the particular rifle, patch/ball combination, lube used and powder type/charge. I can and have shot and reloaded up to 11 shots total while squirrel hunting with my .32 Crockett rifle. I was still killing squirrels when I stopped.

With that said, with any of my other ML's, as soon as I feel a fair amount of resistance from a crud ring (especially when shooting a conical) I most always run a moist cleaning patch down the bore and snap a cap prior to loading.

Accuracy appears to be about the same, but I have not done a lot of precise testing on this either.

 

[2 shots]

i want to know where my shoot is going . if its a hunting rifle that changes p.o.a. with a clean bore, that rifle is sighted with a clean bore. have yet to worry about where the second shoot will go.[ thankfully]

 

[Rifleman1776]

I want a clean rifle as it may stay loaded for several days. I load into a clean bore then lightly coat barrel with WD-40. Never a problem with accuracy. At least, the ded deer didn't complain.

 

[Sidney Smith]

Same here. I always hunt on a clean dry bore. Never used fowling shots, even when I shot percussion. Never had a problem. Just make sure the bore, and flash channel/hole, are clean and dry before loading that first ball.

As was said, I may load on opening day, then not attempt a shot per circumstances, until the last day of the season. I did exactly that one season. The gun went off as if loaded that morning.

 

[Thingamajiggy]

For me, it depends on the gun. Most of my guns, the clean bore shot isn't off far enough from fouled group for me to worry that much, they hunt on a clean barrel. I do have 1 gun though that likes it dirty, is over 6" off from group with a clean bore, cannot figure out why. That gun (now the son carries it) goes hunting with a fouled barreled. An evening hunt then next morning hunt, barrel stays fouled, anything else, gets cleaned then fouled before hunting.

 

[Okie Hog]

Never needed fouling shots. Rifles that put bullets/balls from a fouled and clean bore to different points of impact go away.

 

[HSmithTX]

Zero with a clean bore. I haven’t seen any muzzloader yet that won’t print a group clean and cold very similar in size to a fouled bore group. I’m only really worried about the clean cold shot but I don’t have any ML rifles that don’t have point of impact clean and dirty inside the main group, if I did I’d dump it. Period. With how long it necessarily will be between shots you will not need to worry about a follow up, on the off chance you do get a second shot it’ll be a finishing shot and you can get close enough it doesn’t matter. If you miss and need to load and hunt dirty bore the rest of the day it’s nice to know no adjustments or compensation are needed. I won’t let a fouled bore sit overnight ever.

 

[Steve Wagner]

i want to know where my shoot is going . if its a hunting rifle that changes p.o.a. with a clean bore, that rifle is sighted with a clean bore. have yet to worry about where the second shoot will go.[ thankfully]

I think you are on to it here. For hunting and those that don't want a dirty gun, the clean bore shots are the ones that should be grouped and the sights set accordingly. If you don't mind "dirty" then set your sights to that grouping. If a rifle groups that differently, the dirty bore hunter will never need to mess with his sights but he will have to clean way more often during hunting season. I hunt clean bore, split the difference and do a pretty thorough, lightly oiled swipe between every shot and have noticed no real difference at the range. My rifles are for hunting. Target shooting is secondary, but necessary to being able to make hits. SW

 

[Banjoman]

.

 

[JeffG]

Zero with a clean bore.

I swab with denatured alcohol before hunting to remove oil, in the barrel and flash channel. If I am shooting to zero on the range, wiping with denatured alcohol is close to a clean bore. Leaving a fouled bore for even a couple days, may be asking for trouble.

 

[longcruise]

My two primary big game rifles don't seem to shoot much differently from a fouled as opposed to clean bore. But, all my practice and sight in shots are done wiped between shots. I wipe with a damp patch and then turn the patch over and wipe again. So, essentially, my fouled bore is actually fairly clean.

 

[Togo]

My best and most accurate shot has always been the first out of a clean bore. I always run a dry patch down the bore before loading it.

 

[Spikebuck]

As some others have said, I won't have a load that isn't printing in the same spot clean or "dirty."

By dirty, I mean my test is five consecutive shots, bench rested (since I'm testing the gun/load and not me), with no wiping between shots. First shot is clean, rest are progressively "dirty." I'm testing for two things: 1) can I get the load on the powder without pounding it down, and 2) accuracy same as five "clean" shots.

If the load fails either or both of those tests, I'm back to refining the load.

In reality, multiple quick shots aren't really needed in hunting unless when doing drives and shooting multiple deer or for small game. At least it should be a rarity. Hence I go for "clean" barrel but prepare for an unfortunate mistake.