Alcohol Use before Shooting?

[Eric M]

I noticed that my first shot out of my rifle is a bit high. I have read that running a patch of alcohol down the bore to clean anything out may help. I always run a dry patch down the bore and snap a cap before I shoot, however I still have a high first shot. Any suggestions?

 

[buford87]

I don't know if the alcohol patch will help with the high first shot, I always use the alcohol patch for cleaning the oil out of the barrel before loading for the first shot.............watch yer top knot..........

 

[Stumpkiller]

Me too. Alcohol to clear away the penetrating oil and then and lightly lubed patch to pre-slick the bore. I don't have a problem with first shots being "wild"; but that could be other factors.

 

[Eric M]

OK for example, I just cleaned my rifle with soapy water, then ran a patch with alcohol on it and then oiled the bore. So when it comes time to shoot again should I run a patch with alcohol first then snap a cap or run a dry patch then a patch with alcohol?

 

[Matt85]

i always use denatured alchohol to clean the oil outa the gun before shooting. never noticed the first shot being out.

maby your patch ball combo is loose. the fouling from the first shot tightens up your bore so it becomes a tighter fit.

-matt

 

[Eric M]

Maybe, but when I shoot I clean between shots and they are on the money after the first shot. Maybe It is just me.

 

[mhb]

The title of your post had me worried for a minute...
Some of my German friends used to take a beer or a schnaps before shooting - 'zielwasser' - I tried it.... it didn't help me at all.
As long as you are not taking it internally, it shouldn't do any harm...
mhb - Mike

 

[Matt85]

yes but you dont clean it any where close to how it was before your first shot. the little bit of fouling will tighten things up in the barrel.

-Matt

 

[David W.]

LOL! When I read the Topic, I thought it was going to be something else! I use a 91% alcohol soaked patch, followed with a dry one. Then load away. My H&H barrel doesn't change POI.

 

[marsh trapper]

alcohol patch works for me as well right before i shoot and after im done for the day before i clean

 

[nkbj]

Reminds me of my father's comment concerning staying up all night on weekends, drinking heavily and head lighting whatever could be shot: "We thought it was normal."
I miss him but he lasted 84 years before the AMA got him. Not too bad.

 

[pargent]

A todd of rum or brandy is very HCPC :haha:

 

[ohio ramrod]

I always run an alcohol patch or two through the rifle before loading to remove oil after the gun has been stored. And often between shots when hunting in below frezzing weather. :idunno: Also a litle grog is good for the blood in cold weather. ( I know we aren't supposed to drink and shoot) but truth be told a little nip helps in COLD weather. A little not a lot! :idunno:

 

[Johnny Too-Tall]

Most guns shoot better with a fouled bore.. Look it up its in the sniper handbook. Once your rifles cleaned shot a bullet through it then its ready for real accuracy. This is likely why the first round is off.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I'm not a fan of using alcohol as part of a cleaning/swabbing solution. Probably does no harm but I don't see that it helps and the stuff evaporates out of solution so fast there is no point in using it, IMHO.

 

[Billnpatti]

I can't say for sure what is causing your rifle to shoot high for the first shot but often a rifle will not shoot to the same POI on the first shot from a cold bore as it will after being fired. It seems that having a light coating of fouling in a bore will "settle" a gun down and make it shoot to POA.

As for how to clean your bore before loading the first shot, this is a ritual that differs from shooter to shooter. Since I oil lightly with Barricade before putting my gun away, it is a simple procedure for me to clean my bore prior to my first shot. I run an alcohol patch (or two) down the bore followed by a dry patch. I then fire a cap to be sure the flash channel is open. Then I am ready to load. If you are one of the folks who like to use a grease in thier bore before putting their gun in the gun safe, you may need to use a more vigorous cleaning method to get all of the grease (or Bore Butter, etc.) out of the bore to make it ready to load. The important thing is to be sure your bore is clean and your flash channel is open. If the method you are using is getting the bore clean and flash channel open and you like doing it that way, then it is correct for you. Everybody has their own way.

Often a rifle will not shoot to the same POI from a clean cold bore as it does from a slightly fouled bore. That is why there are "cold bore" matches. You just have to learn exactly how far off your POI will be with regard to your POA so you can apply the proper "Kentucky windage" on that first shot.

 

[Cowboy2]

I haven't tested every single rifle I own, but most of them (bp or centerfire) will shoot an inch or two high at 100yds on the first shot or two out of a clean bore. The way I handle this with my GPR is to use a .18 patch for the first shot, and .15 thereafter. The increased tightness seems to mimic the fouling effect in pressure on later shots, and more or less erases the clean/fouled bore difference.

 

[matt denison]

alcohol use before shooting

We used to do this, called it a group tightener. :wink: Then became older and wiser and do not do that anymore. :surrender:

 

[crockett]

Some of this depends on the type of lubricant you use in the gun after cleaning it and it is put away for storage. The general feeling is a petroleum based rust preventative can turn into a brown tar if left in the bore prior to shooting, so if you use that type of rust preventative you want to remove it prior to a day's shooting and rubbing alcohol works well. I do this at home and my first round of the day is in a dry bore. All rifles are different but fortunately for me I usually get about the same point of impact on either a dry or fouled bore- I do snap a cap at the range prior to the first shot and maybe that fouls the bore to a very minor degree.
Some shooters will shoot about 5 or 6 PRB's and then swab the bore and snap a cap to clear any fouling the swabbing forced into the nipple area. Everyone has there own routine.

 

[Many Klatch]

Group tightener still works.

Many Klatch