Finicky GM barrel

[jtmattison]

I have a new GM roundall barrel in .54 and I found out the hard way that it needs to be swabbed after every shot or accuracy goes out the window. Shooting a .535 ball patched with pillow ticking lubed with beeswax/olive oil it shoots pretty much dead on at 100 yards. After one shot, if I reload with out swabbing it shoots off the paper.
Anybody have similar experience or have tips on keeping it shooting straight even when it's fouled?
I'm thinking lube could be the issue. I need to hit the range and try some different things.

HD

 

[Otter]

All I can suggest is to give .530 balls and your ticking split patched a try. I'd even try a thinner (.015 or maybe even .010) patch. The beeswax-olive oil lube mix seems like it might be a bit "thick" to me (that's what I use for my BPCR bullets). In my .54, I can't even use .530 balls and pillow ticking unless I have a hammer close by. I don't have a .54 GM barrel, but do have them in .40, .45 and .58 and they like the .010 under sized ball and the thinner patch. All you can do is try something different.

 

[Many Klatch]

I like the way the .526 ball load and shoot in my .54. You might try a .526 and a .018 patch.

Many Klatch

 

[CZMark]

I have a 15-year old GM .54 barrel that is a tack driver with a .535 RB and .015"-.018" pillow ticking patch or .020" Ox-Yoke Original patch. Spit, Bore Butter, Mink Oil and now Lehigh Valley lube all work well. If I go to a thinner patch or smaller ball, accuracy is poor.

My experience with rifles, both blackpowder and modern, tells me each barrel is an entity unto itself, regardless of manufacture. You have to experiment until you find the load that works best. When dealing with new barrels, you may find that load changes after 100-300 rounds.

Relax and know you now have a good reason to go shooting. :thumbsup:

 

[MikeChapin]

Try going to a liquid lube like Hoppes, windex or spit. Balistol and water and just plain water will also work.

I have three GM barrels on some of my rifles and have always used spit for target and competion work. I can generally go all day with without cleaning and loss of accuracy.

 

[roundball]

I hate to see a grown man endure stress like this...if you'll just send that raggedy old defective barrel here to me in North Carolina, I'll see if I can get it straightened out :grin:

 

[jtmattison]

I hate to see a grown man endure stress like this...if you'll just send that raggedy old defective barrel here to me in North Carolina, I'll see if I can get it straightened out :grin:

What's your address? I'll box it up....NOT!

I'm going to try some different combos. I hate to have a barrel that needs to be swabbed after every shot. It's not good for hunting.

HD

 

[ol vern]

It sounds to me like you still have some oil in the bore left over from when the barrel was made.Takes a while for that oil to cook out of the pores in the steel.

Give it a good cleaning with windex or any good bore cleaner made for black powder and keep on keeping on. Things should get better in a hundred shots or so

 

[Bill Hall]

Ya, I think if it's a new barrel, you should just shoot it a bunch before you get too focused on accuracy. The last green mountain barrel I had was a .54 also, and it took maybe 150 - 200 shots before it settled down. It ended up shooting quarter sized groups at 50 yards off the bench.

 

[roundball]

Ole Vern makes a good point...if you haven't already given it a long thorough steaming hot bath with dishwashing detergent to leach out all those machining oils, that may well be the problem...my GM .40 and .58 shoot 50 shoot range sessions without wiping between shots at all

 

[jtmattison]

The very first thing I did was give it a steaming hot soapy bath. It's had the same treatment after every time out so far. I forgot one important point, it's only been shot 20+ times. I think it needs a little break in time.
I guess I forgot the basics :redface: . Still, I wouldn't expect it to shoot so bad with a fouled barrel. I just made up a batch of beeswax/olive oil lube that's heavier on the oil side. Maybe a little more oil on the patch will give me more shots between swabbing. I have some Hoppes on hand to try also if need be.
I was so impressed with this barrels accuracy out of the box but I never fired it on the range with a fouled bore.
Sometimes you just take the basics for granted

HD

 

[bart_anastasi]

Just my opinion but I do not believe that you can shoot out the lubes (hight speed cutting oils etc) that the barrel maker uses to make his barrel or the rust proofing he may put on it in the bore.

Those penetrating oils will just be shot into the steel more with all that shooting. Comming back to haunt you latter.

You need to strip all the lubes out of the steel to start with and with a clean barrel lube it up with the lube (natural) of your choice.

Even if you can shoot out the oil IFFY shooting all those shots and all the frustration is not worth it if all it takes is a easy degreasing before you start shooting.

 

[ryoung14]

Try swabbing it out good with Gun Scrubber or brake cleaner. That usually gets me back to a "clean slate" the quickest. Then start over with a natural (non petroleum) lube.

For all the negatives I hear about Bore Butter, I never seem to have any serious problems until I try to get away from it. Especially if I'm experimenting with something petroleum based.

I am convinced, however, that even a natural lube "seasoned" barrel needs to be "hoed out" every now and then to remove buildup. This is where the Gun Scrubber comes in.
FWIW
Bob

 

[chrissiegrist]

I have a GM 54 that wants cleaned each shot. Found the lands are not smooth and shiny.