First shot confidence

[jimmy82]

I'm pretty sure every type of primer/cap igniter has the pretty much the same stuff in it. Because of the powder being corrosive I always clean at the end of the day if I shoot. I don't want that powder eating away at the bore anymore then it absolutely has to.

I never knew about "fouling shots" before coming to the forum so I would do like I did with my CF guns, always keep them clean. I used to fire off at the end of the day during my first BP deer season, but having to clean the gun every night got tedious. After that season I went to leaving the gun loaded if I knew I was going out the next few days consistently, but I would pull the ball and do a quick swab down the bore if I knew I wasn't going to get a chance to hunt for a few days.

When loading up the first round either at the range or in the field I swab with alcohol then a dry patch and then fire a cap to ensure that everything is dried out and free of obstruction, then I load like normal and go.

When it comes time to clean, every thing comes apart and gets dunked in hot soapy water, lock and nipple included. I don't like taking any chances that powder residue could have gotten anywhere and might be eating the metal. Never knew about the cap residue either before the forum so I look at it like I was doing something good and not even realizing it by dunking the nipple and scrubbing it.

 

[thumbs]

Be careful with hot water. It has a tendency to rust the barrel real fast. When I say fast I mean by the time you get a chance to dry the barrel you may see some brown stuff on the patch. Thats rust. Use warm or cold water to clean.

The problem is first shot confidence. How to insure the first shot will go off after the rifle is cleaned and stored. I think the 209 primers are not corrosive. Now musket I don't know about. They probably are. I was thinking if you loaded like normal the hotter musket cap may have more power and heat to burn through any oil or cleaner that may have been left in the barrel. I want to load a clean barrel and be sure when a big buck walks by it will go off. Like we said before if the barrel is clean all you have to do is blow it out with compressed air at the end of the day if you don't shoot it. This is my goal to insure a first shot in a clean barrel.

 

[kevthebassman]

I haven't found a need to shoot a fouling shot, nor have I found it necessary to fire a cap (and especially unnecessary to buy a whole new nipple adapter to fire a 209 primer!) before loading up for a hunt.

When I clean my barrel, I hit the nipple threads with compressed air, then screw in the nipple and blow compressed air through it. When I am going hunting, I will shake/tap my gun a bit after loading to be sure that powder has gone into the flash channel under the nipple. If you want to be 100% sure that your gun will go off, you could always pull the nipple and put powder under it then screw it back in.

 

[ldykeman]

I use Remington #11 caps and the packaging says that they are non-corrosive and non-mercuric.
My pre-hunting procedure is to wipe down the bore with a couple of dry patches, then snap a couple of caps, then load. I have never had a problem with corrosion inside or outside the barrel doing this. I do store all my firearms muzzle down in my safe so that any bore lube migrates out the muzzle, not down in the breech.
Larry

 

[Trench]

Hi thumbs. How much variation are you getting between a fouled and clean-bore shot? I've found there's only an inch or two difference on mine at 75 yds. So, I really don't worry about it since my target is a deer and shots are more likely to be within 50 yds.
However, if I was a perfectionist (and I'm not) I'd probably be shooting from a clean bore as well after every shot at the range.

 

[thumbs]

In the overall sceem of things it's not that awful much maybe 2inches. Now that is from a clean barrel to a field cleaned second shot barrel. I do my "field cleaning" after every shot. If I had to shoot as fast as possible as a second shot I load and fire. I would rather be able to field clean but for one shot it doesn't make that much difference.
I just like to get my shots as accurate as I can. In the field there are enough varables to change where I think I placed the shot. I guess it just makes me feel better. Also it's fun to play with. :grin:

 

[Mountainman56]

I'm glad I don't go rabbit huntin with all y'all. :rotf:

 

[roundball]

Thumbs...you're thinkin' too much !
Just pause and remember how the settlers did it...they didn't have 209 primers and all this stuff...just clean and lube your bore, sight it in that way, then go huntin and enjoy!!
:thumbsup:

 

[biliff]

I always start out with a clean rifle. There isn't enough of a difference between the first,second and third shots to bother with a fouling shot.

 

[thumbs]

roundball

LOL your not the first person to tell me that on a lot of things,LOL :rotf: yeah I probably am. I just like to get it the best I can. Hey it's way close enough for deer,and rabbit. :grin: Of course the first shot is the important one anyway.

Hey how do you subscribe to a topic? I went to the options and clicked on favorit topics but I never get an email.

 

[roundball]

I don't have a clue...

I know you can check a box to get an Email notification that you have a Private Message.

 

[thumbs]

trench

hey went to the range before goin to the stand this afternoon.

First shot dead on maybe just a hair low. Second shot one inch higher. I packed up and went huntin.

 

[thumbs]

I think the only thing you can do is go the the My Favorites and go down the list to see if there are any responces to your threads. Just have to keep commin back to the forum to check.

 

[Trench]

See Thumbs, no worries! I'd say you wouldn't be able to tell if that inch was from the fouling or if it was you. :grin: I believe a group like that falls in to what the guys call "Minute of Deer". Let us know if you bag anything! I'll be heading out to the deer woods next week and I can't wait!

 

[Runner]

First off, I store my guns upside down with a crisp dry paper towel patch rammed all the way. Anything in there gets soaked up by the paper and the breech is pretty much dry when I get the gun out. I remove the screw and twist a Q-tip clockwise until it is all the way into the channel and back out. I load the gun, and then I remove the clean out screw so I can use a flintlock primer horn to place a fine powder 2 grain prime in the flash channel. I use RS and when hunting I want instant ignition. I don't have to pop a single cap if I don't want to.
My guns get drug thru the woods for weeks sometimes living close to mother nature. They get cleaned with creek water and get left loaded for days if conditions require. There is cap pitting and other dings and dents on every one of them. My Mountain rifle is down right ugly! When I am hunting private property alone, they get fired in the evening and cleaned before I feed myself most days. This year with public ground close by and neighbors hunting, my gun was loaded for days at a time. I tend to remove the screw and use a fresh prime under the nipple each morning when doing that. I shot pyrodex for too many years and I am pretty obsessive about making sure the gun goes off when I want it to.

 

[Trench]

Runner,

Have you tried priming the breach with 4f with a main charge of real BP? If so, did you notice faster ignition? I'd be interested in trying this out!

 

[Runner]

I used 4f when I first started doing it. Added speed I don't know. Added reliability with the subs, absolutely!

 

[thumbs]

I decided to try musket caps. So far so good. Of course storing with the muzzle down. I really never had that much problem with first shot but I have had it happen. In fact with both rifles first shots of the season both didn't go off. Now that was at the range. I also forgot to store them muzzle down. I think with muzzle down and a little bit more flame it will do just fine.

 

[roundball]

I decided to try musket caps. So far so good. Of course storing with the muzzle down. I really never had that much problem with first shot but I have had it happen. In fact with both rifles first shots of the season both didn't go off. Now that was at the range. I also forgot to store them muzzle down. I think with muzzle down and a little bit more flame it will do just fine.

Be aware if you make a change to a #11 cap your POI may change requiring a rezero...I read somewhere that the strength of musket caps can add 100-200fps to the velocity of a normal #11 load...stands to reason when you think about it

 

[thumbs]

Good point. Actually I thought of that and while at Dixon's gun shop I asked about it. He said it shouldn't make much difference. I changed the nipple and headed to the range to make sure. I can't tell the difference. Now I was sighted in at 50 yards. Around here in Pa. most of your shots are reasonably close. You may get a 75er once in a while but most are close in. Now at a greater range maybe it would be more noticable.

thanks for the info though