something is bugging me....

[cynthialee]

Every rifle (5) I have tried in the last couple months needs a fouling shot before it starts putting my bullets where they belong.

But if I am gonna hunt then how can I be sure I am going to be able to put the bullet where I want it? A fouling shot would give me away to the critters quik. And fouling it the night before and leaving it dirty all night just doesn't set well with me at all.

How do you guys who have been hunting with these rifles deal with this quandry?

 

[George]

Try tighter ball-patch combinations. It may be that the fouling from your fouling shot is making a tighter fit, so starting with a tighter fit makes the first shot hit where it should.

Spence

 

[hoochiepapa]

...or make sure the "fouling shot" is where you want it to kill an animal. I don't do the fouling shot thing, I sight in my rifle before season, clean it, and it's ready to load opening morning. I clean after every shot to make sure it stays where I want it to shoot.

 

[rabjr]

None of my customs need a fouling shot. I do use a thicker than normally used patch in my rifle which maybe why, I'm not sure.

 

[mooman76]

That is normal, even for smokeless guns but probably won't be as much. It shouldn't make allot of difference (usually just a couple inches) and you didn't say what you are hunting but I assume it is deer. The kill zone on large game is considerably larger than that (2-3") but if it still bothers you, take note where your first shot goes before the fouling shot and adjust your aim.

 

[cynthialee]

Yes, deer. I have took the time to study the kill zones on a deer and it certainly does look like a big enough area that there is room for error.

I am gonna get some tighter patches and see how that works for me.

 

[nchawkeye]

I sight in with a clean barrel and also have a thinner patch/ball combo that will give decent hunting accuracy with a dirty barrel...

 

[Stumpkiller]

Sight in for the fouling shot. ;-)

Mine don't vary much cold to cruddy; and I only wipe after five shots or so. What lube are you using?

 

[cynthialee]

bore butter
I know there are better options, but I have a large tube of the stuff. And it is what I use to seal my revolver cylender so it is something I always have on hand.

 

[jerem0621]

get you some pillow ticking and cut your own patches, lube with bore butter or spit and your issue should resolve itself.

I never use a fouling shot. Ever. I carry a clean gun to the woods. The meat in the freezer proves that its working out pretty good.

Also, remember, in the woods its not P.O.A. accuracy that matters its P.O.D. (point of deer :thumbsup: )

 

[DEWB]

I also don't worry about a fowling shot. I try to keep a clean bore and use 10 oz. cotten duck for patching which I think is about .025 after being washed. It may depend on your barrel if it will take a patch that thick. And as stated earlier I also wipe between shots. For me its a saftey issue. I don't want to put a charge down the barrel and have a hot ember ignite it. I know its unlikley but it could happen. Your mileage may very. Dew

 

[jethro224]

I agree with the guys who said to try a thicker patch.

 

[rabjr]

I also don't worry about a fowling shot. I try to keep a clean bore and use 10 oz. cotten duck for patching which I think is about .025 after being washed. It may depend on your barrel if it will take a patch that thick. And as stated earlier I also wipe between shots. For me its a saftey issue. I don't want to put a charge down the barrel and have a hot ember ignite it. I know its unlikley but it could happen. Your mileage may very. Dew

Same here, love the cotton duck. It compresses to about .009 and isn't to hard to load for me in my Rice barrels. :thumbsup:

 

[S.Kenton]

I 2nd the thicker patch... :thumbsup: AND I HATE bore butter!...I use Olive Oil now.

 

[BrownBear]

bore butter
I know there are better options, but I have a large tube of the stuff. And it is what I use to seal my revolver cylender so it is something I always have on hand.

I'd guess lube unhappiness with or without patch issues. I've had similar experiences with bore butter, but one of my hunting buds swears by it. Different guns, most certainly. The issue went away immediately when I switched to my own lube, a blend of deer tallow and olive oil. Even easier, I get the same results with Mink Oil Grease from Track of the Wolf. YMMV

 

[Deadeye]

I have more than 30 MLs and i've never had one that did that. For hunting I use Crisco for anything else i use spit. I can't use a thicker patch because I'm already using one that's as thick as I can get down the barrel without a hammer. Use a short starter and hit it with the bottom of your fist instead of your palm.
Deadeye

 

[cynthialee]

I have a short starter and I use it. Why should I smack it with the bottom of my fist instead of my palm?

 

[Bill Hall]

No offense intended, but tight patches are the bane of female shooters. I have three daughters who regularly shoot with me, All grown women, and they just don't have the strength to smack the balls hard enough if tight patches are used. Sometimes they can get them started by smacking them with the bottom of their fist, but never by using the palm of their hands. All three of my daughters are pretty mean too, they just don't have that male "Let's see how hard I can hit this with my hand" thing.

Using the bottom of your fist (actually it would be the side, turned down) gives you more leverage, and the added bunched up muscle on the side of the hand helps also. Bill

 

[phoenix113]

I had a problem loading tight PRB in my New Englander and came up with this. I cut the patch after loading the PRB in the barrel,then I use two 2 inch diameter dresser knobs. One I have drilled and placed a 7/8 dowel rod in and cut it off so that it is about a ¼ inch above the bottom of the knob. It is large enough that I can hold it on the PRB and wide enough that I can seat the ball using just the palm of my hand. Then the other one I drilled out to 3/8 inch and can place it over the end of the ram rod to seat the ball. No more loading problems for me.

 

[phoenix113]

Sorry, I ment to say that I cut the patch at the barrel.