Fouling Shots with BH209?

[The Badger]

After shooting my 50 cal TC Omega at the range this weekend, I noticed that my groups tightened up considerably after 5 or 6 shots. Was using 100 gr by volume of BH209 with Fury 285 .50 Universal Fit and later 265 .453 in Harvester crush rib sabots. With CCI 209 magnum shotgun primers. Started with a clean barrel and fired one primer through the breach. Groups improved from 1.5" to 1.0" or better after about half dozen shots without cleaning. I've been cleaning after every session in the past and always starting with a fresh bore next session or hunt.

After reading that many smokeless powder shooters leave their barrels fouled through a season, does anybody do this with Black Horn? I know its much less corrosive than black powder or many other substitutes, but does anybody go with a fouled barrel any length of time? Thanks

 

[ENCORE]

Likely ignition and/or operator. The reason I say this is because when we shoot at Camp Atterbury and at 1,000yds, our first rounds are just as good as our 10th rounds. This is shooting either 120grs VOLUME or 84grs by weight of BH209. Also, we're shooting from bone dry, 100% clean to the steel barrels bullet to bore using module ignition. We .. ALL .. swab between rounds. Sabots are a different story.

Moisture is your enemy, even with BH209, and it certainly can be corrosive, although not as corrosive as other substitutes. I load on a spotless, lubricant free barrel. Before I load I'll fire two primers only. If it doesn't rain like heck on me or I don't fall in creek, it'll remain loaded 2 weeks. If I feel there may be an issue, I'll fire the round and just reload. Never had an issue with any of my rifles using BH209. Don't take a cold rifle in and out of the house or camp. Store it cold. Like anything else, error on the side of caution.

 

[The Badger]

Likely ignition and/or operator. The reason I say this is because when we shoot at Camp Atterbury and at 1,000yds, our first rounds are just as good as our 10th rounds. This is shooting either 120grs VOLUME or 84grs by weight of BH209. Also, we're shooting from bone dry, 100% clean to the steel barrels bullet to bore using module ignition. We .. ALL .. swab between rounds. Sabots are a different story.

Moisture is your enemy, even with BH209, and it certainly can be corrosive, although not as corrosive as other substitutes. I load on a spotless, lubricant free barrel. Before I load I'll fire two primers only. If it doesn't rain like heck on me or I don't fall in creek, it'll remain loaded 2 weeks. If I feel there may be an issue, I'll fire the round and just reload. Never had an issue with any of my rifles using BH209. Don't take a cold rifle in and out of the house or camp. Store it cold. Like anything else, error on the side of caution.

Thanks. That makes sense, I hadn't swabbed between shots. That would lean towards more consistency with the initial clean dry barrel shot and following rounds.

Have always used a similar load procedure when hunting. Season is pretty short and early for them in GA where I hunt and never have left one loaded for more than a few days or uncleaned for that matter. Or dealt with any real cold. Have considered the module system as it seems more moisture resistant and have plenty of rifle primers.

 

[ddman]

I clean and oil mine after every season. When it's time to get it out again I'll run 1-2 wet patches let it sit for a few minutes another 1-2 wet patches then dry patches until I don't set anything on them. I'll fire 3 primers then load like normal. I'll shoot three shots to make sure I'm still sighted in 1,2,300. If still good I'll load for hunting. I'll leave it loaded until I go hunt or season is over. I've shot 5 shots over a season at the most and accuracy didn't change. I'll clean it and put it up after next weekend and do the same next year. It's worked for 4 years so far. In Oklahoma MZ season is just a week.

 

[Tom264]

Just at what distance do you guys shoot to have to run through that kind of exercise to get your guns to stay on target?
I've never shot a primer much less 3 through a clean barrel to "foul" my muzzleloaders and can hit a 10" steel gong at 300 yds shot after shot starting with a clean barrel.
That's crazy.

 

[ddman]

I probably wouldn't shoot past 300 with this muzzle loader just because I haven't ever practiced further with it. The custom smokeless I sold a few months ago I had ran to 700 and would feel comfortable to kill anything with it to 600. At 700 the groups opened up to much for me to be confident in it.

 

[ENCORE]

Just at what distance do you guys shoot to have to run through that kind of exercise to get your guns to stay on target?

For hunting.......... depending on weather conditions 600yds. Elevation is just math. Windage is an art form.
If the wind was howling I'd lessen the distance.

 

[ddman]

Just at what distance do you guys shoot to have to run through that kind of exercise to get your guns to stay on target?
I've never shot a primer much less 3 through a clean barrel to "foul" my muzzleloaders and can hit a 10" steel gong at 300 yds shot after shot starting with a clean barrel.
That's crazy.

As for popping the primers I've done it for 25 years. I think I was 13-14 when I bought a muzzleloader from a pawnshop had my mom take me to the gun range and drop me off. There was an older man there shooting his MZ and I watched him do it so I assumed that's what you did. Hasn't ever hurt anything so I've always done it.

 

[The Badger]

As for popping the primers I've done it for 25 years. I think I was 13-14 when I bought a muzzleloader from a pawnshop had my mom take me to the gun range and drop me off. There was an older man there shooting his MZ and I watched him do it so I assumed that's what you did. Hasn't ever hurt anything so I've always done it.

I'm pretty sure I remember TC's instruction dvd that came with my Omega recommending popping a primer prior to loading a clean barrel. Been doing it ever since.

 

[Tom264]

For hunting.......... depending on weather conditions 600yds. Elevation is just math. Windage is an art form.
If the wind was howling I'd lessen the distance.

Yeah.
600 yds I can totally understand.
I guess I was thinking less than 100.
I've always heard to pop primers but my inline I don't need to.
I shoot it at 300 regularly and it will hold a 3/4" group at 100 clean or dirty with bh209
My sidelock I limit myself to 65 yds as it hold a 4" group at that distance.
Never popped primers and I don't believe I will.

 

[cohunt]

Stock Cva optima ---- I pop 3 primers then shoot 1 round - my first round is usually high an right--- then I leave it loaded all hunting season --- but I limit myself to around 250 yards due to open sights and my aging eyes

 

[Buttermilk]

I wouldn't leave a BH209 barrel dirty for close to a year.

My experience has been its best to clean the bore with in two weeks of shooting it or you run the risk of some corrosion forming. Whether this is due to the nature of BH209 properties or simply hydroscopic in nature I cannot say.

Just to be safe, I clean my guns within about two weeks or so, as I've seen what appears to be the start of corrosion on a T/C Encore barrel I initially started using BH209 on after about two weeks time elapsed.

 

[ddman]

I wouldn't leave a BH209 barrel dirty for close to a year.

My experience has been its best to clean the bore with in two weeks of shooting it or you run the risk of some corrosion forming. Whether this is due to the nature of BH209 properties or simply hydroscopic in nature I cannot say.

Just to be safe, I clean my guns within about two weeks or so, as I've seen what appears to be the start of corrosion on a T/C Encore barrel I initially started using BH209 on after about two weeks time elapsed.

Mine generally just stays loaded for a week or 2 after hunting season. I'll go shoot it and then clean it until next year when I start the process over again. I did have one loaded for three years that I had forgotten about in a case under a friends spare bed. I didn't mz hunt for a few year because of work getting in the way and when I went to look for it I called my buddy to ask if it was still at his house. He looked and said it was still loaded. I went over the next week and put a 209 in there and shot it. It went off and when I removed the breach plug it had a little bit of corrosion in the barrel but other then that it wasn't to bad. I'm still own it and have loaned it out to friends who don't have a Mz and it has kill several deer since, I just clean it and put away after season now