Hunting with a fouled barrel

[Bluegoose23]

I have been wondering about something for a while.  When we do target shooting the first shot thru a clean barrel is off.  We foul the barrel to get serious about shooting.  Yet we hunt with a clean  barrel.   I have wondered if the difference is enough to foul the barrel before a hunt in some way and clean it after of course.  But then you may be looking at having a fouled barrel all day.  Detrimental?  I don't know.   Worth the effort?  I don't know.

[James Rogers]

I have built my hunting load on a clean barrel

[jamesthomas]

I have been wondering about something for a while.  When we do target shooting the first shot thru a clean barrel is off.  We foul the barrel to get serious about shooting.  Yet we hunt with a clean  barrel.   I have wondered if the difference is enough to foul the barrel before a hunt in some way and clean it after of course.  But then you may be looking at having a fouled barrel all day.  Detrimental?  I don't know.   Worth the effort?  I don't know.

 My first on a clean barrel is always on target and so are the previous shots. I've never had the first shot on a clean barrel be off target. 

[Daryl]

The first shot is the most important shot you are going to fire.  

Many full moons ago, I'd foul my barrel, then load her afresh for the hunt. That meant I had to discharge the rifle and clean it, every day. Then, I merely worked up my most accurate load (shooting fouled) and then tested to see where that first, clean barrel shot landed.  It is usually within a couple inches of the 'fouled' shots, and usually just a bit low, so no allowance was needed on rib-cage shots - allowance only on head shots, which I stopped using a few decades ago as in my opinion, head shots are the use of poor judgment.  I found it easy to remember the first shot would be a couple inches low - or wherever it was  left right, high - but usually low. A couple inches is easy to hold for, on a deer's ribs or the 30" kill zone of a moose or large elk.

[Mad Monk]

If you have access to a chronograph.  Fire the gun and wipe between shots.  watch the velocity go up with each shot and then there will be a point where there is no real increase.  Different powders behave differently in this work and there will be some lot to lot variation.  So if you are going to hunt you would need to increase the powder charge to give the velocity seen in a barrel after firing several shots.  In a .50 cal. patched ball rifle that additional powder could be 10 to 15 grains.

Mad Monk

[Bluegoose23]

The first shot is the most important shot you are going to fire.  

Many full moons ago, I'd foul my barrel, then load her afresh for the hunt. That meant I had to discharge the rifle and clean it, every day. Then, I merely worked up my most accurate load (shooting fouled) and then tested to see where that first, clean barrel shot landed.  It is usually within a couple inches of the 'fouled' shots, and usually just a bit low, so no allowance was needed on rib-cage shots - allowance only on head shots, which I stopped using a few decades ago as in my opinion, head shots are the use of poor judgment.  I found it easy to remember the first shot would be a couple inches low - or wherever it was  left right, high - but usually low. A couple inches is easy to hold for, on a deer's ribs or the 30" kill zone of a moose or large elk.

That tells me a lot.   Thanks.   

[Hungry Horse]

 When you are at a shoot, you are going to be firing your gun soon after you foul the barrel. But, this is not the case in a hunting situation. Blackpowder residue is hygroscopic and will wick moisture out of the air. So, hunting on a clean barrel is the best idea, unless you are hunting in a very dry climate.

                  Hungry Horse