# Need Major HELP



## Dyllan (Nov 17, 2008)

New to all this and my son and I both bought ourselves Traditions inline XLT muzzle loaders. Went to the range and sighted in,, all went well. I cleaned the barrel's after every 2-3 shots. I have missed 2 and my son 1 deer. We found out yesterday that our first shots out of our clean barrel are both way off. The next shot is alway dead on? What can we do to dirty up our barrels before we go hunting? Is there something we can buy, besides shooting a 50 grain pyrodex pellet through it??? PLEASE HELP so we can get some freezer meat....


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## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

I used to just fire a primer... :huh:


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## Dyllan (Nov 17, 2008)

So how did that work for you


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## striped1 (Aug 17, 2005)

Your most accurate shot should be from a clean, dry bore. Are you using a few primers to dry bore after cleaning prior to loading? Are you shooting a dry bore with sabots or using bore butter or some other type of lube?

what is the load you are using?


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## Dyllan (Nov 17, 2008)

We clean our rifles very well and oil them. The night before we hunt we run a couple of dry patches through the barrel that it. The morning of the hunt we load our 100 grains of pyrotex and our 245 gr. power belt bullet, our 209 primer and go "miss a deer".
Any sugg.?
What can we do and what are we doing wrong?


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## Candiru (Aug 18, 2005)

I had the same problem with my TC Black Diamond, also shooting powerbelt bullets. I switched from pellets to loose 777 powder and it fixed the problem, I shoot 100 grains of powder. The other option is to shoot it once after cleaning ( I would do this with your full 100 grain load). Loose pyrodex should also work. The 777 cleans up much easier.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

First off, can the pellets. Shooting loose powder will give you more consistant velocities and tighten your groups. Loose powder also leaves a fouling that is MUCH easier to clean.

Second, sight your rifle in on a clean bore. The first shot is the MOST IMPORTANT one. If it goes where it sposed to, a second shot is uneccessary. 
Shoot a round, clean, shoot again, clean, etc etc etc. (The bore for this doesnt have to be "storage clean", just run 2-3 wet patches down her, a bore brush, than 2-3 dry ones to remove the majority of the fouling and shoot again). Remember to clean it the same each time though. If your using 2 wet patches than 2 dry, stick with that. Consistancy is the name of the game here.


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## striped1 (Aug 17, 2005)

I would try snapping a couple of primers to thoroughly dry the barrel prior to the first shot. There really shouldn't be such a huge deviation between your first 2 shots. I would try something other than the powerbelt too. A sabot like a shockwave for instance.

I did find better consistency with shockwaves and a smaller 209 like the 777 primers. My encore's favorite load is a 250 grain shockwave with 3 50 grain pellets and a 777 primer.

I clean between each shot and if going for accuracy dry it with a couple of primers before loading. But I get an excellent second shot with one wet and 2 dry patches and no drying shot if need be as a follow up shot for hunting.


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## duckmander (Aug 25, 2008)

Of course it will be the most accurate from a clean bore. but its a muzzle loader. they have never been a so called clean gun. the load you are currently using will work just fine.

you said yourself the first shot is off and the second shot was right on target. so let the second shot be your hunting shot. the first shot is what i use as the fouling shot.

thoroughly clean your gun go sight it in. you can run a patch or brush/patch through it after a few shots if desired. which will help with accuracy.

here's the key to this thing IMO. shoot it. sighted in hitting your target. DO NOT CLEAN. just reload it right then. no cap/flint/209 ect.

prime it when at hunting area in the AM and bring home the bacon or ah venison.

good luck to both of you.


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## stonejs1 (Oct 14, 2008)

i shoot a cva optima pro and i use power belt bullets and pyrodex. all you should have to do is shoot a primer off before your hunt and you should be fine.


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## alleyyooper (Jul 6, 2007)

I like the clean barrel thing my self. Doesn't have to be a major chore to swab between shots with a spit patch, windex patch or what I use.









People here think you are over powering your power belts too.
http://ganderspowerbeltforu.powerguild.net/

 Al


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## boondocks (Jan 27, 2006)

I know this is an old post but had to respond. You say you clean them then OIL the barrel. Even after runing two dry patches through the barral you will still have the oil in it. I hope it isn't bore butter your using. Bore butter can kill the accuracy of inlines. The only time I oil my barrel is if it will not be fired for long periods. During the season my barrel never sees oil. OIL in the barrel will kill your first shot accuracy.


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## rogerw (Jan 7, 2008)

I agree with Boondock on the point of not using petroleum oil in the barrel, or limiting use of it to non-shootin periods. Oil in the barrel will result in large difference between clean and fouled shots. I believe that the difference in barrel friction between a clean and fouled barrel is the source of the difference.

Dyllan, you say you are removing the oil when you run a few dry patches down before loading, but are you using a slotted tip (like a modern rifle cleaning rod) or a muzzleloading jag as is typically used on traditional muzzleloaders?

A patch on a slotted tip does not exert much lateral pressure against the barrel walls. A patch on a jag should go down somewhat loosely but "bunches" up and really scours the barrel wall on the up-stroke of the rod. I think this does a much better job of removing barrel oil.

When I used to use 3in1 or other light oils to oil the barrel I had this same problem. When I learned to use non-petroleum oils and to scrupulously wipe the barrel dry before loading, the problem virtually went away, with no more than 1" difference or so between clean and fouled shots.

I shoot flintlocks mainly, with GreenMountain barrels and patched round balls and genuine loose black powder. For that reason I DO use bore butter, but I do not know why it would be different for inlines.

Get a jag tip that is underbore sized enough that patches go down lightly, and bunch coming up to scrub the bore really good. Then you are really starting on a dry barrel.

BTW, when I am in a damper environment I will go ahead and use petroleum oil, but before loading I use the jag and dry patches. It is not so damp here in Central Texas and I usually do not use petroleum oil, year round.

YHS,
rogerw


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## single-shot (Dec 16, 2008)

yea what barebackjack said.....thats how i sight in my t/c omega.....i dont know about you guys but when i get up early in the morning i dont plan on making much noise dry firing a gun.........when i shoot at the range im the slowest shooter there....1st shot or 10th shot i mean to have that bore the same every shot....


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## alleyyooper (Jul 6, 2007)

These patches will clean any oil or moisture from your bore fast. 









You can buy a bottle of the stuff at the dollar store and dampen your own patches too.
A lot cheaper to clean the rifle with than most other gun cleaners.

 Al


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