clean bore vs fouled

[p_ham]

Just curious as to who prefers to sight their muzzy on a fouled bore vs clean? Personally I prefer a clean bore, mostly because I don't want to have to take a fouling shot while hunting. If I'm target shooting I don't worry about POI change, just make a note of where the fouled shots land (which is negligible out of my Accura).
This is my clean bore shot at 200yds, sitting supported using my pack as a rest. Load is 100gr blackhorn under a 290gr Barnes TMZ.

 

[NMGuy]

I'm fairly new to muzzleloaders, but I quickly realized it's clean bore for me. When I first started trying to sight in my T/C Impact, my groups were 3-4" at 50 yards, which was unacceptable coming from a rifle background. Started cleaning the barrel between shots and groups came down to 1-1.5". I will take a follow up shot before cleaning just to see where that fouled shot hits in case I need a second shot on an elk/deer.

First (and hopefully only) shot at an animal will be clean bore, so it makes sense to me to sight in that way.

Love that target!

 

[utahminer]

I prefer clean, but my Omega doesn't make a huge difference depending on the bullet.

 

[Curvebow]

I hunt with a clean bore. However, when shooting groups and sighting in, I shoot 3 shots without any cleaning. For me, if I can't shoot 3 shots without cleaning, then I'm going to change bullets, load or powder until I can!

Latest muzz gun is a Vortek StrikeFire, 50 cal. I have it shooting Federal BorLok (270 grain i think) with 120 grains of Black Horn 209. About a 1.25" group at 100 yards for a 3 shot group without cleaning until after the 3rd shot.

 

[Walkathon]

I shoot a clean bore while hunting and I clean the barrel after every shot on the range. It's the only way I've found for my guns to shoot consistently. Mostly shooting my TC Triumph lately

 

[OwyheeHuntr]

After sighting in I usually clean my knight bighorn, then shoot just a cap off, and then load and hunt from there.

 

[MJE2083]

Muzzleloaders I always use a clean bore, I shoot black powder so I don't want to leave it dirty for long. Centerfire rifles is another story.

 

[mdhunter]

Clean here as well.

 

[Flatrock]

You can't really leave a muzzy barrel dirty for very long can you? I've talked to guys who said to clean your muzzy no more than a day after shooting it or the powder residue can start to corrode the barrel.

 

[Timberhawk]

Growing up in Iowa and having a field to shoot a muzzleloader bullet into as-needed every other day, we always hunted with a fouled bore for consistency (follow-up shots if needed), but I'm transitioning to a clean-bore mindset plus transitioning to Blackhorn powers now that I'm in MN and most of my hunts are trip-based and on small lots or WMA's that don't allow "target shooting". That said, I've seen my point-of-impact change as much as 3-4" at 100yds with a pyrodex pellet fouled bore vs a clean bore. Like you said, take note of the difference and hope that your buck-fevered brain remembers that on your 100yd follow-up shot. I'm hoping the Blackhorn powder minimizes the large build-up that my pryrodex pellets used to give me.

 

[p_ham]

Growing up in Iowa and having a field to shoot a muzzleloader bullet into as-needed every other day, we always hunted with a fouled bore for consistency (follow-up shots if needed), but I'm transitioning to a clean-bore mindset plus transitioning to Blackhorn powers now that I'm in MN and most of my hunts are trip-based and on small lots or WMA's that don't allow "target shooting". That said, I've seen my point-of-impact change as much as 3-4" at 100yds with a pyrodex pellet fouled bore vs a clean bore. Like you said, take note of the difference and hope that your buck-fevered brain remembers that on your 100yd follow-up shot. I'm hoping the Blackhorn powder minimizes the large build-up that my pryrodex pellets used to give me.

I think you will be happy with Blackhorn. My last range session was 20+ shots without cleaning. Each loaded as easy as the last. It cleans up with regular hoppes no. 9/ your favorite centerfire solvent also.

 

[GlockZ]

i always shot on a clean bore, just like my rifles. I'm a bit obsessive about cleaning them.

 

[mo381]

My CVA Accura likes a fouled bore, I shoot two primers, load it with BH209 and a 250 gr SST and it is good to go.

 

[jzeck2]

I like clean bore as well, the POI does change on my TC Encore so I always run a cleaning patch through after each shot even while hunting. Also makes it much quicker to load a second round. For my TC Hawkins, I don't shoot at long enough ranges (75 yards max) that it makes much of a difference with patched round balls.

 

[HUNTNNW]

just gotten in the habit of running a cleaner patch after every shot and a dry one. Keeps everything consistent. Learned along time ago the noticeable difference not cleaning between shots as it gets harder to push the bullet down.