To Foul the Barrel or Not?
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- blackpowderscout
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Re: To Foul the Barrel or Not?
I don't have any knowledge of inline workings. But for the sidelock percussion guns it's always been a good practice to pop a cap or two before loading to insure the nipple and drum are clear. You aren't truly fouling the barrel by doing this. All it's really doing is (hopefully) clearing the nipple and drum and drying out any LIGHT oil/moisture that may have accumulated. Remember, a cap is not going to magically dry up a puddle of oil from a poor cleaning job, so always take that little time to get it good when you clean it.
As for fouling the barrel, I personally don't do it. I have a rifle that definitely shoots differently from shot 1 to the next but my other 2 don't too bad. So for the sake of not having to dump the load and clean the whole thing if I don't shoot it that day, I do not foul the barrel before going hunting. With any of the propellants, including the new magical ones folks out there use today, you need to clean it relatively soon after shooting it. Don't leave it a day or two or *GASP*, longer. This stuff will start working on your barrels pretty fast and a barrel left dirty just begs for trouble.
That being said, there are LOTS of other muzzleloader enthusiasts that DO foul their barrels (I'm talking with powder not just a cap) before going hunting or shooting competitions. So, in the end it's all about what you feel most comfortable doing and what works the best in your gun.
As for fouling the barrel, I personally don't do it. I have a rifle that definitely shoots differently from shot 1 to the next but my other 2 don't too bad. So for the sake of not having to dump the load and clean the whole thing if I don't shoot it that day, I do not foul the barrel before going hunting. With any of the propellants, including the new magical ones folks out there use today, you need to clean it relatively soon after shooting it. Don't leave it a day or two or *GASP*, longer. This stuff will start working on your barrels pretty fast and a barrel left dirty just begs for trouble.
That being said, there are LOTS of other muzzleloader enthusiasts that DO foul their barrels (I'm talking with powder not just a cap) before going hunting or shooting competitions. So, in the end it's all about what you feel most comfortable doing and what works the best in your gun.
"Friends don't let friends hunt with inlines."
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Want to learn more about Traditional Blackpowder Hunting? http://traditionalblackpowderhunting.com/
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