Fouling shot???

[ML_Hunter]

I fire two caps, and then load my gun.  I will leave my gun loaded all season, unless I feel my powder got wet.  In my modern rifle i will take a single fauling shot.

[rasbo]

No fouling shot.  I keep my bore as clean as possible.  I run a dry patch to the bottom and with the ramrod and patch in place I pop a cap into the patch to clear the nipple.  Then I remove the patch and load it.  It stays loaded until I fire at an animal or until the season is over, whichever comes first.

x2

[Svtrc51]

If i remember correctly Power Belt says to fire a 20-30 grain charge if your barrel is over standard bore to "reduce bore diameter".

[Hangfire]

There are a couple of reasons for a fouling shot. One is to get rid of moisture and cleaning solution or oil in the barrel. I do this after the gun has been setting for a while. I then clean with a wet patch and followed with dry patch. When I am going to go hunting, I get a 1/4 inch square or tissue or similar paper and lay it on the ground. I place the end of the barrel a couple inches from the paper and snap as many caps as required to blow the the paper away. You will notice the very loud reports from the cap often will not move the paper. The second reason for a fouling shot is when in competition, or to correct a barrel that shoots significantly different from a fouled barrel as compared to a cleaned barrel. In competition unless you shoot a fouling shot, the first shot from a cleaned barrel will hit off slightly from the following shots from a fouled barrel, even though you clean with a wet patch followed by a dry patch between shots.

[wapiti hunter2]

The first picture is my second and third shot with 100 grains of 777, FFg.  The second picture is the 4,5,6 shots.  First (fouling shot missed completely.  Dead rest, good light Barnes TMZ,  290 gr BT.  50 yards.  Yes, I use a fouling shot.  I clean between each shot with a spit damp patch and then a dry one.  After this session and spit/damp patch cleaning, I left it and will reload on the night of the 1st. 

[carpsniperg2]

There are a couple of reasons for a fouling shot. One is to get rid of moisture and cleaning solution or oil in the barrel. I do this after the gun has been setting for a while. I then clean with a wet patch and followed with dry patch. When I am going to go hunting, I get a 1/4 inch square or tissue or similar paper and lay it on the ground. I place the end of the barrel a couple inches from the paper and snap as many caps as required to blow the the paper away. You will notice the very loud reports from the cap often will not move the paper. The second reason for a fouling shot is when in competition, or to correct a barrel that shoots significantly different from a fouled barrel as compared to a cleaned barrel. In competition unless you shoot a fouling shot, the first shot from a cleaned barrel will hit off slightly from the following shots from a fouled barrel, even though you clean with a wet patch followed by a dry patch between shots.

i don't know if we should lisen to someone with the name hangfire just teasin

i had to move my sights around a little bit this year 2 only took 6 shots put the last to less then 1/2" at 12 and about 1.5-2" high  should be good if some dandy stands there 

[tbotts]

I shoot from a clean barrel.  With my muzzleloader, there is not a big difference between the 1st clean shot and the 2nd/3rd shot.

[Hangfire]

I hopefully learned some about shooting a muzzle loader after my first a Zuave in the mid 70's. That thing on occasion, would have a delayed or hangfire of a few seconds. It is quite a experience to pull the trigger, have the cap fire and not the charge, start to lower gun and have it go off. Once I learned how to keep the channel open, and how to load, it was a very good, accurate rifle. I won a number of turkeys at the club turkey shoots. I shot it for several years, until the edge on accuracy was gone. Surprisingly, I had the most trouble using musket caps, so I switched to number 11 caps.The fellow I sold it to, got elk with it.

I always shot a fowling shot of a full load, before shooting for score. I used a .575 patched round ball and I believe 60 gr. of FFg black powder. For hunting I believe I used 100 gr of FFg.