Muzzleloader troubles

[deerhunter713]

"the point is, your point of impact will be different with a clean barrel, versus a dirty barrel. Most often times, a drastic change in the point of impact."
 
Absolutely.  The point is, my confidence in my gun and it's accuracy is highest using the method I am using.  That is really all that matters to me.  Years and years ago I tried clean bore shooting and the results were unrepeatable points of impact.  I will never go into the woods with either of my muzzleloaders (or rifle) with a clean unfouled barrel.  When someone tells me they are not getting good repeatability (e.g. not tight enought groups), the first thing I will recommend it fouling the barrel and then shooting for groups.  Then I'd advise changing the powder load, powder type and bullet type/weight configurations until the desired results are acheived.  And based on my experience, I would never advise someone to sight their gun in based on the impact of their bullet from a clean barrel.  I have never seen a muzzleloader or high power rifle that will shoot the same point of impact with a clean barrel and fouled barrel.  You can say what you want, but if dead deer could speak, over 150 of them would tell you I'm not wrong.  I'm not bragging, I just don't miss.

[lonlon]

713 My 870 goes the whole trap season w/o being cleaned and it still misses!!!! U bring up some good points and I agree with them. LONLON

[papascruffy]

After trying the advice I got from ya'll, I was still having the same problem. I had checked every thing tightened the mounts and every thing was snug or seemed to be.
I put every thing up went inside and thought,cussed,pouted and was ready to too the gun but I thought I'd try one more thing before I did that.I removed the scope and shot 50 yards open sights and it's coming together. Ran out of daylight and when the wind gets below 40 miles per hour I'll finnish it up. I'm atleast  hitting the target and can notice much improvement.
I'll let ya'll know the outcome!

[whitetailstalker]

scruffy,

new to these forums,but 25 years as a black powder shooting/safty instuctor.

1) be sure to measure every charge correctly   
2) when loading bullet,be VERY careful NOT to push sabot over rifling lands,but rather with lands.this is best accomplished with a handle or attachment in threaded end of ramrod,so the ramrod will spin when loading.
3)As with any firearm, proper and CONSISTANT forehand and trigger hand placement is a must.(more so with blackpowder)
4) consistant target aquisation
5) make sure loading jag CORRECTLY fits bullet shape,if not it could be deforming bullet before you ever pull the trigger.(this is a VERY common and OVERLOOKED mistake)

most everything else has been covered