Are we all dead?

[230RN]

Not too surprised at the fouled rounds shooting slightly better... at least for a while.

When I used to do high-powered rifle shooting (smokeless, cal .30), we were allowed a couple of sighters after a couple of "fouling rounds" before shooting for record.

A gun will shoot differently whether it has some fouling in it or it is clean, so the first clean shot is here, the second, with a little bit of fouling is there, and sooner or later, the increments in fouling on successive shots get less and less, and the gun groups better (up to a point.)

Seems to me this process would be a lot quicker with King Black as opposed to smokeless.

Other processes which vary from the first shot can do the same thing, such as (at least in rifles), settling the action back into the stock better and better with each shot, and in BP handguns, backblast fouling can take up tolerances.

I have an M1 Carbine which definitely shoots better dirty, I mean really filthy, apparently for this reason.

One other effect, though it's mainly with rifles, is the greater heating with more shots. I had a Winnie .243 where the "one shot" groups were OK (meaning letting it cool off for ten minutes for each shot) but successive shots without cooling made it walk across the target.

Jes' my thinkin' on it.

Terry, 230RN

[jim147]

Here are two 25 yard targets shot with 35 gr of Goex FFFg and roundball that I did. Bottom target is 3 rounds from a clean barrel and the top target are the next 3 from the fouled barrel. I was expecting the opposite so it was an eye opener for me.

Have you slugged the barrel and chambers? Looks like the chambers might be a bit smaller then the barrel to make that much of a change.

Hey Terry, I always shoot better the second, third, fourth and so on group. Until it gets so dirty it doesn't like the load anymore. I think for me it comes from relaxing and getting used to the trigger or any other quirks of the firearm.

jim

[Old Grump]

Have you slugged the barrel and chambers? Looks like the chambers might be a bit smaller then the barrel to make that much of a change.

Thought of that but the groups are to consistent on other 25 yard targets, what amazes me is the consistency of the group sizes with round ball compared to a couple of my centerfire revolvers shooting bullets.

Now if only my .454 balls would show up so I could shoot my Walker I would be a happy man..................who am I kidding I am a happy man just shooting the ROA. The Walker would just make me smile a little longer and be twice the work when it comes time to clean two guns instead of one.

[Kaeto]

Shot my .54 cal Renegade this past sunday. For the first time I tried a couple of different conical projectiles from it. And I think I'll just melt down the remaining conicals and use them to cast rounballs.

[Selena]

This morning my hubby used the double rifle my late uncle made to kill Bambi's father. A 620 grain 75 caliber round ball behind 120 grain of Fg tends to make the second shot unnecessary.

Don't worry much about poor little Bambi, either Dave or my brother will get him next year.

[3fgburner]

This morning my hubby used the double rifle my late uncle made to kill Bambi's father. A 620 grain 75 caliber round ball behind 120 grain of Fg tends to make the second shot unnecessary.

Interesting that he's using 1F, which is usually cannon powder. Of course, .75 cal balls ARE a measurable fraction of a pound... Is he trying to keep the pressure curve lower, due to the old barrel?

[Selena]

The larger corn is to take advantage of the 50 inch barrel of the weapon. When my uncle built the rifle he was trying to get a longer range weapon. The barrels are only about 15 to 20 years old and well able to handle the pressures.

And just for the record... the thing is a cannon! The ball weighs just under an ounce and a half.

[3fgburner]

The larger corn is to take advantage of the 50 inch barrel of the weapon. When my uncle built the rifle he was trying to get a longer range weapon. The barrels are only about 15 to 20 years old and well able to handle the pressures.

50 inch barrel, I can see wanting to get all the powdery goodness one can. I use 2F or 3F in my .75, but that's because it's a medieval hand-gonne (miniature cannon barrel on a stick) with an 18" barrel.

[Selena]

I should post a pic of the thing but I'm concern it might inspire some on-the-edge OMB (obsessive machine builder) to attempt to try to build one of his own. It's essentially two steel pipes welded together on a composite stock. It's also so heavy you need to install a rest in the tree stand. Uncle Lee's lab notes on the item mentions a 150 meter hit in the six ring of a hundred meter target with a conical slug. After that he lost interest and started work on an even worse atrocity.

When Dave "found" the rifle in my stuff he claimed it. As I mentioned, he prefers a patched round ball and 120 of Fg. Since he brings home two deer a season with it when he is home it must work. On occasion he manages a shot that leaves enough hide to make it worth tanning.

[230RN]

^

On occasion he manages a shot that leaves enough hide to make it worth tanning.

Kill 'em and clean 'em in one operation, eh?

Needed a good laugh. Thanks.

Terry, 230RN

[Selena]

Kill 'em and clean 'em in one operation, eh?

Nothing so wasteful, on occasion he will shoot behind the shoulder which generally turns out to be a through and through. With the nearly pure lead ball the entry hole is 3/4 inch and the exit... big enough that the hide isn't worth scraping and tanning. I keep telling him to aim close to the animal with a conical slug and when the wind knocks it down hit it in the head with a hammer but he won't listen to me.