Fouling Shot?

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P-990

New member
Okay, question from a new BP hunter for those who have more experience: What is your procedure for firing a fouling shot before heading into the field?

I understand the concept: Some rifles (mine included) shoot the first shot out of a clean bore out of the group, then settle in and hammer. Okay, so I can see the advantage of having the barrel to the point where it is hammering while out in the field. But where I hunt, it is literally off of my back door. I can't discharge a firearm until I get into my hunting area, and then obviously I don't want to scare game.

So what is the deal? How is it done? Load a light charge of powder and just burn it without a bullet? A full-load?

Thanks.
 
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sundance44s

New member
Sundance44s

You`ll have to test yours to be sure .. but if i use a dry patch on my first shot it helps ..when i can`t do a fouling shot .... something else i`ve done is useing a .495 ball instead of the .490 .. if she loads good and tight on the first shot ..it`s uasually gonna fly true .
 
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Wild Bill Bucks

New member
Most BP rifles just need a little smoke in the barrel to foul for first shot. Mine works great by just popping a cap through it before loading. I just put on a cap (or two) and stick it inside my truck and pull the trigger. (NOT WITH A LOAD-JUST A CAP) that generally does it and I'm ready to load.
 
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Smokin_Gun

New member
P-990, if not doing a competion shoot paper target cloverleaf type shooting, or metalic silhouettes. Just load it and go shoot your game. We're talkin splittin' hairs here. I don't think anyone in here may have bee off more that 3 or 4" from center point of aim. There is a thing called a Deer load, one chargesay in my .50 cal Poorboy 60gr of ffg BP then one lubed patched ball, and another lubed patched ball. At 100 yard the spread is 6 to 8". Pretty good spread for a heart or lung shot. Now ifin ya wants ta put one behind the ear use only one ball...:cool:
I don't season my barrels I prefer them scaldin hot soapy/rinse water clean...but seasoning a barrel may be another way to go. I suppose you could shoot it the nite before and reload it...that may be an Ideer.
 
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Lonesome_Dove

New member
Smokin.....You say you load 2 balls on top of only 60gr. 2F?:confused: And this works good? Never tried that B4. How close do you need to be for a kill with this method? Sounds like sumthin I need to try.:rolleyes:
 
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Wild Bill Bucks

New member
LD,

I don't know about the two ball thing, I think I would just concentrate on hitting what I'm shooting at with one ball. That's hard enough for me.:D
 
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arcticap

New member
I've tried shooting double balls on targets but some states just don't allow more than 1 projectile to be loaded in the same barrel while hunting and specify "single projectile only".
 
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Smokin_Gun

New member
Lonesome Dove ... ya don't have to use 60gr that's just my standard load.
about a 6"-8" spread at 100 yards. Try it on a plain piece of cardboard with a 100 yd bullseye on it. Let me know what you get ... I use a Miroku .50 cal Tennessee Mountain rifle ... with 8" cut off a 41 1/2" bbl... or a 33 1/2" bbl.
Check Laws before usin' the Deer Load. I never heard of a single projectile law in muzzleloading hunting... But I have only hunted in New York and California. Like does Buck Shot Count?
 
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sundance44s

New member
Sundance44s

Smokin .. i loaded 2 balls in my front stuffer by mistake one time ..and 60grs of powder is my standard load too .. the 2 balls hit the target board touching each other at 30 yards and were on the bulls eye . lol .. i said hummm would ya look at that. :eek:
 
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arcticap

New member
So I guess one way to look at it is that "fouling shots" help to prevent shooting "foul balls";
and the trick is to not "foul up" the "barrel fouling" process or one may be shooting "foul balls" at the deer! Thanks for all of the "foul[ing] tips"! :D

Here's interesting pictures of how some 209 primers "foul up" a barrel more than others:

mlprimer_comp.jpg

After 2 shots with competitor's 209 primers

mlprimer_klean.jpg

After 15 shots with Remington Kleanbore 209 primers

http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/black_powder.asp

It never occurred to me that some #11 primers also might create more fouling than others, so maybe folks would prefer using the ones that foul the most! ;)
 
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KD5NRH

New member
I've tried shooting double balls on targets but some states just don't allow more than 1 projectile to be loaded in the same barrel while hunting and specify "single projectile only".
Click to expand...

Now I just can't shake the mental image of a 12ga sabot with a single #8 shot in it for quail season :)
 
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Smokin_Gun

New member
LD, just check to be sure for hunting season...that was prior to 1974 when I lived back there. But it sure won't hurt to try it out on paper or vaporizing water bottles of the 1 gal. capacity...

Sundance I wish I could do that with a two ball load... did you try it again or quit while you were ahead? LoL!
 
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sundance44s

New member
Sundance44s

Smokin I did quit while i was ahead ... but the club rifle builder was shooting next to me and when i showed it too him .. he said at 25 yards it should do it every time .. he said it will open up at greater distance . I`ll have to try it again sometime too .
 
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