BH 209 after cleaning 1st shot question

[Kipsbay]

My question has a few layers to it......cleaning and after cleaning what is your 1st shot point of impact. I understand it isn't necessary to clean after each shot using BH 209 but it seems like my 1st shot out of a clean barrel hits higher than each of the next shots. I'm using 110gr. of BH 209 and Barnes 250 gr TMZ bullet w/ good result. Are other guys seeing the same....what are you doing to get the same point of impact each and every shot....should I go back to cleaning between each shot. I like the powder and it's performance but I do believe cleaning is necessary between shots to insure exact POI for hunting. When I ask the folks at Western about leaving my barrel dirty for a day or two maybe three during hunting season they say "no"...."as much as it's not as corrosive at BP or BP substitutes I should still clean my gun after each firing.....please send me your ideas or thoughts so I know and feel comfortable with my first shot as well as my next one for hunting piece of mind...... clean up is a snap.

 

[Lee 9]

When I am at the range I just shot it once at the back stop. When I am going hunting I fire two 209 then wipe it out with a lightly damped patch using 50/50 Hoppes #9 and alk. then fire two more 209. My idea is that the first 209's and cleaning get the oil out of the barrel and the second pair of 209's fouls it so it shoots the same. In my Endeavor Encore and my Triumph it keeps the first shot in the group and that has been consistently so. I suspect that different people come up with different procedures because they use different oils to protect their guns. Lee

 

[paia]

My rifle shoots its first shot with BH209 a little off also. Last year and this year I have sighted it in and practiced with 15 to 20 shots and completely cleaned the rifle. Then before hunting I have gone to the range and fired one fouling shot and one more "test" shot to double-check the sights and have then left it fouled for hunting. My rifle has had no corrosion problems at all and I have left it fouled with a couple BH209 shots for up to three weeks at a time.

My rifle is a stainless Omega and is sighted in and fouled right now and waiting to go to Iowa next week

 

[jakesdad]

I have not noticed a lot of difference with my disc extreme as far as "hunting accuracy".I use 90gr BH209 with a 300gr XTP.When I sighted in I shot about 12-15 times,then cleaned it shot 3 more times and the POI between clean and dirth was less than 1" at 100yds. not enough to concern me. I usually pop a cap,load up and hunt.

 

[Kipsbay]

I'm about 1.5" high and and about .5 left on my 1st shot w/ a clean barrel....the folks at BH say not to leave the barrel dirty....?? I'm thinking of going to the range 1 or 2 more times and playing....I want to know exactly where that 1st shot is going....especially if I'm going to Iowa next week and maybe faced w/ that 200yd shot.

 

[coop2564]

Mine too hits high and right. I've tried swiping the bore with alcohol and Windex, firing up to five primers nothing seems to work but firing a low volume fouler will get it back on line. In my guns its seems loading the new bullet after the fouler seems to effectively clean the loose soot that would cause moister and corrosion out, at least I haven't seen a problem yet with it.

 

[Widude]

I start the hunt with a totally clean barrel. I try to position myself for the 50 yrd & under shots whenever possible. I realize things don't go as planned. I just finished a 3 day hunt, started with a clean gun. I shot on A.M. of day 2 & later on day 2 & day 3. I gave the gun a cleaning on day 3 when I got home. I was shooting B209 & all shots when off fine & the gun cleaned up well. It's nice to be able to go a few days during the hunt with deer to be processed & other duties.

I did notice a slightly higher point of impact while sighting with a clean barrel on 1st shot. To me it was not enough to matter & I'd rather get some more time with things clean than starting off fouled.

 

[fisher2072]

impact

I'm about 3-4 inches high, and 1 inch left on a clean barrel with my triumph. I shoot for groups with a fouled barrel, then extensively clean the barrel between shots and shoot for POI. I don't like leaving a gun dirty for any length of time "even with BH209" so I hunt on a clean barrel.

 

[Underclocked]

Two three shot groups (same load) fired 37 days apart. 8)