Bucktote
Well-Known Member
Why a Fouling shot?
After a succesful hunting trip or a day at the range, most of us clean our rifles shortly after returning home. We use various solvents, Copper cleaning agents etc. The next time when we want to check zeroed POI we shoot a fouling shot ot two, why is this necessary?
Having shot numerous rounds thru the fine Sako barrels, surely with errosion gasses, that preceed projectiles (about 70% of the hot gases) and the abrasion from bullets the lands should be smoothed out & any solvents or oils should be burnt up by the preceeding hot gasses. As a boy I watched my dad rod the barrel of his Remington
30-S rifle with lapping compound. Is all this cleaning necessary only to be negated by foueling shots. After all it is the first shot in a hunting situation that is the one that counts, is not better to take that all important shot with a clean barrel? I understand cleaning preserves the steel by eliminating corrosisve agents that remain in the bore after shooting, but what mechanical reason is there for a foueling shot? I would say that in a new barrel there are some rough edges that final polishing in manufacturing may have missed, But in a seasoned barrel why is a foueling shot necessary? Maybe I have too much time to ponder these and other mysteries in th shooting relm?
B/T
After a succesful hunting trip or a day at the range, most of us clean our rifles shortly after returning home. We use various solvents, Copper cleaning agents etc. The next time when we want to check zeroed POI we shoot a fouling shot ot two, why is this necessary?
Having shot numerous rounds thru the fine Sako barrels, surely with errosion gasses, that preceed projectiles (about 70% of the hot gases) and the abrasion from bullets the lands should be smoothed out & any solvents or oils should be burnt up by the preceeding hot gasses. As a boy I watched my dad rod the barrel of his Remington
30-S rifle with lapping compound. Is all this cleaning necessary only to be negated by foueling shots. After all it is the first shot in a hunting situation that is the one that counts, is not better to take that all important shot with a clean barrel? I understand cleaning preserves the steel by eliminating corrosisve agents that remain in the bore after shooting, but what mechanical reason is there for a foueling shot? I would say that in a new barrel there are some rough edges that final polishing in manufacturing may have missed, But in a seasoned barrel why is a foueling shot necessary? Maybe I have too much time to ponder these and other mysteries in th shooting relm?
B/T