weird muzzleloader behavior - anyone have this happen?

[mazzgolf]

In short, I had a mysterious flyer that missed the paper completely - the rest of my shots, especially the first shot and the last 3 shots, were right on

....

A couple weeks ago, I was dorking with my muzzy's scope. It's a cheaper Vortex (with very spongy dials; I actually hate these dials and if I had the time and money I'd get a new scope). Well, it's one of those scopes where you can take the screw out of the center of the dial and turn the wheel so the "0" matches up with the dash mark (so my zero is actually marked at the "0" digit on the dial).  Then you lock it down by tightening the screw back down. Well, I think I messed up and lost the zero. The dials are so spongy that I think I moved it a few ticks before I locked it down. I wasn't sure how bad I screwed it up, so I went to the range to shoot some and see how it is. When zero'ed, I was right on at 100 yards, and 1.5 inches high at 50. 

Last week I shot my muzzy at the 50 yard range. Was about 2 to 2.5 inches high. Meh, OK. Didn't think much of it. I then went over to the 100 yard range and unbelievably I missed the paper twice. I have no idea where the bullets went. First shot I felt like I tugged at it, so I chalked it up to human error. But I can't explain the second shot. It was a long day at the range that day (I patterned my shotgun first that day) so I just said rather than waste more ammo, I'll come back later with a clearer head. I can't believe I screwed up the scope that bad.

So I went out today with a clean muzzy on the 100 yard range. Between each shot, I fully cleaned the barrel as best I could and I shot a cap (I learned early on that my muzzy needs a cap shot through it for more accuracy - I still don't understand it, but it's true).

First shot, 1 inch low. Not bad. I'll take it. Second shot, high about an inch. OK, whatever. Third shot, 2" low and to the right 1", fourth shot lower and more right (another half inch from third).  Fifth shot (and here's the weirdness), I miss the paper completely! I couldn't believe it. How is that possible? I even had a huge piece of long white paper behind the target - if I missed high or low, it was WAY off, 2 feet off.

Well, I dunno what to think. I ignored that flyer, adjusted my dials slightly based on my previous shots, and in the end my last three shots were within 1" of my aiming point (windage was dead-on for all 3). So, I THINK I'm on. But that flyer missing the paper has me concerned (especially when I had it happen to me those 2 shots the previous shooting session).

The only thing I can think of is - when I loaded what ended up being that flyer, the bullet loaded much harder than all the others. I cleaned the barrel so the only thing I can think of is the bullet went in "cockeyed" and slightly off. I don't even know if that's possible, but the bullet definitely went down the barrel much harder than all the others (it was so bad, I thought to myself before I shot that I should unload and re-do it - but I didn't). 

Anyone ever have that happen? One-off major flyer? A bullet that seats much harder than you are used to and that causes poor accuracy?

Take that flyer away, and I feel this gun is back to being dialed in fine.

[thefirstndsecond]

Is the scope moving in the rings? I have had it happen where the rings or duro mount was not tight and the scope was "walking"

Are you using powder or pellets?

[mazzgolf]

Scope is tight... I checked that.

Using 777 pellets 

[vdep217]

You pulled the shot.

[BowhunterNJ]

Possible reasons

• inconsistent cleaning and drying of breech, compromising powder/pellets ignition/burn
• bad scope
• pulled shot
• malformed bullet when seating it 
• uneven powder burn due to the pellets nature
• bad primer/cap

IMO I'd fire more than one cap after a cleaning to make sure it's dry, blown out and has a consistent dirtying. I would usually fire 3 after a cleaning. Any kind of moisture remaining and you're going to get inconsistent results. 
 

What's your cleaning procedure?  What's your loading procedure?

[ratherbhunting]

I had a similar problem with my muzzle loader a few years back, I put a new scope on it and it solved my problem. 

[mazzgolf]

45 minutes ago, BowhunterNJ said:

to make sure it's dry

Ah! OK... so I wondered about that. Let me tell you about one of those 2 flyers that I shot before today. I have that Windex with Vinegar that I sprayed on the breech plug to clean up. I specifically remember looking at it saying, "That doesn't look fully dry" when I put it back in. I wondered if that was going to be a problem  Maybe that was the cause of one of those flyers.. the breech still had some of that windex in it and wasn't fully dry???? I did NOT shoot a cap that day before loading and firing.

My cleaning procedure is - spray some of that Windex with Vinegar on a patch - push the patch through the barrel. Repeat once or twice more (wet patch down barrel). Then I push about 3 dry patches down the barrel (I'll push one through, reverse it, push it through again.. grab a second patch and repeat, grab a third patch, and repeat). When the patch comes out almost clean (it won't be perfectly white, but mostly clean) then I'll stop. Today after I did that, I would shoot a cap through it. This would mimic my hunting scenario (where I would take the clean gun out of the safe, pop the cap, load it, and go hunt).
 

Quote

 

malformed bullet when seating it 

 

And this is what I was afraid happened today with my one flyer. I didn't have my bullet seating tool - so I just pushed the bullet in with my fingers - seating into the muzzle then push down with the loading rod. But this one time it just felt weird - the bullet didn't go in "right". It was very difficult to push it into the muzzle and down the barrel. It was very weird. It felt as if the barrel wasn't clean and had crud in it (but it was clean - I did my full cleaning routine). Something was up, but I don't know what. Maybe the bullet or the bullet's collar was damaged or malformed somehow?? (These are full-bore Hornady Bore Drivers).

[mazzgolf]

11 minutes ago, ratherbhunting said:

I had a similar problem with my muzzle loader a few years back, I put a new scope on it and it solved my problem. 

That's what I was afraid of. But what doesn't make sense is - how can I be within an inch or two of my aiming point on like 6 or 7 shots, but mysteriously I get one flyer in the middle that doesn't even hit paper? If it was the scope, you'd think it would always be off.

[smittty]

You’re probably pulling the shot but very well be a dirty breech.  Carbon build up in the breech will do it