Rockdoc, If the bullets were shot in the condition shown I think you could do a whole lot better with proper lubrication. The grooves need to be filled with lube-a good choice for starters would be SPG lubricant which is specifically designed for blackpowder cartridge rifles. It should work just as well in your muzzleloader. Something of an indicator that you have sufficient lube would be a multipoint star like deposit of lube on the end of the muzzle after shooting. Since your first shot went pretty close to point of aim, the performance of the others may indicate hard fouling building up. A good lube (and enough of it) softens the fouling. After a few shots you should still probably wipe the bore with a damp patch followed by a dry patch to maintain a consistent bore condition for best accuracy. Many shooters wipe between every shot if they are competing.
Last edited by Jerry V Lape; 12/03/11 03:49 PM.
