Out of an open choked gun I can shoot 15 shells in each barrel then I have to run a brush down the bore with hot water. Only takes 30 seconds. I will alternate smokeless with black powder if I want to complete a round of skeet without cleaning.
This plays right into some questions I was going to ask. While I have shot BP 12GA cartridges in the past, I never shot a lot of rounds in any one shooting session soever gave the fouling much consideration. I HAVE shot a fair bit of ML shotgun but that is a different animal since the bore get somewhat cleaned while loading (depending what is used for lube on the cushion wad). I recently bought a .410 double that I am loading BP and want to shoot clays with and have been wondering how many shots before the fouling may become an issue. My question is, how do you determine when the bores need to be cleaned?, does the fouling build up increase pressures (if so, how do you know, pressure signs on the primers??) or does it blow the patterns?. I have been loading my 45-90 with duplex loads as that is supposed to keep fouling down, does anyone do so with shotguns? Also, I am using brass cases and sealing in the over shot wad with melted bees wax. I wonder if that bit of wax will help clean some fouling from the previous shot, make the fouling worse or have no effect?
