Plastic Fouling

[Rummer]

This year I plan to hunt w/muzzleloaders for the first time in a few years.

I have been wondering about plastic fouling.

How do you recognize it?

What's the best fouling solvent?

Thanks.
Rummer

[Redhawk1]

If you use a patch with Windex with vinegar you can get the plastic fouling out. I actually cut done to almost eliminated it by using a little bore butter in the barrel when shooting.

[Cheesehead]

After how many rounds does plastic fouling appear?

Cheese

[alsaqr]

My .50 Encore is the only muzzle loader i've owned to get plastic  fouled.  After about every 40 shots i use Hoppe's Gun Scrubber along with a bronze brush, that gets the plastic out.    My cheap old CVA guns do not have that problem. 

[Redhawk1]

My .50 Encore is the only muzzle loader i've owned to get plastic  fouled.  After about every 40 shots i use Hoppe's Gun Scrubber along with a bronze brush, that gets the plastic out.    My cheap old CVA guns do not have that problem. 

Plastic fouling occurs in all muzzleloader's that use sabots, it is just to what extent you get it. The fouling comes from the plastic coming in contact with the inside of the barrel and heat. Also a factor is how tight your bore is. If you have a loose sloppy bore, you will not pick up much fouling at all.

[Double 30]

After 1500 rounds my Omega Z5 has started to foul.I use Harvester greens, regular not crush ribs, with Hornady .44 cal 240 and 300 gr XTP's with a max charge of 90gr 2f T7.Its a very recent development and I think there is alittle erosion factor involved .However I dont ever recall hearing of a muzzleloading barrel suffering from erosion.Pitting from neglect or breech burn from improperly lubed round balls yes.I cant believe it would even be possible.My problem was very recent in appearance and starts roughly where the sabot seats on the powder charge and continues up bore for about 4 inches.The barrel has some VERY minor tool marks , but has never fouled before.I'm currently looking at a number of possible causes as its a bugger to remove with Hoppes and a bore brush , but the bright side is it has no effect on accuracy.She's a very consistent 3/4 - 1 3/8 inch grouper at 100 yards. I wont lap her as the sabots are a very nice fit and it would just be my luck that accuracy would be lost. The other day I shot her at 200 yards and using wind flags, I fired when things were calm and fired 1 group that measured , center to center , 11/16 inch for 3 and the next 3 were an inch even! I packed up and went home after that ! The 11/16's load was the 240 gr .44 XTP in green Harvesters over 80 gr 2f T7 lit by CCI 400's in Variflames. The 1 inch was a 300 gr .44 XTP in green Harvesters over 90 gr 2f T7 lit by CCI400's in Variflames. She mounts a Leupold VX1 2x7 in Leupold low QR rings and base. While it can be an issue and certainly is annoying at times, dont make more of it than necessary.it will drive you nuts and greatly diminish your enjoyment of a finerifle.BTW the worst plastic fouling I ever saw was found in sabot shooting shotguns.REALLY NASTY!

[kyelkhunter3006]

You can brush it out, or use some acetone and patches to get it out.  Just don't let the acetone sit in the bore for very long.  I use the Windex with vinegar to clean and haven't noticed any plastic fouling build-up in any of my guns.

[AndyHass]

None of mine have ever had an issue with plastic fouling.  Probably close to 2000 rds through my Omega and it still punches tiny groups.